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American actress popular during the 1940s–50s From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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] |