Remembering Maria Schell

Maria Margarethe Anna Schell was born on January 15, 1926 in Vienna, Austria. The daughter of writer Ferdinand Hermann Schell [1900-1972] and actress Margarete Schell Noé [1905-1995] and the sister of actors Carl Schell [1927- ], Maximilian Schell [1930- ] and actress Immy Schell [1935-1992]. Maria studied at a religious institution in Colmar, France and received her theatrical training in Zurich, Switzerland. She became an accomplished stage and film actress and won the Volpi Cup for best actress for her 1956 performance in ‘Gervaise” at the Venice Film Festival. Married twice to producer, director, actor Horst Hächler [1926- ] from 1957-1965 from which she had a son, actor Oliver Schell [1962- ] and actor director screenwriter Veit Relin [1926- ] from which she had a daughter, actress Marie-Theres Relin [1966- ]. Maria wrote two autobiographies. Maria appeared in one Euro-western “Dust in the Sun” (1973) as Gertie Bradford. Maria died of pneumonia on April 26, 2005. Today we remember Maria Schell on what would have been her 85th birthday.