In Europe as well as America her first name is enough to conjure up an image of a beautiful blond film star. But, to some of her millions of fans, Elke is more than just an actress who starred in more than sixty files in the past two decades as well as several of television’s most successful mini-series. Elke is also:

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• a painter who has sixteen highly acclaimed one-women shows in major galleries throughout the world and is currently the star on national TV of a successful art show of her own, Paint with Elke. Elke is also author of a book on painting. Grumbacher, the leading manufacturer of artist’s materials, has marketed a complete ling of Elke Sommer paints, canvasses and brushes.

• A prize winning race car driver and hostess of the nationally syndicated TV show, The World of Speed and Beauty.

• An award winning stage actress who continually sets house records in Europe as well as America when she stars in a play. Elke has won some of the most highly coveted acting awards in Germany and America.

• The top-ranked female celebrity tennis player who is awesome on the courts that Sports Illustrated nicknamed her “The Brute.”
   

Born in Berlin as Elke Schletz during the final stages of World War II, her father was a minister, the last member of a family famous during the Middle Ages as robber barons. Elke could, if she wished use the title of Baroness. Elke studied Classical Greek and Latin for eight years planning to become an interpreter for the League of Nations. But Fate intervened. Her father died when she was fourteen years old. Further education was expensive. In order to perfect her English and earn some money, Elke went to England as an au pair girl.

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Although Elke makes her home in Los Angeles, her work has taken her all over the world ( excluding Siberia and Tiber.) Her facility of languages ( she speaks six) has proven very beneficial.