After studying drama in Berlin, she flew to Paris due to Nazi takeover in 1933.
An extremely gifted writer, Palmer's autobiography is entitled "Change Lobsters and Dance" (1976) and her 1978 novel "The Red Raven" -- about a European love triangle -- also received rave reviews.
During shooting for her first German movie Fireworks (1954), she would repeatedly start to talk in English and forget the correct German terms for certain words such as "wig" and "cameraman", because she hadn't been in Germany for over 20 years.
Gave birth to her son Carey Harrison, with Rex Harrison, in 1944.
In the early 1950s, she appeared in the Broadway play "Bell, Book and Candle" together with her first husband Rex Harrison. The cat that starred as the magical cat "Pie" hated her, so she had to be very careful with it unless she wanted bad scratches on her hands and arms.
Interred at Forest Lawn, Glendale, California, USA, directly across the street from the Freedome Mausoleum.
Returned to Germany in 1954, where she became one of the biggest postwar stars.
Second child of Dr. Alfred Peiser, a German Jewish surgeon, and Rose Lissman, an Austrian Jewish actress. She had two sisters, Irene and Hilde.
Sister of the character actress and singer Irene Prador
Took her surname from an English actress she admired.
Was good friends with Laurence Olivier.