Ellen Kessler

Alice and Ellen Kessler (born 20 August 1936 in Nerchau, Saxony, Germany) are twin entertainers known in Europe, especially Germany and Italy, from the 1950s and 1960s for their singing, dancing, and acting. They are usually credited as the Kessler Twins (Die Kessler-Zwillinge in Germany and Le Gemelle Kessler in Italy), where they remain popular. The Kessler sisters enjoyed a significant degree of popularity in the US, appearing on national television programs such as The Ed Sullivan Show. The Kesslers made their American television debut on the CBS variety show, The Red Skelton Hour. They also appeared in the 1963 film Sodom and Gomorrah as dancers and were featured on the cover of Life Magazine that same year. Their parents, Paul and Elsa, sent them to ballet classes at the age of six, and they joined the Leipzig Opera's child ballet program at age 11. When they were 18, their parents used a visitor's visa to escape to West Germany, where they performed at the Palladium in Düsseldorf. They performed at The Lido in Paris between 1955 and 1960, where they met Elvis Presley, on leave from the Army on June 17, 1959, and represented West Germany in the 1959 Eurovision Song Contest, finishing in 8th place with Heute Abend wollen wir tanzen geh'n (Tonight we want to go dancing). They moved to Italy in 1960 and gradually moved to more serious roles. They became very popular thanks to the RAI television variety show Studio Uno (1961–1966). At the age of 40, they agreed to ...

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Countess Mariza (1958)

Paying a rare visit to her estate, a countess clashes with the man she hired to manage it.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Rudolf Schündler
CAST:  Rudolf Schock  •  Christine Görner  •  Gunther Philipp  •  Renate Ewert

Paying a rare visit to her estate, a countess clashes with the man she hired to manage it.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Rudolf Schündler
CAST:  Rudolf Schock  •  Christine Görner  •  Gunther Philipp  •  Renate Ewert

The Beautiful Legs of Sabrina (1958)

Sabrina is a beautiful thief, one who happens to have seven moles on her thigh, forming the constellation Ursa Minor; this is the only clue German police have to solve a recent robbery. Teo is a photographer looking for a pair of beautiful legs to participate in a ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Camillo Mastrocinque
CAST:  Mamie Van Doren  •  Antonio Cifariello  •  Willy Birgel  •  Adrian Hoven

Sabrina is a beautiful thief, one who happens to have seven moles on her thigh, forming the constellation Ursa Minor; this is the only clue German police have to solve a recent robbery. Teo is a photographer looking for a pair of beautiful legs to participate in a ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Camillo Mastrocinque
CAST:  Mamie Van Doren  •  Antonio Cifariello  •  Willy Birgel  •  Adrian Hoven

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DIRECTION:  Arthur Maria Rabenalt
CAST:  Georg Thomalla  •  Alice Kessler  •  Ellen Kessler  •  Grethe Weiser

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DIRECTION:  Werner Jacobs
CAST:  Gerhard Riedmann  •  Gunther Philipp  •  Germaine Damar  •  Gustav Knuth

Der Bettelstudent (1958)

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DIRECTION:  Werner Jacobs
CAST:  Gerhard Riedmann  •  Waltraut Haas  •  Elma Karlowa  •  Gunther Philipp

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DIRECTION:  Werner Jacobs
CAST:  Gerhard Riedmann  •  Waltraut Haas  •  Elma Karlowa  •  Gunther Philipp

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DIRECTION:  Géza von Cziffra
CAST:  Cornelia Froboess  •  Peter Weck  •  Albert Rueprecht  •  Maria Sebaldt

The Thursday (1964)

It's the story of a day spent by Dino, separated by his wife, who sees his son Robertino after five years. Dino has not contributed anything in life and to win the affection of his son, invents a story about his past. At the end of the day however, he will succeed ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Dino Risi
CAST:  Walter Chiari  •  Michèle Mercier  •  Roberto Ciccolini  •  Umberto D'Orsi

It's the story of a day spent by Dino, separated by his wife, who sees his son Robertino after five years. Dino has not contributed anything in life and to win the affection of his son, invents a story about his past. At the end of the day however, he will succeed ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Dino Risi
CAST:  Walter Chiari  •  Michèle Mercier  •  Roberto Ciccolini  •  Umberto D'Orsi

Dead Woman from Beverly Hills (1964)

Detective C.G. begins to investigate the death of an attractive woman whose naked body was found in Beverly Hills. When he recovers her journal, he is taken into her past where he finds that she lead a sexually promiscuous life. Perhaps in the pages of the diary ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Michael Pfleghar
CAST:  Heidelinde Weis  •  Klausjürgen Wussow  •  Horst Frank  •  Wolfgang Neuss

