German beauty queen and actress Marina Orschel (1937) was Vice-Miss Universe in 1956. She also appeared in half a dozen light entertainment films of the late 1950s.
German postcard by IRMA-Verlag, Stuttgart, no. 1385. Photo: Berolina / Herzog-Film / Wesel.
Marina Orschel was born in Berlin, Germany, in 1937.
While she was attending grammar school and ballet lessons, she was chosen Miss Neue Welt in 1955.
In 1956, the titles Miss Berlin and Miss Germany 1956 followed in Baden-Baden.
At the Miss Universe 1956 contest in Long Beach, USA, she was chosen Miss Photogenic and ended as the first runner-up to Carol Morris of the US.
Marina reportedly excelled at the intelligence test when she recited Homer’s 'Odyssey' in ancient Greek.
German postcard by Rüdel-Verlag, Hamburg-Bergedorf, no. 2207. Photo: Zeyn / Deutsche Film Hansa (DFH) / Lilo. Publicity still for Träume von der Südsee / Dreams of the South Sea (1957).
In the second half of the 1950s, Marina Orschel appeared in six films. She made her film debut with a small part in the comedy Das Sonntagskind / The Sunday's Child (Kurt Meisel, 1956) starring Heinz Rühmann.
The following year, she made three films. In the American Film Noir, The Tattered Dress (Jack Arnold, 1957), starring Jeff Chandler and Jeanne Crain, she played a decorative bit part.
Marina Orschel starred opposite Vico Torriani and Mady Rahl in the German musical comedy Träume von der Südsee / Dreams of the South Sea (Harald Philipp, 1957). She played a supporting part in Eine verrückte Familie / A Crazy Family (Harald Philipp, 1957) with Paul Dahlke and Hans Moser.
In 1958, she made two more light entertainment films with director Harald Philipp. In the circus thriller Rivalen der Manege / Bimbo the Great (Harald Philipp, 1958), she played the late wife of Claus Holm. For the American release, her name was anglicised to Maryanne Shields.
Her last film was the biography Der Czardas-König / The Csardas Princess (Harald Philipp, 1958) with Rudolf Schock and Gerhard Riedmann as operetta composer Emmerich Kálmán. In 1963, Marina Orschel played a supporting part in the TV film Bezauberndes Fräulein / Magical Miss (Paul Martin, 1963).
Rudolf Schock. German postcard by Kolibri-Verlag G.m.b.H., Minden/Westf., no. 1638. Photo: Berolina / Herzog-Film / Wesel. Publicity still for Der fröhliche Wanderer / The Happy Wanderer (Hans Quest, 1955).
Source: AllMovie, Wikipedia (German) and IMDb.
This post was last updated on 20 January 2026.
German postcard by IRMA-Verlag, Stuttgart, no. 1385. Photo: Berolina / Herzog-Film / Wesel.
Miss Photogenic
Marina Orschel was born in Berlin, Germany, in 1937.
While she was attending grammar school and ballet lessons, she was chosen Miss Neue Welt in 1955.
In 1956, the titles Miss Berlin and Miss Germany 1956 followed in Baden-Baden.
At the Miss Universe 1956 contest in Long Beach, USA, she was chosen Miss Photogenic and ended as the first runner-up to Carol Morris of the US.
Marina reportedly excelled at the intelligence test when she recited Homer’s 'Odyssey' in ancient Greek.
German postcard by Rüdel-Verlag, Hamburg-Bergedorf, no. 2207. Photo: Zeyn / Deutsche Film Hansa (DFH) / Lilo. Publicity still for Träume von der Südsee / Dreams of the South Sea (1957).
Film Noir
In the second half of the 1950s, Marina Orschel appeared in six films. She made her film debut with a small part in the comedy Das Sonntagskind / The Sunday's Child (Kurt Meisel, 1956) starring Heinz Rühmann.
The following year, she made three films. In the American Film Noir, The Tattered Dress (Jack Arnold, 1957), starring Jeff Chandler and Jeanne Crain, she played a decorative bit part.
Marina Orschel starred opposite Vico Torriani and Mady Rahl in the German musical comedy Träume von der Südsee / Dreams of the South Sea (Harald Philipp, 1957). She played a supporting part in Eine verrückte Familie / A Crazy Family (Harald Philipp, 1957) with Paul Dahlke and Hans Moser.
In 1958, she made two more light entertainment films with director Harald Philipp. In the circus thriller Rivalen der Manege / Bimbo the Great (Harald Philipp, 1958), she played the late wife of Claus Holm. For the American release, her name was anglicised to Maryanne Shields.
Her last film was the biography Der Czardas-König / The Csardas Princess (Harald Philipp, 1958) with Rudolf Schock and Gerhard Riedmann as operetta composer Emmerich Kálmán. In 1963, Marina Orschel played a supporting part in the TV film Bezauberndes Fräulein / Magical Miss (Paul Martin, 1963).
Rudolf Schock. German postcard by Kolibri-Verlag G.m.b.H., Minden/Westf., no. 1638. Photo: Berolina / Herzog-Film / Wesel. Publicity still for Der fröhliche Wanderer / The Happy Wanderer (Hans Quest, 1955).
Source: AllMovie, Wikipedia (German) and IMDb.
This post was last updated on 20 January 2026.
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