Viennese leading actress of the 1930's and 40's, daughter of a master locksmith. She was primarily a star of the theatre, trained at Vienna's Academy of Music and Performing Arts. On stage from the age of four, she acted in dramatic roles (including Ibsen, Shakespeare and Goethe), as well as in operetta and musical comedy. She had long residencies at the Prussian State Theatre in Berlin (1934-44) and with the Vienna Burgtheater (from 1947). Her best-known screen role was as Alkmene in
Amphitryon (1935).