Elke Sommer, star of A Shot in the Dark and The Prize, dies at 85
By Fuzzy Mushroom · Published
Elke Sommer, the Berlin-born actress who played opposite Peter Sellers in the Pink Panther sequel A Shot in the Dark and Paul Newman in The Prize, has died at her Los Angeles home aged 85, her stepson told Bild. She won a Golden Globe as most promising newcomer for The Prize, went on to Mario Bava's horrors Baron Blood and Lisa and the Devil, and British viewers will know her from Carry On Behind. She died three months after her husband, Wolf Walther.
A Shot in the Dark or The Prize: where should a newcomer start with Elke Sommer?
How solid is this story?
Spore Score for the story: 82 (Rock solid). Status: Confirmed. On the record: Her stepson Sebastian Walther confirmed the death to Bild, reported by Variety and The Hollywood Reporter.
The films
- A Shot in the Dark (1964): Spore Score 80, The Pros 80 vs The Punters 77
- The Prize (1963): Spore Score 60, The Pros 51 vs The Punters 71
Sources
- The Hollywood Reporter: Elke Sommer, Actress in 'A Shot in the Dark' and 'The Prize,' Dies at 85 (29 October 2026)
- Variety: Elke Sommer, 'Pink Panther' and 'The Prize' Star, Dies at 85 (29 October 2026)
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