Born in Vienna to an actress-run school and a Swiss poet-pharmacist, Schell left commercial training for cinema after meeting director Sigfrit Steiner, debuting in his 1942 film Steibruch. Post-war she earned her first lead in The Angel with the Trumpet (1948) and became a staple of German-language film, a reputation that brought the nickname “Seelchen.” International recognition arrived with Cann…
