Sybil Danning | |
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Born | Sybille Johanna Danninger May 24, 1947 |
Other names |
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Citizenship | Austria United States |
Occupations |
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Years active | 1968–present |
Known for | Halloween (2007) Battle Beyond the Stars (1980) Hercules (1983) Chained Heat (1983) |
Spouse |
Horst Lasse (m. 1991) |
Website | sybildanning |
Signature | |
Sybil Danning (born Sybille Johanna Danninger, May 24, 1947)[1] is an Austrian–American actress, model, and film producer. She is best known for her frequent appearances in B movies during the 1970s and 1980s.
Biography
Early years and first films
Born in Austria,[1] Danning spent most of her childhood on military bases and traveling with her family around the world. After their return to Austria, she landed a job as a dental hygienist to support her family following her parents' divorce. At the age of sixteen, Danning left her home and relocated to Salzburg, where she enrolled at a school of cosmetology.
Working as a cosmetician, Danning was soon offered fashion shows and photo layouts. She made her onscreen debut in the German comedy, Komm nur, mein liebstes Vögelein (1968), followed by the role of Kriemhild in the erotic action film, The Long Swift Sword of Siegfried (1971). She continued receiving small parts in films mostly based on her sex symbol image.
Rise to fame (1980–1990)
In 1978, Danning moved to Hollywood to further her career. Roger Corman's space opera cult classic, Battle Beyond the Stars (1980) helped to established her as a B movie actress. She appeared in a number of films during the 1980s: Chained Heat (1983), Hercules (1983), Malibu Express (1985), Howling II: Your Sister Is a Werewolf (1985), and Reform School Girls (1986).
In 1990, her acting career was disrupted when she suffered a spinal disc herniation while rehearsing a film stunt.
Return (2003–present)
In 2003, Danning was invited by Kevin Clement of the Chiller Theatre, New Jersey, to meet her long-time fans. She went and was overwhelmed by fans who told her they wanted to see her on the big screen again. Chiller Theater prominently featured Danning in her first appearance after her hiatus in its 2004 documentary, UnConventional. The year 2007 marked Danning's return to the big screen in a faux trailer directed by Rob Zombie titled Werewolf Women of the SS for Quentin Tarantino's Grindhouse, and again for Rob Zombie's 2007 remake of John Carpenter's original 1978 film, Halloween.
Danning returned to Austria in 2008 to play Patrick Swayze's witness Anna Gruber in the drama film Jump!, loosely based on the real-life Halsman murder case. She also appeared in five episodes of the gay-themed vampire television series The Lair as a sinister vampire out for revenge. In 2010, Danning appeared in the horror film, Virus X. In 2011, she starred in and produced a horror/music video for American hard rock band, the Last Vegas.
Other ventures
Sports
From 2002 to 2003, Danning was a shareholder of the German ice hockey team, SC Riessersee. As the first ever female co-owner of a German hockey team, Danning brought in three American players to the team, and saw the team return to the Vice Championship.[2]
Selected filmography
- Komm nur, mein liebstes Vögelein (1968) – Lorelei
- Liebesmarkt in Dänemark (1971) – Diane
- The Long Swift Sword of Siegfried (1971) – Kriemhild
- Hausfrauen-Report (1971) – Edith Heimann
- Ehemänner-Report (1971) – Sybille
- Paragraph 218 – Wir haben abgetrieben, Herr Staatsanwalt (1971) – Judge's Wife
- Holiday Report (1971) – Ina, die Anhalterin
- Das ehrliche Interview (The Honest Interview) (1971)
- Lover of the Great Bear (1971)
- Das Mädchen mit der heißen Masche (Loves of a French Pussycat) (1972) – Andrea (uncredited)
- Eye in the Labyrinth (1972) – Toni
- Gelobt sei, was hart macht (1972) – Phyllilia
- The Red Queen Kills Seven Times (1972) – Lulu Palm
- Bluebeard (1972) – The Prostitute
- Die liebestollen Apothekerstöchter (Naughty Nymphs) (1972) – Elizabeth
- Little Funny Guy (1973) – Pamela
- The Three Musketeers (1973) – Eugenie
- Run, Run, Joe! (1974) – Betty Parkintosh
- The Four Musketeers (1974) – Eugenie
- That Most Important Thing: Love (1975) – (scenes deleted)
- Les Noces de porcelaine (1975) – Héléna
- Opération Lady Marlène (1975) – Georgetta
- The Secret Carrier (1975) – Tanja
- God's Gun (1976) – Jenny
- Whispering Death (1976) – Sally
- The Twist (1976) – La secrétaire / Secretary
- Operation Thunderbolt (1977) – Halima
- Crossed Swords (1977) – Mother Canty
- Cat in the Cage (1978) – Erica Moore (new scenes)
- The Concorde ... Airport '79 (1979) – Amy
- Meteor (1979) – Girl Skier
- Cuba Crossing (1980) – Veronica
- The Man with Bogart's Face (1980) – Cynthia
- How to Beat the High Cost of Living (1980) – Charlotte
- Battle Beyond the Stars (1980) – St. Exmin
- Day of the Cobra (1980) – Brenda
- Nightkill (1980) – Monika Childs
- The Salamander (1981) – Lili Anders
- Separate Ways (1981) – Mary
- The Seven Magnificent Gladiators (1983) – Julia
- S.A.S. à San Salvador (1983) – Countess Alexandra Vogel
- Julie Darling (1983) – Susan
- Chained Heat (1983) – Ericka
- Hercules (1983) – Adriana
- They're Playing with Fire (1984) – Diane Stevens
- Jungle Warriors (1984) – Angel
- Panther Squad (1984) – Ilona / The Panther
- Malibu Express (1985) – Contessa Luciana
- Howling II: Your Sister Is a Werewolf (1985) – Stirba
- Young Lady Chatterley II (1985) – Judith Grimmer
- Private Passions (1985) – Kathrine
- The Tomb (1986) – Jade
- Reform School Girls (1986) – Warden Sutter
- Warrior Queen (1987) – Berenice
- Talking Walls (1987) – Bathing Beauty
- Amazon Women on the Moon (1987) – Queen Lara (segment "Amazon Women on the Moon")
- The Phantom Empire (1988) – The Alien Queen
- L.A. Bounty (1989) – Ruger
- Pale Blood (1990) – People of the Night (uncredited)
- Grindhouse (2007) – Gretchen Krupp (segment "Werewolf Women of the SS")
- Halloween (2007) – Nurse Wynn
- Jump! (2008) – Anna Gruber
- Imps* (2009) – Sherry (segment "Long Distances")
- Virus X (2010) – Danita Herrington
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Film | Result |
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1981 | Saturn Award | Outstanding Achievement | Battle Beyond the Stars | Won |
1984 | Golden Raspberry Awards | Worst Supporting Actress | Chained Heat and Hercules | Won |
References
- 1 2 3 "New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909, 1925-1957". FamilySearch.
Sybille J Danninger, Immigration, 1952, New York City, New York, United States, Female, 5, Austrian
- ↑ Von Dino Reisner (2002-12-30). "Riessersee, der Onkel aus Amerika und das Ziel: Aufstieg in die DEL: – WELT". Die Welt. Retrieved 2016-10-22.