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CMG Worldwide Welcomes You to the Official Website of Lana Turner

Biography

Lana Turner had an acting ability that belied the “Sweater Girl” image MGM thrust upon her, and even many of her directors admitted that they knew she was capable of greatness (check out The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)). Unfortunately, her private life sometimes overshadowed her professional accomplishments.

Lana Turner was born Julia Jean Mildred Francis Turner in Wallace, Idaho. There is some discrepancy as to whether her birthdate was February 8, 1920 or 1921. Lana herself said in her autobiography that she was one year younger (1921) than the records showed, but then this was a time where women, especially actresses, tended to “fib” a bit about their age. Most sources agree that 1920 is the correct year of birth. Her parents were Mildred Frances (Cowan) and John Virgil Turner, a miner, both still in their teens when she was born. In 1929, her father was murdered and it was shortly thereafter that her mother moved her and the family to California where jobs were “plentiful.” Once she matured into a beautiful young woman, she went after something that would last forever: stardom. She wasn’t found at a drugstore counter like some would have you believe, but that legend persists. She pounded the pavement as other would-be actors and actresses have done, are doing, and will continue to do in search of movie roles.

In 1937, Lana entered the movie world, at 17, with small parts in They Won’t Forget (1937), The Great Garrick (1937), and A Star Is Born (1937). These films didn’t bring her a lot of notoriety, but it was a start. In 1938, she had another small part in Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938) starring Mickey Rooney. It was this film that made young men’s hearts all over America flutter at the sight of this alluring and provocative young woman–known as the “Sweater Girl”–and one look at that film could make you understand why: she was one of the most spectacularly beautiful newcomers to grace the screen in years. By the 1940s, Lana was firmly entrenched in the film business. She had good roles in such films as Johnny Eager (1941), Somewhere I’ll Find You (1942), and Week-End at the Waldorf (1945). If her career was progressing smoothly, however, her private life was turning into a train wreck, keeping her in the news in a way no one would have wanted.

Without a doubt her private life was a threat to her public career. She was married eight times, twice to Stephen Crane. She also married Ronald Dante, Robert Eaton, Fred May, Lex Barker, Henry Topping, and bandleader Artie Shaw. She also battled alcoholism. In yet another scandal, her daughter by Crane, Cheryl Crane, fatally stabbed Lana’s boyfriend, gangster Johnny Stompanato, in 1958. It was a case that would have rivaled the O.J. Simpson murder case. Cheryl was acquitted of the murder charge, with the jury finding that she had been protecting her mother from Stompanato, who was savagely beating her, and ruled it justifiable homicide. These and other incidents interfered with Lana’s career, but she persevered. The release of Imitation of Life (1959), a remake of a 1934 film (Imitation of Life (1934)), was Lana’s comeback vehicle. Her performance as Lora Meredith was flawless as an actress struggling to make it in show business with a young daughter, her housekeeper and the housekeeper’s rebellious daughter. The film was a box-office success and proved beyond a doubt that Lana had not lost her edge.

By the 1960s, however, fewer roles were coming her way with the rise of new and younger stars. She still managed to turn in memorable performances in such films as Portrait in Black (1960) and Bachelor in Paradise (1961). By the next decade the roles were coming in at a trickle. Her last appearance in a big-screen production was in Witches’ Brew (1980). Her final film work came in the acclaimed TV series Falcon Crest (1981) in which she played Jacqueline Perrault from 1982-1983. After all those years as a sex symbol, nothing had changed–Lana was still as beautiful as ever. She died June 25, 1995, in Culver City, California, after a long bout with cancer. She was 75 years old.

