Hannelore Elsner (German: [ˈhanÉ™loË Ê É™ ˈɛlsnÉ ] (listen); born
Hannelore Elstner, 26 July 1942 â€" 21 April 2019) was a German
actress with a long career in television and film. She first performed
on stage in Munich, and later starred in popular films and television
series such as Die Schwarzwaldklinik (The Black Forest Clinic), and as
the lead character, Inspector Lea Sommer, in the series Die
Kommissarin. She was recognized internationally for her lead role in
the 2000 film Die Unberührbare (No Place to Go), shown at the Cannes
Film Festival.She was born Hannelore Elstner in Burghausen on 26 July
1942. Her five-year-old brother was killed in an air raid at the end
of the Second World War. Her father died from tuberculosis when she
was eight.After finishing drama school in Munich, she was engaged at
the Munich theatres Münchner Kammerspiele and Kleine Komödie am Max
II [de]. She was the first to appear nude on stage at the
Kammerspiele.Elsner appeared in her first film, Alt Heidelberg (Old
Heidelberg), in 1959 at age 17. She was discovered for more serious
acting by Edgar Reitz, who cast her alongside Elke Sommer for a lead
role in the 1973 film Die Reise nach Wien (Trip to Vienna), her first
role outside Germany. Later she starred in films and TV series such as
Die Schwarzwaldklinik (The Black Forest Clinic). Elsner is remembered
for the title role, Inspector Lea Sommer, in the German detective
series Die Kommissarin which aired on public television in 66 episodes
from 1994 to 2006. She was the first woman to play an inspector in a
television series.
Hannelore Elstner, 26 July 1942 â€" 21 April 2019) was a German
actress with a long career in television and film. She first performed
on stage in Munich, and later starred in popular films and television
series such as Die Schwarzwaldklinik (The Black Forest Clinic), and as
the lead character, Inspector Lea Sommer, in the series Die
Kommissarin. She was recognized internationally for her lead role in
the 2000 film Die Unberührbare (No Place to Go), shown at the Cannes
Film Festival.She was born Hannelore Elstner in Burghausen on 26 July
1942. Her five-year-old brother was killed in an air raid at the end
of the Second World War. Her father died from tuberculosis when she
was eight.After finishing drama school in Munich, she was engaged at
the Munich theatres Münchner Kammerspiele and Kleine Komödie am Max
II [de]. She was the first to appear nude on stage at the
Kammerspiele.Elsner appeared in her first film, Alt Heidelberg (Old
Heidelberg), in 1959 at age 17. She was discovered for more serious
acting by Edgar Reitz, who cast her alongside Elke Sommer for a lead
role in the 1973 film Die Reise nach Wien (Trip to Vienna), her first
role outside Germany. Later she starred in films and TV series such as
Die Schwarzwaldklinik (The Black Forest Clinic). Elsner is remembered
for the title role, Inspector Lea Sommer, in the German detective
series Die Kommissarin which aired on public television in 66 episodes
from 1994 to 2006. She was the first woman to play an inspector in a
television series.
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