Actress and writer Elke Arendt, trained in ballet at the renowned Bavarian State Opera from the tender age of seven, embarked on a lifelong journey in the world of performing arts. After taking acting lessons in Munich, she took to the stages of Germany, gracing various boards with her presence from the mid-1950s. Her screen debut, as the iconic Snow White in the fairy tale Schneewittchen und die sieben Zwerge (1955),was a fitting beginning, filmed amidst the picturesque backdrop of King Ludwig's Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria's Swabia region.
Subsequent roles in the children's fantasy Die Heinzelmännchen (1956) and Rübezahl - Herr der Berge (1957),a tale based on the folkloric legend of a mercurial spirit inhabiting the Giant Mountains, further showcased Arendt's versatility as an actress. All three films were directed by Erich Kobler, who seemed to have a penchant for fantasy.
As a supporting player, Arendt appeared in a range of films, including comedies, musicals, and dramas, often cast as maids, waitresses, or secretaries. Her credits also include the Italian peplum adventure The Fury of Hercules (1962),notable for featuring the renowned French singer/songwriter Serge Gainsbourg as the chief villain.
Towards the end of her relatively brief tenure in films, Arendt had a rare turn as the female lead in the crime thriller Nebelmörder (1964),starring Hansjörg Felmy as an inspector investigating a series of small-town stabbings.
After leaving the screen in 1966, Arendt returned to the stage, working in radio plays as both performer and writer, and later transitioning to stage direction. Following her second marriage to actor Stephan Orlac, she became known as Elke Orlac.
Under this name, she published a novel in 2019, titled 'Louise, Hofnärrin zu Weimar', which explores the personality and influence of Luise von Göchhausen, a noted wit, friend of Goethe, and Chief Lady-in-Waiting to Duchess Anna Amalia of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, set in 1775.
