Synopsis: A big hand must be given to Mr.
Valentino for this very well researched, coffee table sized book.The Lana Turner Library
Compared to some of her Golden Age contemporaries, there isn't a vast amount of information written about Lana Turner. A true A-Z biography has yet to be written about her. The four books that I have listed here are what in my opinion are the best of the lot and are worth at least reading a chapter or two. All are out of print now, but can easily be obtained through Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com's used book section or Ebay.
The Films of Lana Turner
Lou Valentino (1976)
Synopsis: A big hand must be given to Mr.
Valentino for this very well researched, coffee table sized book.
Sample Text: (Taken from director Mervyn LeRoy's forward to the book) "...I looked up. A girl with dark hair stood in the doorway, so nervous her hands were shaking. She had on a blue cotton dress. Her hair was impossible. It looked as if she had never put a comb through it. She wasn't wearing any makeup and she was so shy she could hardly look me in the face. Yet there was something so endearing about her that I knew she was the right girl. She had tremendous appeal, which I knew the audience would feel. The first thing I said to her was, "Do you want to sign a contract?" "I'll have to ask my mother," she answered. It was only when I had a contract drawn up putting Julia Jean Mildred Frances Turner under personal contract that she knew it wasn't all a dream."
My Review: Lou Valentino is an obvious Lana Turner fan and it shows. With a full page synopsis on every film that Lana Turner made through 1976, this one is a must have. Director Mervyn LeRoy who discovered Lana, wrote a forward to this book, making it even more of a collectors item. There are rare backstage photos such as Lana on the Three Musketeers set and looking into her "Lana Turner" mirror that make this rare book worth it's expensive price. RECOMMENDED! (NOTE: Some of Mr. Valentino's reviews contain spoilers that may ruin the ending to the film, if you haven't seen it before. My best advice to you is to watch the film first then read what Mr. Valentino has to say-)
Your Review: What are YOUR thoughts on this book? Contact me at Liza@lanaturneronline.com
Purchase The Films of Lana Turner :
Lana, the Lady, the Legend, the Truth
Lana Turner (1982)
Synopsis: Lana Turner's life story, the way she perceived it and experienced it. She's not under oath here, so she does sugarcoat and fib a lot.
Sample Text: "Who's
the girl? I heard someone ask, but I had tears in my eyes. I slipped down
farther in my seat until I was resting on my spine. Only the brim of my new hat
stopped me from sliding to the floor. At the end of the reel, when the credits
rolled up, my name was listed sixth. Lana Turner-the first time it had ever
appeared on the screen. "Let's get out of here", I urged my mother, who seemed
to be in a daze. A production assistant swept us out before the lights came on.
As we hurried to a waiting car, I clutched the young man's sleeve. "Listen," I
said. " Tell me. I don't really look like that..." He cut me off with a slight
smile. "Fortunately," he said. "you do."
My Review: God love her. She tried. What could have been a colorful and interesting biography about a colorful and interesting life, somehow ended up sounding like something that was dictated into a pr man's tape recorder. The running theme throughout the entire book was the fact that Lana Turner never took responsibility for anything she ever did. She was like a child who spilled milk on the rug, went off to play and left everyone else to clean up the mess. Perhaps she couldn't be completely blamed for it all. For most of her adult life MGM and Papa Mayer were there to pick up the pieces when the going got rough. It's almost as if her mind was programmed that way.
Your Review: What are YOUR thoughts on this book? Contact me at Liza@lanaturneronline.com
Purchase Lana, the Lady, the Legend, the Truth:
Always Lana
Taylor Pero and Jeff Rovin (1982)
Synopsis: A memoir penned by Lana Turner's manager, friend and lover from '69 to '79, Taylor Pero, about their ten years of adventures together, this one is a roller coaster ride folks.
Sample Text: "...We
had been talking for a very short time when I heard a faint brush of bare feet
on the carpet, the stirring of fabric. I turned and saw Lana approaching , her
right hand extended in a gesture of welcome. I remember that moment clearly,
perhaps more so than any other in our decade-long relationship. I was struck at
once, by how tiny she was. When you're accustomed to seeing someone forty feet
tall on the screen, you expect that they will at least be taller than you are in
real life. However, her size did nothing to diminish the breathtaking presence
of the woman. The hot August breeze was blowing toward her, rustling her
sleeveless, floor length muumuu, which was colored in delicate shades of blue
and violet. She wore very little makeup, just lipstick and some eyebrow pencil
and her smile was wide and sensuous. She came forward , and because of her
graceful carriage and the way her extended hand hovered lightly before her, she
seemed to reach me a few paces before she did, as if to touch me and reassure
me. There was nothing to fear. We were just two human beings who were going to
sit down and talk...Sure."
