Elke Sommer cause of death: How did the Golden Globe winning German actress and sex symbol die at age 85?

The final months of Elke Sommer 's life were marked by the loss of her husband and deteriorating health, before the celebrated actress died peacefully at her Los Angeles home on Wednesday, October 28.

Sommer , who became one of Hollywood's most recognizable European stars during the 1960s, was 85 and would have celebrated her next birthday on November 5.

According to German newspaper Bild, the actress died at approximately 10 p.m. at her home in Bel Air, where she had reportedly been confined to bed for an extended period.

Her death followed that of her husband, hotelier Wolf Walther , who died in July after battling cancer.

The couple had been married since 1993, and Sommer had largely withdrawn from public life during their final years together.

What was Elke Sommer's cause of death?

Bild reported that Sommer died from heart failure, with family members and close friends providing details of her declining condition.

Her stepson, Sebastian Walther , had reportedly been caring for her following his father's death, helping the actress during an increasingly difficult period.

Sommer 's longtime friend, photographer Erwin Schneider , described the emotional significance of her passing so soon after losing her husband.

"Now she can finally be with her beloved husband again," Schneider told Bild.

The couple first met in New York in 1989, when Sommer was appearing in the theatrical production Tamara and searching for accommodation.

Recalling their first encounter in a previous interview with Classic Film TV Cafe, Sommer explained that Walther had immediately developed feelings for her.

"For him, it was love at first sight," she recalled. "For me, it took a little longer, but not much longer."

Their relationship lasted more than three decades, becoming an important part of the actress's life after her earlier marriage to Hollywood journalist Joe Hyams ended in divorce.

From European cinema to Hollywood fame

Born in Berlin in November 1940, Sommer originally intended to pursue a career as an interpreter and developed an impressive command of several languages.

Her career changed unexpectedly during a holiday in Italy in 1958, when she won the Miss Viareggio beauty contest and attracted the attention of filmmaker Vittorio De Sica .

After appearing in European productions, she made her Hollywood breakthrough alongside Paul Newman in the 1963 thriller The Prize.

The performance earned Sommer the 1964 Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer, establishing her among the industry's rising stars.

She subsequently appeared opposite Peter Sellers in A Shot in the Dark, playing Maria Gambrelli in the celebrated Inspector Clouseau comedy.

Further credits included The Oscar and The Wrecking Crew, while Sommer also pursued painting and theatrical performances throughout her career.

Sommer's final wish to return to Germany

Despite spending much of her professional life in Hollywood, Sommer maintained strong connections to Germany.

According to reports, she wished to be laid to rest in Marloffstein, Bavaria, where her parents are buried.

Sebastian Walther is reportedly arranging for the ashes of both Sommer and her husband to be returned to Germany, allowing the couple to rest together.

Her death marks the loss of an actress whose career spanned nearly six decades and who helped establish a generation of European performers in American cinema.