Who Is Lana Turner? Age, Biography and Wiki
As of 2025, Lana Turner would have been 104 years old if she were still alive. Born in Wallace, Idaho, she rose to fame in the 1940s and 1950s through a series of successful films, including "The Postman Always Rings Twice" and "Imitation of Life." Her allure and screen presence made her a quintessential figure in the film industry, earning her a lasting place in cinematic history.
For additional details, you can visit her Wikipedia page.
| Occupation | Stage Actress |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | February 8, 1921 |
| Age | 74 Years |
| Birth Place | Wallace, Idaho, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Aquarius |
| Country | U.S |
| Date of death | 29 June, 1995 |
| Died Place | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Popularity
Lana Turner's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
In her prime, Lana Turner stood at an impressive height of 5 feet 6 inches (1.68 meters) and was known for her captivating figure, which made her a fashion icon of her time. During her career, her weight fluctuated between 120 to 130 pounds (54 to 59 kg). Her body measurements were often reported as approximately 36-24-36 inches, showcasing the classic hourglass silhouette that Hollywood adored.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Lana Turner had a tumultuous love life and was married eight times. Among her most famous relationships were with notable figures such as actor Stephen Crane and film director Mervyn LeRoy. Throughout her life, Lana faced several publicized romances, but her most talked-about relationship was with mafia figure Johnny Stompanato, which ended tragically.
Although Turner passed away on June 29, 1995, her legacy in the realm of love and partnerships continues to intrigue biographers and fans alike.
Born to working-class parents in Idaho, Turner spent her childhood there before her family relocated to California. In 1936, at the age of 15, she was discovered by a talent scout, while shopping at the Top Hat malt shop in Hollywood. At the age of 16, she was signed to a personal contract by Warner Bros.
director Mervyn LeRoy, who took her with him when he transferred to MGM in 1938. She soon attracted attention by playing a murder victim in her screen debut, LeRoy's film They Won't Forget (1937), and she later moved into supporting roles that often cast her as an ingénue.
Net Worth and Salary
At the time of her passing, Lana Turner's estimated net worth was around $10 million. Much of her wealth stemmed from her successful film career, which included numerous box office hits and iconic performances. Additionally, her investments in real estate and various ventures within the entertainment industry contributed to her financial portfolio.
In 1940, Turner appeared in her first musical film, Two Girls on Broadway, in which she received top billing over established co-stars Joan Blondell and George Murphy. A remake of The Broadway Melody, the film was marketed as featuring Turner's "hottest, most daring role".
The following year, she had a lead role in her second musical, Ziegfeld Girl, opposite James Stewart, Judy Garland and Hedy Lamarr. In the film, she portrayed Sheila Regan, an alcoholic aspiring actress based on Lillian Lorraine.
Ziegfeld Girl marked a personal and professional shift for Turner; she claimed it as the first role that got her "interested in acting", and the studio, impressed by her performance, marketed the film as featuring her in "the best role of the biggest picture to be released by the industry's biggest company".
The film's high box-office returns elevated Turner's profitability, and MGM gave her a weekly salary raise to $1,500 as well as a personal makeup artist and trailer ($0 in dollars ). After completing the film, Turner and co-star Garland remained lifelong friends, and lived in houses next to one another in the 1950s.
Career, Business and Investments
Lana Turner's career spanned several decades, during which she evolved from a teenage starlet to one of Hollywood's leading ladies. Not only was she an accomplished actress, but she also ventured into business, promoting her own line of cosmetics and participating in various philanthropic activities.
Her film career was not just limited to acting; she also took on producer roles for some of her projects, thus asserting more control over her creative outputs. Even beyond her acting career, Turner remained a prominent figure in Hollywood, participating in interviews and documentaries about her life and the movie industry.
Julia Jean "Lana" Turner (February 8, 1921 –June 29, 1995) was an American actress. Over a career spanning nearly five decades, she achieved fame as both a pin-up model and a film actress, as well as for her highly publicized personal life.
In the mid-1940s, she was one of the highest-paid American actresses, and one of MGM's biggest stars, with her films earning approximately one billion dollars in 2024 currency for the studio during her 18-year contract with them.
Turner is frequently cited as a popular culture icon due to her glamorous persona, and a screen legend of the Golden Age of Hollywood. She was nominated for numerous awards.
Social Network
Though Lana Turner had a vibrant public life, her presence on social media was nonexistent due to the era in which she lived. However, her influence is still recognized across various platforms dedicated to film history, classic cinema, and vintage Hollywood. Fans continue to celebrate her legacy through social media pages, fan accounts, and dedicated websites that preserve her memory and contributions to the film industry.
Turner made her feature film debut in LeRoy's They Won't Forget (1937), a crime drama in which she played a teenage murder victim. Though Turner only appeared on screen for a few minutes, Wilkerson wrote in The Hollywood Reporter that her performance was "worthy of more than a passing note".
The film earned her the nickname of the "Sweater Girl" for her form-fitting attire, which accentuated her bust. Turner always detested the nickname, and upon seeing a sneak preview of the film, she recalled being profoundly embarrassed and "squirming lower and lower" into her seat.
She stated that she had "never seen myself walking before… [It was] the first time [I was] conscious of my body." Several years after the film's release, Modern Screen journalist Nancy Squire wrote that Turner "made a sweater look like something Cleopatra was saving for the next visiting Caesar".
Shortly after completing They Won't Forget, she made an appearance in James Whale's historical comedy The Great Garrick (1937), a biographical film about British actor David Garrick, in which she had a small role portraying an actress posing as a chambermaid.
Education
Lana Turner had a brief formal education due to her early entrance into the film industry, but she possessed a lifelong love for learning. She was known for her intelligence and keen insights into character development, which informed her performances throughout her acting career. Despite her limited formal education, Turner became one of the most recognized figures in Hollywood, proving that talent and tenacity can often outweigh traditional educational paths.
In conclusion, Lana Turner's enchanting presence and significant contributions to Hollywood continue to resonate with fans and scholars alike, highlighting her incredible journey and lasting impact on the film industry.
In late 1937, LeRoy was hired as an executive at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), and asked Jack L. Warner to allow Turner to relocate with him to MGM. Warner obliged, as he believed Turner would not "amount to anything". Turner left Warner Bros. and signed a contract with MGM for $100 a week ($0 in dollars ).
The same year, she was loaned to United Artists for a minor role as a maid in The Adventures of Marco Polo. Her first starring role for MGM was scheduled to be an adaptation of The Sea-Wolf, co-starring Clark Gable, but the project was eventually shelved.
Instead, she was assigned opposite teen idol Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland in the Andy Hardy film Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938). During the shoot, Turner completed her studies with an educational social worker, allowing her to graduate high school that year.
The film was a box-office success, and her appearance in it as a flirtatious high school student convinced studio head Louis B. Mayer that Turner could be the next Jean Harlow, a sex symbol who had died six months before Turner's arrival at MGM.
