Who is Elke Sommer? See Net-worth, Quote, Awards, Fact, Wiki

Elke Sommer Wiki Biography

Elke Sommer was born as Elke Baronesse von Schletz on 5 November 1940, in Berlin, Germany, to Renata and Baron Peter von Schletz, a Lutheran minister. She is a German actress, entertainer and artist who has starred in a number of Hollywood films.

A noted actress, how wealthy is Elke Sommer? According to sources, Sommer has established a net worth of over $20 million, as of mid-2017. Her wealth has been earned during her acting career, as well as through her involvement in music and art, which began in the 1950s.

Elke Sommer Net Worth $20 million

In 1942 during World War II, Sommer’s family was forced to to leave Berlin, and moved to Erlangen in the southern Germany, where she attended Gymnasium. However, her father’s death during her teenage years interrupted her high school education, and she then went to London, England, to work as a nanny. Upon returning to Erlangen, she enrolled at the University of Erlangen, planning to become a diplomatic translator, but she soon changed her mind, choosing a career in modeling instead. She went on to win a beauty title while on vacation in Italy, where she was spotted by the acclaimed actor/director Vittorio De Sica. Her acting career and real net worth was launched.

After appearing in several Italian features, such as “Men and Noblemen” and “Love, the Italian Way”, Sommer started to make a name for herself in German films too, becoming a noted sex symbol, which paved her way to Hollywood in the early 1960s; her net worth began to increase. By the end of the decade she had established herself as a recognized figure in the industry, with leading parts in films such as “A Shot in the Dark”, “The Art of Love”, “The Oscar”, “Boy, Did I Get a Wrong Number!”, “Deadlier Than the Male” and “The Wrecking Crew”. Her performance in the film “The Prize” earned her a Golden Globe award as Most Promising Newcomer Actress.
Sommer’s popularity was cemented by posing for Playboy Magazine – all contributed to her wealth.

Sommer was a popular talk show guest in the ’70s, appearing on shows such as “The Mike Douglas Show”, “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson” and “The Merv Griffin Show, Dinah!”. Her notable film parts of this time included “Zeppelin”, “The Swiss Conspiracy”, “The Prisoner of Zelda” and “Carry On Behind”, becoming the “Carry On” films’s highest-paid performer earning £30,000. Her net worth was boosted.

Work continued to flow in steadily for Sommer during the ’80s as well, mostly the work in television. She landed guest appearances in series such as “The Love Boat” and “St. Elsewhere”, and also appeared in the miniseries “Inside the Third Reich”, “Jenny’s War”, “Peter the Great” and “Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna”, further expanding her fortune.

The ’80 saw her hosting the syndicated show called “Elke Sommer’s World of Speed and Beauty”, dealing with motor sports. During this time Sommer also appeared as a cabaret singer, releasing several albums. She also gained some stage experience, so her wealth grew larger.

Sommer has since focused on her art work, which has involved book writing and painting. She hosted the show “Painting with Elke Sommer” centered on her artwork. Her involvement in art has been another source of Sommer’s net worth.

As for her acting career, she has made a few more screen appearances, mostly on German television.

In her personal life, Sommer has been married twice. Her first marriage was to American writer Joe Hyams, lasting from 1964 to 1981. As of 1993, she has been married to hotelier Wolf Walther.
Sommer was involved in a long legal battle with actress Zsa Zsa Gabor and her husband, Prince Frederick von Anhalt in the ’90s. Reportedly, the couple made derogatory statements about her in the German media, after which she sued them, eventually gaining a $3.3 million libel judgment against them, which greatly improved her fortune.