Maria Erika Knab was born in Königsberg, Eastern Prussia, now known as Kaliningrad, during a tumultuous time. Her parents were tragically killed near the end of World War II by Red Army soldiers, leaving the 10-year-old orphan to navigate the uncertain landscape of post-war Europe.
After a decade of which little is known, Erika resurfaced in West Berlin in 1955, where she began acting in motion pictures, including the leading role in the children's fairy tale Das Sandmännchen. She also signed a contract with the short-lived Berolina production company and lent her voice to the German dubbing of Mickey Mouse.
Erika married an American citizen and took on the stage name Erika Peters, before making the bold move to the United States in 1957. Initially, she made a living by importing used Volkswagens, before reinvesting her earnings and opening a coin-operated laundromat in Los Angeles.
Erika's Hollywood career began in 1959, with appearances in several films, including Elvis Presley's G.I. Blues and the horror films Mr. Sardonicus and House of the Damned. She also guest-starred in various popular TV shows, including an episode of Jack Webb's G.E. True, where she was required to play an actress with a German accent who could fit into a normal-sized suitcase.
Erika's personal life was marked by three marriages, the first of which ended in divorce in 1961. She married costume designer Sy Devore in 1964 and retired from acting, only to lose her husband to a heart attack two years later. In 1969, she married Robert M. Brunson, president of Century Fast Foods, and took on the name Erika Devore Brunson.
Erika reinvented herself as a successful interior designer and creator of antique reproduction furniture, using her profits to support animal welfare-related charities. She served as commissioner of the Department of Animal Services and as a long-standing board member of the Humane Society of the United States.
Erika Devore Brunson passed away on May 17, 2022, at the age of 86, leaving behind a legacy of perseverance, creativity, and compassion.