Filmography

1985 The Love Boat (TV Series) -Elizabeth Raley
1982-1983 Falcon Crest (TV Series) Jacqueline Perrault
1980 Witches’ Brew Vivian Cross
1976 Bittersweet Love Claire Peterson
1974 Persecution Carrie Masters
1971 The Last of the Powerseekers (TV Movie) Tracy Carlyle Hastings
1969-1970 The Survivors (TV Series) Tracy Carlyle Hastings
1969 The Big Cube Adriana Roman
1966 Madame X Holly Parker
1965 Love Has Many Faces Kit Jordon
1962 Who’s Got the Action? Melanie Flood
1961 Bachelor in Paradise Rosemary Howard
1961 By Love Possessed Marjorie Penrose
1960 Portrait in Black Sheila Cabot
1959 Imitation of Life Lora Meredith
1958 Another Time, Another Place Sara Scott
1957 Peyton Place Constance MacKenzie
1957 The Lady Takes a Flyer Maggie Colby
1956 Diane Diane de Poitiers – Countess de Breze
1955 The Rains of Ranchipur Lady Edwina Esketh
1955 The Sea Chase Elsa Keller
1955 The Prodigal Samarra
1954 Betrayed Carla Van Oven
1954 Flame and the Flesh Madeline
1953 Latin Lovers Nora Taylor
1952 The Bad and the Beautiful Georgia Lorrison
1952 The Merry Widow Crystal Radek
1952 Singin’ in the Rain Actress in ‘The Royal Rascal’ (uncredited)
1951 Mr. Imperium Fredda Barlo
1950 A Life of Her Own Lily Brannel James
1948 The Three Musketeers Lady de Winter
1948 Homecoming Lt. Jane ‘Snapshot’ McCall
1947 Cass Timberlane Virginia ‘Ginny’ Marshland
1947 Green Dolphin Street Marianne Patourel
1946 The Postman Always Rings Twice Cora Smith
1945 Week-End at the Waldorf Bunny Smith
1945 Keep Your Powder Dry Valerie Parks
1944 Marriage Is a Private Affair Theo Scofield West
1943 Du Barry Was a Lady Lana Turner (uncredited)
1943 Slightly Dangerous Peggy Evans aka Carol Burden
1943 The Youngest Profession Lana Turner
1942 Somewhere I’ll Find You Paula Lane
1941 Johnny Eager Lisbeth Bard
1941 Honky Tonk Elizabeth Cotton
1941 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Beatrix Emery
1941 Ziegfeld Girl Sheila Regan
1940 We Who Are Young Margy Brooks
1940 Two Girls on Broadway Pat Mahoney
1939 Dancing Co-Ed Patty Marlow
1939 These Glamour Girls Jane Thomas
1939 Calling Dr. Kildare Rosalie
1938 Dramatic School Mado
1938 Rich Man, Poor Girl Helen
1938 Four’s a Crowd Passerby (uncredited)
1938 The Chaser Miss Rutherford (scenes deleted)
1938 Love Finds Andy Hardy Cynthia
1938 The Adventures of Marco Polo Maid
1937 The Great Garrick Auber
1937 Topper Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
1937 They Won’t Forget Mary Clay

Quotes

“A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend. A successful woman is one who can find such a man.”
“If you stay away from parties, you’re called a snob. If you go, you’re an exhibitionist. If you don’t talk, you’re dumb. If you do talk, you’re quarrelsome. Pardon me while I change my nail polish.”
“I find men terribly exciting, and any girl who says she doesn’t is an anemic old maid, a streetwalker, or a saint. ”
“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. ”
“It’s said in Hollywood that you should always forgive your enemies – because you never know when you’ll have to work with them.”
“How does it happen that something that makes so much sense in the moonlight doesn’t make any sense at all in the sunlight?”
“I would rather lose a good earring than be caught without make-up”
“I planned on having one husband and seven children, but it turned out the other way around.”
“All men are alike. The approach is different; the result is always the same.”
“I’m so gullible. I’m so damn gullible. And I am so sick of me being gullible.”
“My life has been a series of emergencies.”

Licensing

As the exclusive licensing agent for Lana Turner, CMG Worldwide is dedicated to maintaining and developing a positive brand image for our client. CMG is a leader and pioneer in its field, with over 37 years of experience arranging licensing agreements for hundreds of personalities and brands in various industries, including sports, entertainment, music, and more. We actively seek out commercial opportunities that are consistent with our brand positioning goals, and we are committed to pursuing strategies that meet the goals of our clients, as well as our licensing partners.

Please contact us today if you are interested in licensing opportunities with Lana Turner. For a full list of CMG Clients, please visit our website here.