Lana Turner (1921–1995) was an American actress who appeared in over fifty films during her career, which spanned four decades. Discovered in 1937 at age 16, she signed a contract with Warner Bros. but soon transferred to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.[1] The studio's co-founder, Louis B. Mayer, helped further her career by casting her in several youth-oriented comedies and musicals, including Dancing Co-Ed (1939)[2] and Ziegfeld Girl (1941), the latter of which was a commercial success and helped establish her as one of the studio's leading performers.[3] Turner subsequently co-starred with Clark Gable in the drama Somewhere I'll Find You (1943), the first of four films she would appear in with him.[4]
Turner's role as a femme fatale in the film noir The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946) advanced her career significantly and established her as a dramatic actress.[5] It earned her acclaim with Bosley Crowther of The New York Times deeming it "the role of her career."[6] In addition to her film roles, Turner frequently appeared on radio programs throughout the 1940s, including Suspense and The Orson Welles Almanac.[7][8] In 1952, she co-starred in the drama The Bad and the Beautiful (1952) opposite Kirk Douglas, portraying an alcoholic actress.[9] Turner made her final film appearance with Gable[10] in the drama Betrayed (1954).[11] After the critical and commercial failure of Diane (1956), MGM opted not to renew Turner's contract.[12] At the time, her films with the studio had collectively earned over $50 million[13]
In 1957, she took a leading role portraying Constance MacKenzie in 20th Century Fox's Peyton Place, a film adaptation of the Grace Metalious novel of the same name.[14] The film was a major box office success,[15] and Turner earned her first and only Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for her performance.[14] In 1959, she accepted the lead role in Douglas Sirk's remake of Imitation of Life, a drama for Universal Pictures in which she portrayed a struggling stage actress, which was another commercial success at the box office.[16] Turner's final leading role was in 1966's Madame X, for which she earned a David di Donatello award for Best Actress.[17] She spent the majority of the 1970s in semiretirement, appearing in touring stage plays, such as Forty Carats[18] and Bell, Book and Candle.[19] In 1982, she was cast in a recurring guest role on the television soap opera Falcon Crest.[20] She made her final film appearance in the comedy horror film Witches' Brew in 1980.[21]
Year | Title | Role(s) | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1940 | Our Dancing Daughters | Unknown | Remake of 1928 film; never made | [38] |
1940 | The Uniform | Unknown | Set to star opposite Clark Gable; Turner was replaced with Rosalind Russell, and the film was released as They Met in Bombay[39] | [40] |
1947 | Bedeviled | Unknown | Unfinished; Turner dropped out to appear in The Three Musketeers | [41] |
1949 | Samson and Delilah | Delilah | Role went to Hedy Lamarr | [42] |
1959 | Streets of Montmartre | Suzanne Valadon | Set to star with Louis Jourdan; never made[43] | [44] |
Year | Title | Role(s) | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1967 | The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour | Herself | Episode: "1.10" | [45] |
1969–70 | Harold Robbins' The Survivors | Tracy Carlyle Hastings | 15 episodes | [46] |
1971 | The Last of the Powerseekers | Television film | [47] | |
1982–83 | Falcon Crest | Jacqueline Perrault | 6 episodes | [48] |
1985 | The Love Boat | Elizabeth Raleigh | Episode: "Caribbean Cruise: Call Me Grandma/A Gentleman of Discretion/The Perfect Divorce/Letting Go" | [37] |
Air date | Program | Episode | Role(s) | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
June 2, 1941 | Lux Radio Theatre | They Drive by Night | Lana Carlsen | Guest-starring with Lucille Ball[49] | [50] |
January 19, 1942 | Philip Morris Playhouse | The Devil and Miss Jones | Mary Jones | Co-starring with Lionel Barrymore | [51] |
July 5, 1944 | The Orson Welles Almanac | The Mercury Wonder Show | Herself | Guest-starring with Susan Hayward | [8] |
June 19, 1944 | The Orson Welles Almanac | Fifth War Loan Drive | [52] | ||
May 3, 1945 | Suspense | Fear Paints a Picture | Julia | [7] | |
April 11, 1946 | Lux Radio Theatre | Honky Tonk | Elizabeth Cotton | Co-starring with John Hodiak | [53] |
June 17, 1946 | Screen Guild Theater | Marriage Is a Private Affair | Theo Scofield West | Co-starring with John Hodiak | [54] |
August 14, 1946 | Academy Award Theater | Vivacious Lady | Francey | [53] | |
April 13, 1948 | The Bob Hope Show | Herself | Skit performed with Bob Hope | [55] | |
September 19, 1949 | Lux Radio Theatre | Green Dolphin Street | Marianne Patourel | [56] |
Year(s) | Title | Role(s) | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1971 | Forty Carats | Ann Stanley | Touring performance | [18] |
1975 | The Pleasure of His Company | Jessica Anne Poole | Single performance; Arlington Park Theater, Chicago | [57] |
1978 | Divorce Me, Darling | Amelia Conway | Performances at Drury Lane Theatre, Chicago[58] | [59] |
1976–78 | Bell, Book and Candle | Gillian Holroyd | Touring performance; co-starring with Patrick Horgan[19] | [60] |
1980–82 | Murder Among Friends | Angela Forrester | Touring performance[61] | [62] |
Award | Category | Year | Nominated work(s) | Outcome | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Academy Awards | Best Actress in a Leading Role | 1958 | Peyton Place | Nominated | [14] |
David di Donatello | Best Foreign Actress | 1966 | Madame X | Won | [17] |
Donostia Awards | Lifetime Achievement | 1994 | – | Won | [63] |
Laurel Awards | Top Female Dramatic Performance | 1958 | Peyton Place | 4th place | [64] |
Top Female Star | 1959 | – | 9th place | [65] | |
1960 | – | 13th place | [66] | ||
1961 | – | 9th place | [66] | ||
Best Actress | 1966 | Madame X | 5th place | [66] | |
Medalla Sitges | Best Actress | 1975 | Persecution | Won | [67] |