Missed Opportunities
The following is a list of films that Lana signed for, was in talks for, or was announced to do but for one reason or another she never ended up doing the film. She sometimes changed her mind when she saw the script, she sometimes had other commitments or life simply got in the way (i.e.. she was pregnant with Cheryl or she told Otto Preminger exactly what he could do with his film, etc.). It is interesting to think of what direction her career (or life) would have taken, had she made different choices about the films she made.
1938
Having Wonderful Time
Lana was to have starred with Ginger Rogers in this RKO romantic comedy but a loanout deal with RKO and MGM fell through.
I Take This Woman
An appendectomy forced Lana to drop out of this Spencer Tracy, Hedy Lamarr vehicle. Laraine Day stepped in to replace Lana, who hadn't even filmed her scenes yet.
Snug Harbor
Lana, Ray Bolger and Nat Pendleton were to appear in this film that was cancelled just a week before filming was to start.
Idiots Delight
This was to be Lana's first pairing with Clark Gable (she was supposed to be his character, Harry Van's, dancing girls) until the State Department of Education stepped in and declared her ineligible for work until her schooling was completed (!)
1939
Thunder Afloat
Although MGM wanted Barbara Stanwyck for the female lead in this picture, the couldn't get her, so they tested Lana, Laraine Day and Virginia Grey (who won the role) instead.
The Rains Came
Lana was in talks to play the ingénue Fern Simon, in this 1939 film, though the part went to actress Brenda Joyce. Lana would headline the remake of this film sixteen years later in her role of Lady Edwina Esketh in 1955's The Rains of Ranchipur.
A Day at the Races
Lana was rumored for the feminine lead that Florence Rice eventually played in this Marx Brothers comedy.
Living in a Big Way
A never made, one time Jean Harlow property that Lana was rumored for. Although the film was never made, the title was used for a 1947 Gene Kelly vehicle.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Lana was one director William Dieterles' first choices for the role of Esmeralda in this 1939 film, though Maureen O'Hara eventually played the role.
1940
20 Little Working Girls
Lana was to have starred with actor John Carroll in this never filmed MGM programmer.
Tropical Hurricane
Lana was to have her first pairing with Robert Taylor in this unrealized 1940 vehicle.
Bethel Merriday
A proposed project for Lana that was based on a Sinclair Lewis novel.
Witch in the Wilderness
A proposed Lana Turner, Clark Gable project that never got off of the ground. It would have been their first co-starring picture (as opposed to Idiots Delight, which would have been their first appearance together)
Presenting Lily Mars
MGM had planned this for Lana's first starring vehicle until they reworked it as a musical for Judy Garland.
1941
The Harvey Girls
Another proposed vehicle for Lana that was reworked for the singing talents of Judy Garland. It was originally supposed to have starred Lana, Hedy Lamarr, Patricia Dane and Marsha Hunt.
They Live By Night
Lana was supposed to have appeared in this Walter Pidgeon starrer about a girl nightclub photographer and her relationship with the club operator (Pidgeon). The project was shelved and never filmed.
Flying Blonde
Lana was originally slated to play a female test pilot in this unrealized 1941 project.
1942
Best Foot Forward
Lana was originally penciled in to play the role of the movie star in this screen version of the Broadway play. Lucille Ball took over the role when Lana declined, due to pregnancy.
Mary Smith, U.S.A.
One of a few projects that Lana had to turn down, due to her pregnancy. She was slated to appear in this film, about a girl who kills a politician for being disloyal to the U.S. She was also rumored to have turned down The Petty Girl (a Nat Perrin and Joan Caufield vehicle), Irwin Shaw's The Hard Way (which MGM wanted for Joan Crawford, Clark Gable and Lana) and Cry Havoc (a woman's army picture that was to have starred Joan Crawford, Lana, Donna Reed and Ann Southern).
1943
Jenny Was a Lady
MGM couldn't come up with a decent screenplay about Nellie Bly, an early newspaper woman, so the project was abandoned.
Music for Millions
This was supposed to have been Lana's first film after giving birth to her baby, but she opted to do Marriage is a Private Affair instead.
1944
Midnight in Bombay
A proposed Lana and Van Johnson vehicle, set in India, that never got off of the ground.
Early to Wed
Lana and Gene Kelly were slated to appear in this Lucille Ball, Kennan Wynn programmer but were replaced by Esther Williams and Van Johnson.
1945
Josephine
Another proposed film for Lana and Van Johnson that was supposed to costar Marsha Hunt and Angela Lansbury. The film was cancelled before the production was scheduled to start.
1946
Lucky Baldwin
In what was supposed to be Lana and Clark Gable's first postwar film, Gable was supposed to play a gambler and Lana his lady (Note from me: Hadn't they already done that in Honky Tonk?) but both Lana and Clark rejected the script.
Coquette
Throughout 1946 MGM insisted that Lana would star in this remake of Mary's Pickford's Oscar winning film, but alas the film was never made.
1949
Madame Bovary
In the fall of 1947, MGM announced this film as Lana's "comeback" picture after she had been away from the screen for a year, after being on an extended honeymoon with then hubby Bob Topping. She had to bow out just as the film was ready to roll, due to pregnancy.
