Alice and Ellen Kessler, TV twins known for work with Frank Sinatra, die together at age 89

Alice and Ellen Kessler, twins known for postwar European TV performances, died at the same time, age 89 in Germany

Alice and Ellen Kessler, the twin performers widely recognised for their synchronised routines on postwar European television, have died at the age of 89.

Authorities confirmed the deaths on Monday after responding to a call at the sisters’ home in Grünwald, Germany, where they lived in adjoining flats separated by a sliding wall, according to Parade. Officials reported that no foul play was suspected.

German daily Bild reported that the twins chose medically assisted suicide. The outlet noted that the procedure is legal in Germany under strict regulations requiring individuals to make the decision independently and of their own free will.

Born in 1936 in Nerchau, the sisters began performing as children with the Leipzig Opera ballet, Parade reported. After leaving East Germany for Düsseldorf in 1952, they toured extensively across Europe and the United States.

During this period, they worked with prominent entertainers including Frank Sinatra and Fred Astaire. By the age of 19, they had joined the Bluebell Girls at the Lido in Paris.

The Kessler twins became well known in Italy during what is described as the golden age of television, appearing on programmes such as “Giardino d’inverno” and “Studio Uno.”

Their “Da-da-un-pa” routine, directed by Antonello Falqui, gained widespread attention, and according to historical reporting, audiences affectionately referred to them as “the nation’s legs.” Their work spanned ballet, cabaret, and variety television, establishing them as notable figures in postwar European entertainment.

Bild also reported that the sisters left a joint testament requesting that their ashes be placed together in a single urn alongside the ashes of their mother, Elsa, and their dog, Yello. “That’s what we stipulated in our will,” Ellen told the outlet in 2024, expressing their wish to remain together after death.