Legendary German Duo Who Performed with Astaire and Sinatra Die Together – Cause of Death Revealed

Twin German performers Alice and Ellen Kessler, famous dancers and singers who worked with legends like Fred Astaire, Frank Sinatra, and Harry Belafonte, have died at the age of 89.

German police confirmed on Tuesday that the sisters passed away in Grünwald, a wealthy suburb of Munich, in what authorities described as a joint suicide.

The German Society for Humane Dying told Bavarian Broadcasting that it was an assisted suicide. The news was first reported by German outlets Bild and dpa.

The Kessler twins began dancing at a very young age and were part of the Leipzig Opera children’s ballet. In 1952, when they were 16, their family fled to West Germany, where they continued performing in a revue theater in Düsseldorf. Their big break came in 1955 when the director of the Lido cabaret theater in Paris discovered them, launching their international career.

During the 1960s, the sisters toured worldwide and performed in Rome alongside stars like Astaire, Sinatra, and Belafonte. According to dpa, they even turned down an offer to appear with Elvis Presley in the 1964 film “Viva Las Vegas,” fearing it would typecast them in American musical films.

The twins continued performing well into their later years, appearing on stage even in their 80s. Alice once said before turning 80, “We probably wouldn’t have managed to perform for so long alone.”

The sisters often spoke about the strength of being a duo. Alice said, “Being together only has advantages. Together you’re stronger.” When asked about the key to their long-lasting success, she added, “Discipline, every day. Gratitude, time and again. Humility, not cockiness. And togetherness. Until death.”

The Kessler twins will be remembered for their decades-long career, their global performances, and the close bond they shared both on and off stage.

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