Lana Turner - Oscar Nominated American Film Actress and Vintage Pin Up Posters Girl

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Born February 8, 1921 Lana Turner, or as her family called her: Julia Jean Mildred Frances Turner, quickly became a vintage pin up posters girl and was a well known, iconic, Oscar nominated American film actress. Her life was played out in the public eye, on and off screen. On-screen, Turner was known for the sensuality and glamour she brought to almost all of the characters she portrayed in her movie roles. Off-screen, Turner led a very stormy and tempestuous personal life that included no less than seven husbands, countless lovers, and one of the more famous Hollywood murder scandals.

Turner was famously discovered at Schwab’s Drug Store and has become one of Hollywood’s most alluring show-business risen to fame legends. The truth differs only a bit from the legend. At 16 years old and a Hollywood High School student, Turner skipped class and got a Coke from the local cafe, called the Top Hat, located not far from the campus on the southeast corner of McCadden Place and Sunset Boulevard. While she sat drinking for Coke, the beauty and future vintage pin up posters girl was spotted by William R. Wilkerson, publisher of the famed Hollywood Reporter magazine.

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Wilkerson was stunned by her physique and her natural beauty, and referred her to Zeppo Marx, a famous actor/comedian/talent agent in Hollywood. Marx’s agency quickly signed her into contract at MGM and she was introduced to the film director Mervyn LeRoy, who 1937’s They Won’t Forget became Turner’s first film role. She was also an extra that same year in A Star Is Born—a member of the crowd watching a boxing match.
Turner eventually became known as “The Sweater Girl” from her revealing wardrobe in a particular scene within They Won’t Forget.

It was during the 40s and 50s and during World War II that Turner became a popular vintage pin-up posters girl due to her popularity. The vintage pin up posters girl was so popular, she had a B-17 bomber—the Tempest Turner—named after her. After the war, Turner’s career vintage pin up posters girl popularity continued with the successful release of the film noir classic, The Postman Always Rings Twice, which John Garfield also starred in.

The 50s brought the vintage pin up posters girl a downturn in success, which was worsened by MGM’s attempt to recast the pin up in musicals. The first musical, Mr. Imperium, was a quite a box office flop, while The Merry Widow was somewhat more of a success. She was praised for her performance in Vincente Minnelli’s The Bad and the Beautiful, and later with John Wayne, in The Sea Chase. Shortly after these small successes and more box office failures, MGM did not renew her contract.

Turner did manage to have a small career revival after she starred in the film adaptation of the best selling fiction novel Peyton Place by Grace Metalious. With her performance in Peyton Place, she garnered a nomination for the Best Actress Oscar. However, Turner’s day of being a vintage pin up posters girl were slowly fading. Turner then accepted the lead role in the remake of Imitation of Life, which was under the direction of the great Douglas Sirk.

She died at the age of 74 on June 29, 1995 of complications from the three year struggle she had with throat cancer. Until her death, Turner was a heavy smoker. The vintage pin up posters girl was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, located on 6241 Hollywood Boulevard.