Dagmar Winter, later known as Dana Wynter, was born to a renowned surgeon in Berlin, Germany, and spent her early years in England. Her father's adventurous spirit led him to Morocco, where he operated on a patient who would only accept his care, and eventually to Southern Rhodesia, where he fell in love with the country and brought his daughter and stepmother to live with him.
Wynter attended Rhodes University as a pre-med student, becoming the only female in a class of 150 boys. She also explored her passion for the performing arts, taking on the role of the blind girl in a school production of "Through a Glass Darkly," which she humorously described as "terrible."
After completing her first year of studies, Wynter returned to England and made the bold decision to leave her medical studies behind, opting instead to pursue an acting career. Her big break came when an American agent discovered her in a play in Hammersmith and offered to represent her. Wynter left for New York on November 5, 1953, a fitting departure on Guy Fawkes Day, a holiday commemorating a 1605 plot to blow up the Parliament building in England.
In New York, Wynter found greater success, landing roles on television and the stage, including appearances on shows such as Robert Montgomery Presents, Suspense, and Studio One. She eventually made the transition to Hollywood, where she appeared in over a dozen films, worked on "Golden Age" television shows like Playhouse 90, and even starred in her own short-lived television series, The Man Who Never Was.
Wynter's personal life was marked by a marriage to well-known Hollywood lawyer Greg Bautzer, from whom she later divorced. She divided her time between homes in California and County Wicklow, Ireland, until her passing. Known as Hollywood's "oasis of elegance," Wynter left behind a legacy as a talented and versatile actress.
