Lana Turner, a famous actress who lived a long and eventful life, passed away because of cancer on June 29, 1995. She experienced the ups and downs of love, getting married eight times in her lifetime. From all those marriages, she had just one child, a daughter named Cheryl Crane.
Cheryl was born to Lana and her ex-husband, Joseph Stephen Crane. Turner earned an Oscar nomination for her role in the movie "Peyton Place" in 1958. Besides "Peyton Place," she also starred in some other well-loved movies like "Madame X," "The Postman Always Rings Twice," and "Persecution."
Ronald Dante Was Her Last Husband
Turner's journey through love included many chapters, and her seventh and final husband was Ronald Dante. They tied the knot on May 9, 1969, at a wedding in Las Vegas, Nevada. Their love story had a whirlwind quality to it, as the two had only known each other for about three months before marrying. They first crossed paths at the Los Angeles Club.
Dr. Ronald Dante in Mr. Hypnotism (2010) SOURCE: Dtwdom YouTube Channel
Turner's marriage to Dante, though it began with hope and love, sadly ended in divorce on January 26, 1972. The reason behind their separation was a painful one—he had stolen from her, which broke the trust between them. Trust is a crucial foundation in any relationship, and when it's broken, it can be really hard to mend.
Late Turner's ex-husband, Dante had an interesting career as a nightclub hypnotist. This means he had a job where he would use his skills to entertain and mesmerize audiences in nightclubs. Life often brings together people from various backgrounds, and their stories can be both fascinating and unexpected.
Was Turner In A Relationship At The Time Of Her Death?
When Lana Turner passed away on June 29, 1995, she was not in a romantic relationship. She faced a tough battle with throat cancer, which was diagnosed in 1992. The actress showed immense strength and courage during her fight against this challenging illness.
Sadly, three years later, at the age of 74, Turner lost her battle with throat cancer. She spent her final moments in the comfort of her home in Century City, California, USA, surrounded by the love and support of her family. Her daughter, Cheryl Crane, was by her side, providing comfort and companionship in Lana's last moments.
Once Was Robert P. Eaton's Wife
Turner's marriage to Robert P. Eaton marked a significant chapter in her life. They were married from June 22, 1965, until April 1, 1969. What made their relationship intriguing to many was the age difference between them, as he was ten years younger than her. The two tied the knot in Virginia.
Lana Turner and Robert P. Eaton posing for the picture SOURCE: Pinterest
Eaton and Turner's romance began when they met on New Year's Eve in 1965, just six months before they decided to get married, as mentioned in The Palm Beach Post. Lana's Malibu Colony beach house, where they met, must have been magical place for them. However, like many relationships, theirs faced challenges. The reason for their divorce was a heartbreaking one.
Lana had to travel abroad to shoot a film, and when she returned, she discovered that Eaton was with another woman. Such moments of heartbreak can be incredibly painful and challenging to navigate.
Frederick May Was Turner's Fifth Husband
Frederick May played a unique role in Turner's love life as her fifth husband. They exchanged vows on November 27, 1960, and their marriage lasted until October 15, 1962. Her daughter, Cheryl once shared that the actress had a special fondness for him, even more so than her other husbands.
May's relationship with Turner might have had its challenges, but despite their divorce, they managed to maintain a strong friendship. Her fifth husband's life took its course after their divorce, and he lived until the age of 76. However, in 1993, cancer claimed his life, as mentioned in an article from the Los Angeles Times.
After the divorce on July 22, 1957, Turner and Barker went their separate ways. The divorce reason is that he used to sexually assault her daughter, Crane. The actor's journey came to an end on May 11, 1973, in New York City when he suffered a heart attack.
Was The Wife Of Henry J. Topping, Jr. Before Lex
Turner's marriage to Sportsman Henry J. Topping, Jr. was a significant chapter in her personal life. They exchanged vows on April 26, 1948, at the elegant Bel-Air estate of publisher William R. Wilkerson. What's interesting is that their romance developed relatively quickly, as they had only been dating for five months (starting November 1947) before deciding to tie the knot.
Turner's marriage to Topping, Jr. unfortunately faced some significant challenges that led to their eventual divorce on December 12, 1952. He had his share of struggles, including issues with drinking and gambling. Lana, at times, had to shoulder the financial responsibilities, of paying several bills, The disagreements about finances led to the couple's split.
