Marion Michael

German actress Marion Michael was born on October 17, 1940, in Königsberg, Germany. She became famous at just 15 years old when she was chosen from 12,000 applicants to play the lead in the 1956 film Liane, Jungle Goddess. The movie, shot on location in Africa, was a box office success, though her controversial topless appearance in the first half sparked attention. In fact, she was only the second German actress to appear nude on film, following Hildegard Knef in The Sinner. However, none of her subsequent ten films over the next six years matched that early success.

After a car accident left her injured, Michael took a break from acting. She returned to perform, but stopped again in 1965. She later struggled with depression and made an unusual choice to move from West Germany to East Germany. Though she rarely appeared on screen after the 1960s, she remained a well-known figure in German film culture. Michael died of heart failure in Gartz, Brandenburg, on October 13, 2007, just four days before her 67th birthday.