Werner, Ilse (1918–)

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Werner, Ilse (1918–)

German actress. Born July 11, 1918, in Batavia (later Jakarta), Java, Indonesia; dau. of O. E. G. Still (Dutch exporter) and Lilly Werner (German national); studied with Max Reinhardt at Vienna's Theater-Akademie, 1936 and 1937; m. John de Forest (American journalist), 1948 (div. 1953); m. Josef Niessen (orchestra conductor), 1954 (div.).

Actress who personified the ideal "Aryan girl" in Third Reich propaganda films during World War II, made stage debut in Max Dauthendey's Glück in Vienna (1937); invited to Berlin; achieved popularity with film Wunschkonzert (1940); starred in Die schwedische Nachtigall (The Swedish Nightingale), loosely based on life of Jenny Lind (1941), Wir machen Musik (We Make Music, 1942), Münchhausen (The Adventures of Baron Münchhausen, 1943), which proved highly popular; moved to California with husband (1948); returned to Germany (1953); had hit song with "Baciare" throughout Europe (1960); starred in tv series "Eine Frau mit Pfiff" (1967); appeared as Anna in German version of The King and I (1970); toured Germany and Switzerland in play directed by Marie Becker (1973); worked on tv as moderator and host (1970s).

See also memoirs (in German) Ich über mich (I on Myself, 1941) and So wird's nie wieder sein (It Will Never Again be the Same, 1981); and Women in World History.