Married Stephen Crane Twice
Lana Turner's relationship with Stephen Crane was unique, as they married not just once, but twice. Their first marriage took place on July 17, 1942, and lasted until February 4, 1943. However, their love story didn't end there. They decided to give their relationship another shot and got married again on March 14, 1943, which continued until August 21, 1944.
Turner and Crane's love story had its share of complications. Their first marriage faced a significant hurdle: it was considered invalid because he had tied the knot with the actress before his divorce from his first wife had been finalized.
Lana Turner and Stephen Crane at their wedding SOURCE: Pinterest
The decision for Turner to remarry Stephen in July 1943 held a deep emotional significance. One of the main reasons for this second marriage was her strong desire to ensure that her child, Cheryl Crane, was not considered illegitimate. Stephen was the father of her only child, Cheryl.
The relationship between Turner and Crane faced its own set of challenges, and ultimately, they decided to part ways in divorce. The reasons cited for their divorce included his struggles with gambling and unemployment. These issues can put a lot of strain on a marriage, as financial troubles and addictive behaviors can be very difficult to overcome.
About Turner's First Marriage
Turner's first marriage to Artie Shaw was quite the whirlwind romance. They tied the knot on February 13, 1940, just a short while after meeting on the set of "Dancing Co-Ed." Initially, she found him to be a bit arrogant. When he first asked her out on dates, she turned him down. However, fate had its plans.
One evening, Shaw called Turner after she had been stood up by another date with Greg Bautzer. She decided to give him a chance, and he made quite an impression: by driving down to Santa Monica, sharing his life philosophies and dreams. Their connection was so strong that on the very same night, the two of them spontaneously flew to Las Vegas and got married.
Turner and Shaw's marriage took a rocky turn, marked by constant fights that became too much for them to bear. Just four months after their wedding, they decided to part ways. The story takes an even more heartbreaking turn as Lana discovers she is pregnant during the divorce proceedings. However, he expressed doubt about the paternity of the child, so she ultimately made the difficult decision to get an abortion.
Turner's Daughter Killed Her Boyfriend
The tragic incident involving Turner's daughter, Cheryl Crane, and her then-boyfriend, Johnny Stompanato, was a deeply distressing chapter in their lives. Her daughter was just 14 years old when this fateful event occurred. His abusive behavior towards Lana had reached a breaking point, and on that unfortunate night, she heard them arguing.
In a moment of panic and fear for her mother's safety, Cheryl grabbed a knife from the counter. She stood outside, listening to the confrontation, and when Lana opened the door, Stompanato was on the verge of physically harming her. In a tragic turn of events, she stepped forward, and he ran into the knife she was holding.
Stompanato's death was ruled as justifiable homicide, recognizing the desperate circumstances that led to this tragic outcome. Cheryl was released to the custody of her grandmother, and this heartbreaking incident serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of abusive relationships.
Dated A Lot Of Men During Her Time
Lana Turner had a lot of boyfriends during her time. She was even going to get married to some of them. In 1946, she was engaged to Howard Hughes. Then in 1953, she was going to marry Jimmy Kind. She was also close to Kirk Douglas from 1951 to 1953. Before that, she dated Robert Hutton from 1945 to 1946.
Frank Sinatra was also one of Turner's boyfriends from 1944 to 1947. Tyrone Power was with the late actress from 1944 to 1949. Chris Peterson was her boyfriend from 1941 to 1944, and she was also close to Gene Krupa during that time from 1941 to 1945.
James Stewart was Turner's boyfriend in 1940 and 1941, while Mickey Rooney and Leonard Bernstein were her sweethearts from 1940 to 1941. Greg Bautzer dated her from 1937 to 1939. Apart from these, she had relationships with many other men like Marc Michel, W. Schmidlapp, Cesar Romero, Jack Schlossberg's grandfather, John F. Kennedy, Art Rooney, Moss Mabry, Jorge Guinle, Benny Goodman, Buddy Rich, Bugsy Siegel, Pandro S. Berman, Luis Miguel Dominguín, Joseph Wapner, Rex Harrison, and Dick Haymes. She had quite a busy love life during her time.
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