Remembering Lana Turner: The Time She Met Darwin Porter

Let me tell you a little story about an iconic Hollywood figure, Lana Turner. Back in the late '70s, Lana would occasionally stop by the Beverly Hills Hotel for a drink. Darwin Porter, who eventually became her close friend, recalls the moment they met. “I saw her sitting in the corner and glanced over,” Darwin remembers telling Closer. “The bar was practically empty, and she noticed me hesitating. She called out, ‘Why the hell don’t you get your ass over here? I don’t have goddamn leprosy!’” And just like that, their friendship began.

Reflections on Fame and Solitude

As Lana's career slowed down, she had plenty of time to reflect on her life and career. During the 1940s, she was one of Hollywood's highest-paid actresses, but the spotlight can be a lonely place. Darwin Porter, coauthor of Lana Turner: Hearts and Diamonds Take All, shares how Lana opened up to him about her feelings. “When the career began to fade, the loneliness came,” he said. It's a poignant reminder of how fame doesn't always bring happiness.

The Rise of a Dramatic Actress

Lana spent years playing roles in films that didn't fully utilize her talent. But everything changed in 1946 with The Postman Always Rings Twice. That movie established her as a serious dramatic actress. A decade later, she earned her only Oscar nomination for her role in Peyton Place. However, Darwin reveals that Lana wasn’t entirely satisfied with that role. “She said she didn’t have that much to do,” he explains. Lana believed she delivered her best performance in 1952’s The Bad and the Beautiful.

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Competing with Hollywood Legends

As Lana grew older, she started feeling overshadowed by other Hollywood legends like Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. “She began to resent the legend that was forming around Bette Davis and Joan Crawford,” Darwin reveals. Lana and Joan were frequent rivals in love and career, and Joan’s success particularly bothered Lana. “She began to regret that she hadn’t achieved more stature,” Darwin says. Lana feared she might be remembered as just another "popcorn blonde" alongside stars like Betty Grable or Veronica Lake.

The Eternal Goddess

Lana Turner lived to be 74, and throughout her life, she maintained a certain elegance. She never dressed down, even for a simple trip to the grocery store. “The Lana Turner you saw on screen was what you got in her private life,” Darwin shares. “She was a goddess. Today, we have actors and actresses, but we do not have goddesses.” It’s a tribute to her enduring legacy and the timeless allure she brought to Hollywood.