Marion Michael (17 October 1940 – 13 October 2007) was a German film actress and singer. She was best known for her role in the 1956 film Liane, Jungle Goddess.[1] She was also the second German actress to appear nude on film, after Hildegard Knef who starred in the German film The Sinner in the 1950s.[1]

Michael was born Marion Ilonka Michaela Delonge in Königsberg (now Kaliningrad).[1] She was selected for the role of Liane in Liane, Jungle Goddess out of 12,000 prospective actresses.[1] She was only 15 at the time of the filming, which took place on location in Africa, and she controversially appeared topless during the first half of the movie.[1] The movie was a box office success. However, none of her following 10 films over the next six years were as successful.[1]

Michael suffered injuries in a car accident during this time period.[1] She returned to acting, but stopped again in 1965.[1] She suffered a bout of depression and, unusually, moved from West Germany to Communist East Germany.[1]

Michael occasionally returned to film and television acting later in her life, but only rarely. However, despite her lack of screen time after the 1960s, she remained a well known German film icon.[1] Her last onscreen appearance was in a 1996 German television musical about her life, entitled Liane [de].[1]

Michael died of heart failure in Gartz, Brandenburg, four days shy of her 67th birthday.[1]

Selected filmography

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Koehl, Christian (6 November 2007). "Marion Michael, 66, singer". Variety. Retrieved 10 November 2007.
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