Alice and Ellen Kessler, the legendary twin dancers and singers who rose to international fame in the 1950s and 1960s, have died at the age of 89. Munich police confirmed Tuesday that the sisters died in what was described as a “joint suicide” at their shared home in Grünwald, a suburb of Munich.
Alice and Ellen Kessler Suicide
Their deaths were first reported Monday by German newspaper Bild and the dpa news agency. Police later verified the reports, though no additional details were released.
The Kessler twins, known for their remarkable synchronicity, elegance, and charisma, began dancing as children and joined the Leipzig Opera’s youth ballet. In 1952, at age 16, they and their family fled East Germany for the West, eventually joining a revue theater in Düsseldorf. Their talent quickly drew attention, and by 1955 they were recruited by the famed Lido cabaret in Paris—launching a glittering international career.
Throughout the 1960s, Alice and Ellen became global stars. They toured internationally, moved to Rome, and performed alongside some of entertainment’s most iconic figures, including Fred Astaire, Frank Sinatra, and Harry Belafonte. Although they received an offer to appear with Elvis Presley in Viva Las Vegas in 1964, they declined, fearing their careers would become typecast in American musical films.
Even into their 80s, the twins continued performing. Shortly before their 80th birthday, Alice reflected on the power of their lifelong partnership, saying being a duo “only has advantages,” adding, “Together you’re stronger.”
Asked about the secret behind their decades of success, she emphasized: “Discipline, every day. Gratitude, time and again. Humility, not cockiness. And togetherness. Until death.”
