She was born Ellis Stampe Bendix Forchhammer on May 25, 1907 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Her father, Olaf Forchhammer, was a prominent engineer. When she was a child she studied ballet and started her own dance company. Lilian began her acting career at Max Reinhardt’s Deutsche Theater in Berlin. At the age of twenty-one she made her film debut in the German silent film Strauss, The Waltz King, In 1930 she starred in six films including The Theft of the Mona Lisa, The Merry Wives Of Vienna, and The Woman They Talk About. She quickly became one of the most popular musical comedy stars in Europe. Lillian was offered a contract with Hal Roach in 1934 and came to America. Roach said he wanted to make her into the next Thelma Todd. Her press agent described her as "a slim exquisite beauty of the continental type with eyes of cerulean blue and golden blonde tresses."
Unfortunately her thick accent prevented her from getting any good roles. She spent most of her time in Hollywood posing for sexy pin-up photos. After just a few months she decided to return to Europe. During the late 1930s she started performing in revues in London and Paris. Lilian married Mogens Lind, an actor and writer, on April 3, 1943. Her final film was the 1945 Danish comedy De kloge og vi gale. Then she appeared on several European radio shows. Sadly she was diagnosed with kidney disease in 1950. She underwent an operation in Copenhagen but there were complications. On February 21, 1951 she died from cardiac arrest at the young age of forty-three. Lilian was buried at Soendermarken Cemetery in Copenhagen, Denmark.
