HELLO
By Matthew Moore
October 24, 2026
A Fistful of Dollars is one of the most successful spaghetti Westerns of all time, with the 1964 classic film making a household name out of Clint Eastwood and his character, the Man with No Name.
However, starring alongside Clint in the film was German actress Marianne Koch, who played Marisol, a woman initially captured by Silvanito, played by Pepe Calvo, before being released. At the time, Marianne was an established actress, having appeared in 47 roles before becoming Marisol.
This included appearances in the likes of The Man Who Wanted to Live Twice, If We Were All Angels, Blind Justice and The Monster of London City.
However, while Clint went on to become one of the most recognisable stars of his generation, little is known about Marianne, who is 95, after she starred in the film.
Scroll down for all you need to know about the 1960s actress...
Marianne Koch's career
Marianne landed several more parts after A Fistful of Dollars, with roles in Frozen Alice, Coast of Skeletons and Clint the Stranger. Her final acting role came in 1984, when she appeared as the narrator in the German film Reserl am Hofe.
However, when she turned 40, Marianne decided to completely change her life, and she headed to university to study medicine, getting top marks in her exams when she took them at the age of 45.
[The star continued acting for several years]
Medicine was not the only career that the star pursued, as she also became a journalist and author, writing several books about medicine and aging.
Marianne hasn't shied away from getting older, and speaking to the Premium Medical Circle in 2023 about aging, she said: "I have the great fortune that I still feel healthy and also seem to be mentally quite fit – so not much different than ten or fifteen years ago.
[In her later years, the actress became a doctor and writer]
"But of course, it does something to the consciousness when age begins with a 9. The finiteness of life, which makes life so valuable, comes closer."
However, it appears that the star isn't aiming for a longevity record, as she told Blick that she didn't want to become a centenarian. When asked if she thinks about death earlier this month, the star said: "No, I'll let myself be surprised. I can still walk and think quite well. But I don't want to live to be 100."
Marianne's personal life
Marianne got married in 1953 to Gerhard Freund, 11 years before she appeared in A Fistful of Dollars, and the pair welcomed two sons, Thomas and Gregor. However, sadly they wouldn't remain together, with the pair divorcing in 1973.
[Marianne and her first husband welcomed two children]
She later found love with German poet and journalist Peter Hamm, who was known for writing for titles like Der Spiegel and Die Zeit. Although it's not known when the pair first met, they got together in the 1970s, and while they didn't marry, they remained together until Peter passed away at the age of 82 on 22 July 2019.
The star was dealt personal heartbreak in 2016 when her eldest son passed away from skin cancer at the age of 59. Reflecting on his passing, she said: "I have overcome a great deal of pain."