Detective C.G. begins to investigate the death of an attractive woman whose naked body was found in Beverly Hills. When he recovers her journal, he is taken into her past where he finds that she lead a sexually promiscuous life. Perhaps in the pages of the diary ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Michael Pfleghar
CAST:  Heidelinde Weis  •  Klausjürgen Wussow  •  Horst Frank  •  Wolfgang Neuss

Erik the Conqueror (1961)

In the 9th Century, two Viking children, separated since their early childhood with one raised by the British and the other by Vikings, meet after nearly 20 years as rivals as war breaks out between Britian and the Vikings for control of England.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Mario Bava
CAST:  Cameron Mitchell  •  Alice Kessler  •  Ellen Kessler  •  George Ardisson

In the 9th Century, two Viking children, separated since their early childhood with one raised by the British and the other by Vikings, meet after nearly 20 years as rivals as war breaks out between Britian and the Vikings for control of England.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Mario Bava
CAST:  Cameron Mitchell  •  Alice Kessler  •  Ellen Kessler  •  George Ardisson

Sodom and Gomorrah (1962)

Lot leads his people to a fertile valley adjacent to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, hotbeds of vice and corruption ruled by the merciless Queen Bera. When Lot orders a dam to be busted in order to prevent the destruction of the cities by the attacking Helamites, ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Aldrich
CAST:  Stewart Granger  •  Stanley Baker  •  Pier Angeli  •  Rossana Podestà

Lot leads his people to a fertile valley adjacent to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, hotbeds of vice and corruption ruled by the merciless Queen Bera. When Lot orders a dam to be busted in order to prevent the destruction of the cities by the attacking Helamites, ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Aldrich
CAST:  Stewart Granger  •  Stanley Baker  •  Pier Angeli  •  Rossana Podestà

Ein Leben wie im Flug (2007)

The celebration of Joachim 'Blacky' Fuchsberger's 80th birthday. A biographical documentary.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Stephan Reichenberger
CAST:  Joachim Fuchsberger  •  Jochen Busse  •  Betty La Gachette  •  Claus Biederstaedt

The celebration of Joachim 'Blacky' Fuchsberger's 80th birthday. A biographical documentary.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Stephan Reichenberger
CAST:  Joachim Fuchsberger  •  Jochen Busse  •  Betty La Gachette  •  Claus Biederstaedt

Rocco e le sorelle (1961)

A Sicilian leaves for Milan, in search of fortune, with the four sisters he supervises fiercely.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Giorgio Simonelli
CAST:  Tiberio Murgia  •  Moira Orfei  •  Gina Rovere  •  Anna Ranalli

A Sicilian leaves for Milan, in search of fortune, with the four sisters he supervises fiercely.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Giorgio Simonelli
CAST:  Tiberio Murgia  •  Moira Orfei  •  Gina Rovere  •  Anna Ranalli

Die lachende Dritte (1961)

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DIRECTION: 
CAST:  Harry Friedauer  •  Harald Dietl  •  Alice Kessler  •  Ellen Kessler

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DIRECTION: 
CAST:  Harry Friedauer  •  Harald Dietl  •  Alice Kessler  •  Ellen Kessler

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DIRECTION:  Paul Martin
CAST:  Peter Alexander  •  Waltraut Haas  •  Marika Rökk  •  Gunther Philipp

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DIRECTION:  Domenico Paolella
CAST:  Bill Ramsey  •  Stelvio Rosi  •  Trude Herr  •  France Anglade

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DIRECTION:  Ernst Marischka
CAST:  Adrian Hoven  •  Gudula Blau  •  Gunther Philipp  •  Ellen Kessler

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DIRECTION:  Franz Antel
CAST:  Isa Günther  •  Jutta Günther  •  Alice Kessler  •  Ellen Kessler

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DIRECTION:  Peter Hamel
CAST:  Ingmar Zeisberg  •  Hermann Nehlsen  •  Erika von Thellmann  •  Harald Juhnke

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DIRECTION:  Harald Reinl
CAST:  Margarete Haagen  •  Joachim Fuchsberger  •  Isa Günther  •  Jutta Günther

Tabarin (1958)

Jacques Forestier, also a choreographer, an art decorator and a stage producer, is the very competent manager of "Tabarin", a renowned Parisian music-hall. A hard worker, he always wants the best for the public, at the expense of his health. He is assisted in his ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Richard Pottier
CAST:  Sylvia Lopez  •  Annie Cordy  •  Luisella Boni  •  Germaine Damar

Jacques Forestier, also a choreographer, an art decorator and a stage producer, is the very competent manager of "Tabarin", a renowned Parisian music-hall. A hard worker, he always wants the best for the public, at the expense of his health. He is assisted in his ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Richard Pottier
CAST:  Sylvia Lopez  •  Annie Cordy  •  Luisella Boni  •  Germaine Damar
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