Three Guys Named Mike
Lana was in talks to play an airline hostess in this film, until she was replaced by actress Jane Wyman.
Nothing Doing
This film was one of two vehicles proposed for Lana and Clark Gable this year. The other film was To Please a Lady which Gable ended up filming with Barbara Stanwyck.
1950
Jealousy
A romantic love triangle that was supposed to star Spencer Tracy, Lana, Deborah Kerr and another top female star, that never got off of the ground.
Kiss of a Millionaire
A proposed vehicle for Lana that was supposed to be a comedy about the off-screen love life of a movie siren. The press release for the film insisted that "the picture will not be biographical". Needless to say, Lana turned down the script.
1951
A Letter From the President
Shelly Winters eventually took over the lead (in what was later retitled My Man and I) in this proposed Lana Turner vehicle, when Lana Turned it down.
The Lonesome Gal
In this bizarre and unrealized project Lana was to have played a real-life radio disk jockey (?) with the "sexiest voice in the world". Ava Gardner was also approached for this role before the film was shelved and lost to the ages.
1952
Why Should I Cry
Lana was approached to play the role of a ruthless Broadway star in what later became Joan Crawford's Torch Song.
One More Time
Lana was slated to play a Korean War widow and George Cukor was slated to direct- in this comedy based on the Korean War.
1953
Helen of Troy
MGM Studios rejected this script on Lana's behalf. They had been considering loaning her out to an Italian production company but changed their minds when they saw the script (NOTE: She WOULD get loaned out to an Italian production company a year later for Betrayed).
My Most Intimate Friend
In what would have been a great bit of inspired casting, MGM announced in 1953 that Lana and Ava Gardner were to star in a story about two female TV commentators who fight for the biggest audience- and the same man. For what ever reason the project never made it beyond the negotiation stages and the pairing of MGM's resident blonde bombshell and MGM's dark haired vamp was not to be.
The King's General
Lana was set to star in this English production of the best selling novel, but the project was 86'd.
Weekend at Las Vegas
Lana and Carlos Thompson were originally supposed to star in this film, but it was put on the back burner and released three years later as Meet Me in Las Vegas with Cyd Charisse and Dan Dailey.
1954
The Cobweb
A vehicle that was originally supposed to star Lana, Robert Taylor and Grace Kelly was reworked and later starred Gloria Grahame, Richard Widmark and Lauren Bacall.
Tacey Cromwell
In what could have been the first pairing of Lana and Ross Hunter, this story of a dance hall hostess and gambler was eventually made with actress Anne Baxter with the title changed to One Desire.
1956
My Man Godfrey
This remake of the Carole Lombard film was supposed to have been Lana's first film after having left MGM. She was supposed to have had the German actor, O.W. Fischer as her love interest but Lana declined due to pregnancy and was replaced by June Allyson (with actor David Niven in the lead).
1957
The Sound and the Fury
Producer Jerry Wald wanted Lana to follow Peyton Place with this on screen version of a William Faulkner novel. Lana ended up rejecting the script and was replaced by actress Margaret Leighton.
1958
Anatomy of a Murder
Lana's "creative differences" with director Otto Preminger made the headlines and resulted in her withdrawing from the film and being replaced by actress Lee Remick. Lana Turner rarely, if ever, had ongoing feuds with any of her costars and most agree that she was a lot of fun to work with and was never anything less than professional. Her life long hatred of Mr. Preminger and her personality clashes with actress Laraine Day were two very rare exceptions.
1959
Streets of Montmartre
Lana was to have starred as Suzanne Valadon, a model, confidante and companion to world famous painters such as Renoir and Degas. The project was cancelled due to the lingering illness of director Douglas Sirk.
Luanne Royal
In what would have been another Lana Turner-Ross Hunter collaboration, Lana was to have played a woman "in love with her doctor". Lana reportedly turned the script down.
1960
The Colonel's Lady
Lana was slated to play a glamorous Broadway star who marries an Army Colonal in this 1960 film. She chose a script called Portrait in Black instead.
1963
Not All Cats Are Grey
In this unrealized project, Lana was to play Anne Margaret's still sexy mother. Needless to say, the project never got off of the ground.
1966
North to Brindisi
Lana and Frederico Fellini! What an interesting film that would have been! Lana had wanted to option this property for her own production property, Eltee Productions, but alas it was not meant to be.
1967
Web of Fear
An Italian, romantic, suspense thriller that never got off of the ground due to production snags.
Let Me Count the Ways
Lana, Ava Gardner and Jackie Gleason (!) were in talks about starring in a film version of the novel, How Do I Love Thee. The picture, while not made with the three aforementioned actors, was recast with Shelly Winters and Maureen O'Hara and released in 1971.
1971
Shocking!
I would love to have seen this project realized. In this screen adaptation based on a novel by Henry Farrell (who had penned What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?), Lana and Ava Gardner were supposed to star as two glamorous sisters who were trying to kill each other. What a pairing it would have been!
1975
Deadlock
This "woman in jeopardy" themed filmed would have been Lana's first Hollywood-made project in ten years (1969's The Big Cube and 1974's Persecution were both made abroad), but a fight between the two co-producers, Leo Winter and John Lauricella put the project in limbo.
*Source of Info For This Page: The Films of Lana Turner by Lou Valentino.