Vera Tschechowa was a German actress, producer, director, and screenwriter from a distinguished artistic family. She was the daughter of actress Ada Tschechowa and the granddaughter of Russian-born actors Olga Tschechowa and Michael Chekhov; her great-great-uncle was the famous playwright Anton Chekhov. She became known as “The Girl with the Cat Eyes” after starring in Eugen York's film of the same name.

Tschechowa began her career in film and theater in the late 1950s, making her screen debut in 1957. She appeared in over 90 film and television productions, earning critical recognition for roles such as Ulla Wickweber in Das Brot der frühen Jahre.