Austrian leading actress and operatic soprano. Won a beauty contest while working as a stenographer, crowned as "Donaukönigin" (Queen of the Danube). Discovered as a singing talent and (despite absence of proper acting training) performed on stage in Viennese operettas, including from 1940 at the Berlin Metropol Theater. Successfully paired in post-war films with Johannes Heesters or Georg Thomalla. Gave up singing in the early 60's for health reasons, but continued to act on the stage (Wiener Volksoper, Theater in der Josefstadt) and on television.