WRFH/Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM - Rumor Has It: The Scandal of Lana Turner

Episode Date: April 7, 2024

In this episode we explore one of Golden Hollywood’s most shocking scandals.

Hello, hello, and welcome to Rumor Hasit. I'm your host, Addy Longnaker, and you're listening to Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM. Today, we're taking a deep dive into the Golden Age of Hollywood for our latest scandal. We're talking about Lana Turner and the murder of her boyfriend, Johnny Stomponado. In 1936, Lana Turner was discovered by a scout while buying a Coca-Cola when skipping school. Young and beautiful, she was quickly signed on to multiple movie sites, and they protected her reputation, an image as the good girl of America.

The stifling conditions she was put under, however, quickly led her to rebellion, and by the 1950s, she had a definite taste for bad boys. In 1957, she began dating Johnny Stomponado, a mobster who, while he had military history and was a very handsome man, was definitely not good news. In 1958, in April, Lana Turner's daughter, Cheryl, killed Johnny in an attempt to defend her mother. Lana and Johnny's relationship was fraught with arguments, abuse, and was generally terrible.

Cheryl, in an attempt to defend her mother from one such violent argument, stabbed Johnny. She was tried in juvenile court, and she was found innocent, as they claimed it was self-defense. She was ordered to go to a psychiatrist with her mother. That is the end to the tragic story of Lana Turner and her daughter. Until next time, this has been Rumor Has It with Addy Longnecker on Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM.