Ilka Windish

Ilka Windish has played many dramatic roles in her acting career but none outweighs the fascinating drama of her own life. She was impressed by both Germans and Russians before escaping to the United States. Ilka was born in Vienna as Ilonka Katerina Gerta Maria Theresa Windisch. She was 12 when Hitler invaded Austria (1938), and was studying to be an actress when Hitler decided his troops on the Russian front needed the lilt of Viennese laughter in entertainment. As an entertainer she was sent to the Leningrad sector, along with almost two dozen other students. She was reported to have said, "We were conscripted like soldiers and had to take the oath of allegiance to Hitler. This meant we could be shot if we deserted." For over six months she sang and danced and "died a little" every time applause was drowned out by the booming of the front-line guns. Returning to Vienna, she won a contract from the Viennese Film Company and starred in eight films, until 1943 brought a change at the studio. Things were going so badly with the Nazis that the studio was converted into a factory, and all contractees were put to work making uniforms and other war apparel. The end of the war brought the Russians to Vienna. Ilka's film company was reestablished, but the performing personnel were "under contract" to the government-operated Cabaret Simplicissimum. She sang and acted for her supper - "mostly lard, flour, and bread". She met an American war correspondent, Joseph Israels. They wed in 1946 and settled down in a New York apartment in 1947. She studied English, became miserably homesick and took Israels' suggestion that "an actress should act." She acted in a play, "Chameleon," appeared on Hollywood's Screen Test show, and then she and Joe went back to Vienna. They produced a movie in which Ilka starred, and she appeared in other films. Again they returned to New York together, where Israels suddenly died of a heart attack. To earn money quickly, Ilka became a fashion model, which led to television acting again and to the show, "Studio One." The producer was Felix Jackson and they fell in love. They were married in 1955, and a son, Lawrence, was born to them the following year.