Once world's highest-paid actress, this star saw 7 failed marriages, her gangster boyfriend was murdered by her daughter

In India, there have been several stories of actresses rumoured to be dating gangsters or criminals. Most of these stories are rumours and almost all unconfirmed, barring a few incidents such as Monica Bedi. But in Hollywood, particularly in the so-called ‘Golden Age’ of films, such dalliances were all too common. One particular case ended in gruesome murder and at the centre of it all was the star’s teenage daughter

The actress whose daughter murdered her gangster boyfriend

Lana Turner, born Julia, was an American actress who began her career in films as a teenager in 1937. She made a memorable debut at the age of 16 in They Won’t Forget and by the 1940s, established herself as one of the top stars of MGM Studio. The 1946 hit The Postman Always Rings Twice established herself as a glam diva and femme fatale. Her personal life, however, was a mess. By the time, Turner turned 35, she had seen four failed marriages. Her divorce with her fourth husband Lex Barker was finalised in 1957. She soon began a relationship with gangster and mob bodyguard Johnny Stompanato. In 1958, Turner became the subject of a global scandal when her 14-year-old daughter Cheryl Crane from her second marriage stabbed Stompanato to death.

After attending the Oscars on March 26, 1958, Turner was physically assaulted by Stompanato. A week later, the two again had an argument where the gangster threatened to kill Turner, Cheryl, and Turner’s mother. Cheryl, who was hearing the fight from an adjacent room, became scared for her mother, and grabbed a kitchen knife, attacking and killing Stompanato. Due to the defence’s claims of self-defence and evidence of physical assault on Turner, the jury deemed the killing a justifiable homicide, and Cheryl was released.

Lana Turner’s successful career after the case

Lana Turner’s first release after this media frenzy was Imitation of Life, which released in 1959. The actress chose to forego her fees for the film and opted to receive 50% of the film's earnings. The film’s success made her the highest-paid actress in the world, albeit only briefly. Turner continued to act in successful films over the next few years with her role in Madame X (1966) becoming her last lead role. She went into semi-retirement after that.

Lana Turner’s personal life and death

But even as her career soared, Lana Turner’s private life remained tumultuous. She was married three more times between 1960 and 1972, with her final and seventh divorce taking place when she was 51. Turner continued to live as a retiree until the 90s, when she succumbed to cancer in 1995, at the age of 74.

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