Lana Turner
Lana Turner, born on February 8, 1921, was an American film and television actress. She was one of the most popular and iconic actresses of the 1940s and 1950s, known for her beauty, glamour, and talent. Turner's career spanned over five decades, and she appeared in numerous successful films, earning critical acclaim and a dedicated fan following.
Turner was born Julia Jean Mildred Frances Turner in Wallace, Idaho. Her father was of Dutch ancestry, and her mother had a mix of Scottish, Irish, and Dutch heritage. Her parents divorced when she was young, and she relocated with her mother and sister to Los Angeles, California.
In 1936, Turner, at the age of 15, was discovered by a talent scout while skipping school and sipping a soda in a cafe. She signed a contract with Warner Bros. studio, where she made her film debut in 1937 in the movie "They Won't Forget." Although she had a small role, Turner's striking beauty and on-screen presence caught the attention of audiences and the industry.
In the 1940s, Turner gained significant popularity with films such as "Ziegfeld Girl" (1941) and "Somewhere I'll Find You" (1942). She became known for her femme fatale roles and her ability to portray strong and alluring characters. Her breakthrough came with the film "The Postman Always Rings Twice" (1946), where her performance as Cora Smith earned critical acclaim and established her as a major star.
Throughout the 1950s, Turner continued to make successful films, including "The Bad and the Beautiful" (1952), for which she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. Other notable films during this period include "Peyton Place" (1957) and "Imitation of Life" (1959).
As the 1960s approached, Turner's career began to decline due to a combination of personal issues and changes in the film industry. However, she continued to work in both films and television throughout the following decades, making appearances in shows like "Falcon Crest" and "The Love Boat."
Lana Turner's personal life was often as dramatic as her on-screen roles. She was married seven times and had one daughter, Cheryl Crane. Turner's most publicized relationship was with mobster Johnny Stompanato, who was tragically killed by Crane in self-defense during a domestic dispute in 1958.
Lana Turner passed away on June 29, 1995, at the age of 74, in Century City, Los Angeles. Despite the ups and downs in her personal life and career, she remains an enduring symbol of Hollywood glamour and talent. Her contributions to the film industry continue to be celebrated and remembered.
Turner was born Julia Jean Mildred Frances Turner in Wallace, Idaho. Her father was of Dutch ancestry, and her mother had a mix of Scottish, Irish, and Dutch heritage. Her parents divorced when she was young, and she relocated with her mother and sister to Los Angeles, California.
In 1936, Turner, at the age of 15, was discovered by a talent scout while skipping school and sipping a soda in a cafe. She signed a contract with Warner Bros. studio, where she made her film debut in 1937 in the movie "They Won't Forget." Although she had a small role, Turner's striking beauty and on-screen presence caught the attention of audiences and the industry.
In the 1940s, Turner gained significant popularity with films such as "Ziegfeld Girl" (1941) and "Somewhere I'll Find You" (1942). She became known for her femme fatale roles and her ability to portray strong and alluring characters. Her breakthrough came with the film "The Postman Always Rings Twice" (1946), where her performance as Cora Smith earned critical acclaim and established her as a major star.
Throughout the 1950s, Turner continued to make successful films, including "The Bad and the Beautiful" (1952), for which she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. Other notable films during this period include "Peyton Place" (1957) and "Imitation of Life" (1959).
As the 1960s approached, Turner's career began to decline due to a combination of personal issues and changes in the film industry. However, she continued to work in both films and television throughout the following decades, making appearances in shows like "Falcon Crest" and "The Love Boat."
Lana Turner's personal life was often as dramatic as her on-screen roles. She was married seven times and had one daughter, Cheryl Crane. Turner's most publicized relationship was with mobster Johnny Stompanato, who was tragically killed by Crane in self-defense during a domestic dispute in 1958.
Lana Turner passed away on June 29, 1995, at the age of 74, in Century City, Los Angeles. Despite the ups and downs in her personal life and career, she remains an enduring symbol of Hollywood glamour and talent. Her contributions to the film industry continue to be celebrated and remembered.
quotes:
"A successful man is one who makes more money than a wife can spend. A successful woman is one who can find such a man."
"I find men terribly exciting, and any girl who says she doesn't is an anemic old maid, a streetwalker, or a saint."
[on Hollywood] "It was all beauty and it was all talent, and if you had it they protected you."
"I planned on having one husband and seven children, but it turned out the other way around."
"The thing about happiness is that it doesn't help you to grow; only unhappiness does that. So I'm grateful that my bed of roses was made up equally of blossoms and thorns. I've had a privileged, creative, exciting life, and I think that the parts that were less joyous were preparing me, testing me, strengthening me."
"The truth is, sex doesn't mean that much to me now. It never did, really. It was romance I wanted, kisses and candlelight, that sort of thing. I never did dig sex very much."
[on Joan Crawford] "One day I got a phone call from Joan Crawford. Greg [Bautzer] had taken me to several parties at her house, but I didn't know her well. Those parties were all the same. After dinner the guests would be herded into a projection room to watch movies. Joan knitted constantly. During the film, you could always hear her needles clicking away."
- Lana Turner
trivia:
In 1958, while filming Another Time, Another Place (1958) in London, England, she was visited by her boyfriend, gangster Johnny Stompanato. Stompanato suspected that she was having an affair with co-star Sean Connery and at one point confronted Connery and threatened to kill him. Connery knocked him unconscious with one punch. He then waited until Stompanato regained consciousness and told him that if he ever saw Stompanato again he would kill him. Stompanato left London the next day.
Once when she was being interviewed by Hedda Hopper, Lex Barker, Lana's future husband, was in the same room. There was a large vase of flowers blocking her view of Lex, so Lana got up, walked across the room and removed them, remarking, "He's brand new and I want to look at him!"
Once said that her turn as Cora Smith in The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946) was "the role I liked best".
In Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941) with Spencer Tracy and Ingrid Bergman Turner was originally supposed to play Ivy, the tart. Bergman was supposed to play the innocent girl engaged to Tracy, but she wanted Turner's part and so the roles were switched.
She was set to appear in Anatomy of a Murder (1959) with James Stewart until she objected to the off-the-rack wardrobe that director Otto Preminger had selected for her. Lee Remick took over the role.
Once when she was being interviewed by Hedda Hopper, Lex Barker, Lana's future husband, was in the same room. There was a large vase of flowers blocking her view of Lex, so Lana got up, walked across the room and removed them, remarking, "He's brand new and I want to look at him!"
Once said that her turn as Cora Smith in The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946) was "the role I liked best".
In Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941) with Spencer Tracy and Ingrid Bergman Turner was originally supposed to play Ivy, the tart. Bergman was supposed to play the innocent girl engaged to Tracy, but she wanted Turner's part and so the roles were switched.
She was set to appear in Anatomy of a Murder (1959) with James Stewart until she objected to the off-the-rack wardrobe that director Otto Preminger had selected for her. Lee Remick took over the role.
