TVDB
Ellen Kessler

Ellen Kessler

1936-08-20 / Nerchau, Germany

Biography

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 pose on the cover of the Italian edition of Playboy. That issue became the fastest-selling Italian Playboy to that date. They moved back to Germany in 1986 and live in Grünwald. They have received two awards from both the German and Italian governments for promoting German-Italian cooperation through their work in show business. Source: Article "Kessler Twins" from Wikipedia in english, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.

Appearances

Ein roter Teppich für....
Ein roter Teppich für.... (2002)
Domenica In
Domenica In (1976)
Lieben Sie Show ?
Lieben Sie Show ? (1962)
Showgeschichten
Showgeschichten (1986)
Continental Showcase
Continental Showcase (1966)
Wer weiß denn sowas?
Wer weiß denn sowas? (2015)
Heimat - Deine Filme
Heimat - Deine Filme (2008)
Scene of the Crime
Scene of the Crime (1970)
Dalli Dalli
Dalli Dalli (1971)
Am laufenden Band
Am laufenden Band (1974)
Stars in the Ring
Stars in the Ring (1959)
Die Harald Schmidt Show
Die Harald Schmidt Show (1995)
Balko
Balko (1995)
Auf eigene Gefahr
Auf eigene Gefahr (1993)
Inas Nacht
Inas Nacht (2007)
Lafer! Lichter! Lecker!
Lafer! Lichter! Lecker! (2006)
Klimbim
Klimbim (1973)
Lukas
Lukas (1996)
Ein Schloß am Wörthersee
Ein Schloß am Wörthersee (1990)
Markus Lanz
Markus Lanz (2008)
Die Montagsmaler
Die Montagsmaler (1974)
Alles Nichts Oder?!
Alles Nichts Oder?! (1988)
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show (1948)
Hätten Sie heut’ Zeit für mich?
Hätten Sie heut’ Zeit für mich? (1972)
Bio’s Bahnhof
Bio’s Bahnhof (1978)
Die diebischen Zwillinge
Die diebischen Zwillinge (1971)
Mini Playback Show
Mini Playback Show (1990)
Peter Alexander präsentiert Spezialitäten
Peter Alexander präsentiert Spezialitäten (1969)
Starparade
Starparade (1968)
Die Pyramide
Die Pyramide (1979)
Bambi-Verleihung
Bambi-Verleihung (1948)
Ringlstetter
Ringlstetter (2016)
Zum blauen Bock
Zum blauen Bock (1957)
Auf los geht's los
Auf los geht's los (1977)
Zimmer frei!
Zimmer frei! (1996)
Discorama
Discorama (1959)
Numéro un
Numéro un (1975)
Menschen bei Maischberger
Menschen bei Maischberger (2003)
Filmlegenden. Deutsch
Filmlegenden. Deutsch (2006)
alfredissimo! Kochen mit Bio
alfredissimo! Kochen mit Bio (1994)
Kölner Treff
Kölner Treff (1976)
Menschen der Woche
Menschen der Woche (2000)
Boulevard Bio
Boulevard Bio (1991)
Die verflixte 7
Die verflixte 7 (1984)
Versteckte Kamera
Versteckte Kamera (1995)
Alpha Forum
Alpha Forum (1998)
Lebens-Künstler
Lebens-Künstler (1995)
DAS!
DAS! (1991)
NDR Talk Show
NDR Talk Show (1979)
Music & Guests
Music & Guests (1976)
Aeschbacher
Aeschbacher (2001)
Wortwechsel
Wortwechsel (1982)
Hotel Victoria
Hotel Victoria (1961)
Menschen
Menschen (1982)
Riverboat
Riverboat (1992)
8 x 1 in Noten
8 x 1 in Noten (1973)
Anneliese Rothenberger gibt sich die Ehre
Anneliese Rothenberger gibt sich die Ehre (1971)
Die Caterina-Valente-Show
Die Caterina-Valente-Show (1966)
Wünsch dir was
Wünsch dir was (1969)
Die Feste mit Florian Silbereisen
Die Feste mit Florian Silbereisen (1994)
Herzlichen Glückwunsch - Die Michael Schanze Jubiläumsgala
Herzlichen Glückwunsch - Die Michael Schanze Jubiläumsgala (2005)
Nachtcafé
Nachtcafé (1987)
Night-Club
Night-Club (1968)
The Danny Kaye Show
The Danny Kaye Show (1963)
Pssst ...
Pssst ... (1990)
Heut' abend
Heut' abend (1980)