A refugee from the Nazi regime as a child, Dora trained and danced briefly with the Vienna Opera as their youngest solo dancer until an accidental fall in her late teens ended her dancing career. She then moved to London and studied theatre at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, where she had to improve her English skills as well through classes.After a career on British television, in a few Hollywood films and on the stage, she gave up acting career to raise a family and beginning in the 1980's, she became one of Britain's leading fashion designers.