German actress Elke Sommer, renowned as a 1960s Hollywood icon who starred in films such as A Shot in the Dark and The Prize, has died at the age of 85. She passed away from heart failure on Wednesday night, October 28, 2026, at her residence in the Bel Air neighborhood of Los Angeles. Her stepson, Sebastian Walther, confirmed her peaceful passing, following the July 2026 death of her husband, Wolf Walther. Sommer’s career began in 1959 when she was discovered in Italy while vacationing with her mother in Viareggio. A local beauty pageant win and a newspaper photo caught the attention of Italian director Vittorio De Sica, who cast her in the comedy Men and Noblemen. She also made her film debut in The Friend of the Jaguar. To better suit international audiences, she adopted the stage name Elke Sommer, replacing her German surname Schletz. By the end of 1959, she was working nonstop across Europe, laying the groundwork for her international stardom. Sommer was also an accomplished painter inspired by Marc Chagall, holding numerous solo exhibitions. In the 1980s, she won a $3.3 million defamation lawsuit against Zsa Zsa Gabor. Per her wishes, she will be buried in Marloffstein, Germany, alongside her family and late husband. Her legacy includes a significant contribution to cinema and the arts, with her early career marked by rapid success and a transition from European to Hollywood stardom.