Elke Sommer, 'Pink Panther' movie star, dies at 85

LOS ANGELES - German actress Elke Sommer, known for her roles in the 'Pink Panther' series and for winning a Golden Globe, has died at age 85.

She passed away on October 28th at her home in Los Angeles following an extended illness.

Sommer died Oct. 28 at her home in the Bel Air neighborhood of Los Angeles, her stepson Sebastian Walther told the German news outlet Bild?.

"Elke passed away peacefully. Now she can finally be with her beloved husband again," Walther told the outlet. The '60s actress died of heart failure after an extended period of illness. Sommer would have turned 86 on Nov. 5.

A Golden Globe winner and international sex symbol, Sommer became one of Germany's best-known Hollywood stars in the '60s, building a career that spanned film, television and theater.

Born Elke Schletz in Berlin in 1940, Sommer initially hoped to become an interpreter. A beauty contest during a vacation in Italy helped open the door to acting, leading to roles in European films before her move into Hollywood.