Lana Turner was born Julia Jean Mildred Frances Turner in Wallace, Idaho. Her father, John Virgil Turner was from Hohenwald, Tennessee; her mother, Mildred Frances Cowan was from Alabama.
Murder was a part of Turner's life from early on. Her father, John Turner won some money gambling and hid the money in his left sock. His body was found in the Mission District in San Francisco, his left sock and shoe missing. The crime was never solved. Turner and her mother moved to the drier climate of Los Angeles for her mother's health.
The Sweater Girl
Skipping typing class turned out to be the best move Turner could have made. William Wilkerson, publisher of the Hollywood Reporter, happened to spot the 16-year-old sipping a soda at the Top Hat Cafe at the corner of Sunset Blvd. and McCadden Place.
Wilkerson referred her to Zeppo Marx whose agency signed on the young ingénue. From there, director Mervyn LeRoy cast her in "They Won't Forget." It was the form-fitting sweater Turner wore in a scene in this movie which earned her the nickname "Sweater Girl."
Turner is best known for the films "The Postman Always Rings Twice," "Imitation of Life," and her Academy award-nominated performance in "Peyton Place." That Oscar night, March 26, 1958, would be one of the most memorable, especially for Turner.
Lana Turner Marriages
- Turner was married eight times but had only seven husbands, marrying Josef Stephan Crane twice. Unusual, even by Hollywood's standards.
- Artie Shaw (1940) - bandleader. Turner claimed the relationship was stormy and verbally abusive. Turner had no idea she was Shaw's third wife until he one day mentioned his second wife.
- Josef Stephen Crane (1942-1943, 1943-1944) - their first marriage was annulled when Turner discovered Crane's first marriage was not finalized. The two remarried to provide for their daughter, Cheryl Crane.
- Henry J. Topping, Jr. (1948-1952) - Topping suffered from poor investments and gambling.
- Lex Barker (1953-1957) - daughter Cheryl claimed Barker molested and raped her.
- Fred May (1960-1962) - rancher.
- Robert P. Eaton (1965-1969) - his movie "The Body Brokers" featured character Marla Jordan, based on Turner.
- Ronald Pellar (1969-1972) - a nightclub hypnotist, Turner wrote him a $35,000 check and he disappeared after only six months of marriage.
- Turner said it best herself: "I planned on having one husband and seven children, but it turned out the other way around."[1]
Johnny Stompanato
Just after divorcing Lex Barker in 1957, Turner met Johnny Stompanato. Stompanato's initial wooing and courtship hid his volatile personality.
Stompanato was a small-time hood, best described as a gigolo. He dated, and at least twice married, women for their money. Once the money was gone, so was Johnny.
Stompanato came to Los Angeles by way of China. A war veteran, he lived in China after the war posing as a nightclub owner. Sir John Hubbard took Stompanato to California as a companion. Hubbard was busted for marijuana shortly after and Stompanato worked at one of Los Angeles mafia Mickey Cohen's nightclubs as a bouncer.
Cohen took notice of the broad-shouldered, thick set bouncer and hired him as a bodyguard. Stompanato was carrying over $50,000 in cash on two different occasions of arrest. It was a typical move in the syndicate to have a flunky carry large amounts of money. The "boss" (in this case Mickey Cohen) would not have to offer an explanation for carrying such a large amount of cash.
The longer Stompanato and Turner dated, the more aggressive and physical Stompanato's abuse became. Turner, ever under the watchful eye of Hollywood, strove to maintain a presentable relationship.
When Lana learned she was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance in Peyton Place (1957), Stompanato was not allowed to accompany her. She was determined not to be seen in public with a known gangster.
The 1958 Oscars
The Oscar on the night of March 26, 1958 went to Joanne Woodward for "The Three Faces of Eve." Stompanato watched the ceremony from Turner's home, festering anger. When Turner arrived home, Stompanato let loose his rage and began slapping Turner.
April 4, 1958, Good Friday wasn't so good at the Turner mansion. Turner had decided to end the relationship with Stompanato. But Stompanato was determined not to leave.
As the fight escalated in Turner's bedroom, fourteen year old Cheryl Crane heard everything from her bedroom next door. Crane heard Stompanato's threats to cut Turner's face and kill Turner's mother and daughter. Outside Turner's door, Crane begged to be let in but Turner refused.
Turner’s Daughter Kills Stompanato
Crane took a carving knife from a kitchen drawer and went upstairs to her mother's closed door. As the fight tapered off, Crane once again requested her mother to open the door. Turner finally relented. Crane thought she saw Stompanato coming at her with what she thought was some sort of weapon and she thrust out her arm. In her hand was the carving knife with which she stabbed Stompanato.
Turner gave Stompanato mouth-to-mouth resuscitation until the doctor arrived. Stompanato was given a shot of adrenalin to the heart. But Stompanato was dead.
Stompanato Death Ruled Justifiable Homicide
Turner procured Jerry Geisler, attorney to the stars in those days. A media circus ensued and mafia boss Cohen got involved. He had initially planned to blackmail Turner with Stompanato's help. This plan being no longer feasible, Cohen set out to discredit Turner's claims of abuse by leaking love letters between the two to the press.
Stompanato's death was ruled justifiable homicide in less than half an hour among the jurors.
Crane lived with her grandmother and she and Turner became alienated. Crane eventually went into the restaurant business with her father. She and her mother reconciled before Turner's death in 1995.
Sources:
Wikipedia article on Lana Turner
TruTV.com article on Lana Turner
Wikipedia article on Johnny Stompanato
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