My Review: What could have aptly been titled The Survivors, this is a fascinating read about the "closed door" personality of Lana Turner. Pero doesn't shy away from the negative aspects of spending 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with the screen legend, but he doesn't knock her off of her pedestal either. He paints a portrait that will have you loving and loathing her at the same time. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Photos of Taylor and Lana Editorial Review of Pero's latest book, The Colors of Callas
Your Review: What are YOUR thoughts on this book? Contact me at Liza@lanaturneronline.com
Purchase Always Lana:
Detour
Cheryl Crane and Cliff Jahr (1988)
Synopsis: Cheryl Crane's autobiography.
She writes candidly and honestly about her
famous mama and how she survived her "Detour" years.
Sample Text: "...Mother took me shopping as treat at Saks Fifth Avenue, her favorite store in Beverly Hills. She knew many of the clerks by name, even last names and nicknames, and this was the first chance she had to show off the famous Baby Cheryl. As we passed through the millinery department, I saw a hat, a big self-confident one with flowers all over it, and I stopped dead in my Mary Janes. "Can I have that, Mommy?" "No that's a lady's hat, too old for you. C'mon" "I want it." "No, I said." I was used to being denied the pleasure of touch and feelings, but never things. I knew she lacked the easy command of Nana or Gran, and something perverse in me needed to test her. Another contest. I grabbed for the hat and tried to pull away from her grasp, but I couldn't reach far enough and landed on the floor where I flailed about like an upended turtle. As shoppers circled the commotion and Mother's smile turned grim, I threw a heels-kicking, breath-holding tantrum, the kind that makes parents want to kill. Embarrassed and angry, Mother grabbed me up and flew out of the store. It had been our first mother-daughter outing. It would be a long time before the next."
My Review: A really interesting read about the relationship between Lana and her daughter, Cheryl Crane. Cheryl's story is admirable because she really did go through Hell and came through in tact and together. Cheryl fared much better than a lot of other Hollywood kids, who hadn't been through half as much. RECOMMENDED!
Due to some graphic content in the book, I wouldn't recommend it for children under 13.
Your Review: What are YOUR thoughts on this book? Contact me at Liza@lanaturneronline.com
Purchase Detour:
The following are books that include Lana, but aren't necessarily about her:
The Golden Girls of MGM
Jane Ellen Wayne (2003)
Synopsis: Detailed biographies of MGM's dazzling array of female talent, including Lana, Joan Crawford, Norma Shearer, Greta Garbo and Jean Harlow.
My Review: Written by the author of such books as Crawford's Men, Lana's Men and Gable's Women, this one could've been better. It's more or less a rehash of better and more interesting biographies. Wayne has never been a particular favorite of mine and her books tend to have a tabloid-like feel to them. Not my cup of tea, but if you're looking for just plain biographical info, you may like it.
Your Review: What are YOUR thoughts on this book? Contact me at Liza@lanatuneronline.com
Purchase The Golden Girls of MGM:
The Private Diary of My Life with Lana
Eric Root (1996)
Synopsis: Third rate tell-all written by Lana Turner's long time hairdresser, Eric Root. Take it with a grain of salt.
My Review: I have been dreading writing this review for quite some time. With all due respect to Mr. Root, he is a nit wit. What his motives were for writing this memoir, I can't tell you. I DO know that Lana Turner passed away in June of 1995, and by March of '96 Root already had this book published. Perhaps he wanted to make a buck off of her. Perhaps he just wanted to share his story with the world. Perhaps he was angered with Lana after their falling out and wanted revenge. All I know is that what eventually did get published is so full of inaccuracies, that even the most casual Lana observer ends up laughing at the stupidity of it all. Let me give you some examples.
Root describes the scene in Lana's bedroom on the night of Good Friday as a "hog butchering" or something along those lines. How can that be? Lana Turner and her daughter Cheryl would have to have tag-teamed Johnny, which doesn't seem likely since Lana Turner was 100 pounds soaking wet and Cheryl was just a frightened teenager. How could they have overpowered a 200 pound mafia guy? Even the most casual Lana observer remembers that now infamous photo of Johnny Stompanato laying on the floor of Lana's bedroom with the wound on his stomach exposed. Root claims that Lana Turner told him "Eric, when I die, tell it! Tell it all!", which also doesn't seem likely since Lana had her own book (see above), if she really wanted to "tell it all".
I heard somewhere that Cheryl Crane was trying to prevent this book from being published and was trying to sue Root on behalf of her mother. I wonder what ever came of it?
Your Review: What are YOUR thoughts on this book? Contact me at Liza@lanaturneronline.com
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