The Tragic Life of Lana Turner

Lana Turner got her break in 1937, which led her to a decades-long career. She paved the way for women in the industry, but just like other actors, her life was full of tragedy. This is her story…

Disclosure: This story includes talk of suicide, mental health issues, and domestic abuse. If any of these subjects are a trigger for you, please take care of yourself and check out some of my other stories!

Early Life

Lana was born on February 8, 1921, in Wallace, Idaho, as Julia Jean Turner. At a young age, Lana started going by Judy and performed dance routines at John’s Elk Chapter. In 1924, at age 3, Mildred was in a fashion show for charity, and Lana performed a spontaneous dance routine.

When Lana was 6, around 1927, the family moved to San Francisco due to financial struggles. Shortly after the move, John and Mildred separated. John had a gambling problem, so I think that was the reason for the separation. Lana later said that he would go by different surnames, and Lana would feel confused about her last name. Due to the separation, Mildred started working as a beautician, for sometimes 80 hours a week, to make ends meet. Mildred told Lana that John could not work, so in the…