Jaime Rose on why Lana Turner was sacked

[Angela Channing]

Recently, on social media, Jamie Rose responded to suggestion that Jane Wyman got Lana Turner sacked by making the following comment:

"I was there. I was a regular on the show and Lana played my grandmother. The problem was that Lana, as wonderful and gorgeous and glamorous as she was, was habitually late to set—as much as an hour or two. Jane was a consummate professional. She didn’t abide that kind of behavior. I was very disappointed to see Lana go because I just adored her, but I understand why she was let go."

She didn't say whether Jane was instrumental in getting Lana sacked, or whether it was a decision entirely of the producers, but whoever it was, it sounds like that had good grounds to do it.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Yeah, a lot of us have heard both things. Both sound plausible.

Lana was used to the pampering dynamic of MGM, while Jane was used to the disciplined workaday expectations of Warner Bros.

Nolan Miller tells a story about NIGHT OF 100 STARS when Turner was so dilly-dallying there was almost dead air on the live show because they couldn't get her out of her dressing room.

Was that spoildness, fear, passive-aggression, or just an alternative psychology -- her head in the clouds? Or a blend of all of the above??

Also, Jane told Earl Hamner that Lana "isn't a lady" (all of her affairs, marriages, and murder, one supposes) and the idea that Jacqueline might have become "the other" queen of the valley for Season 3 couldn't have helped.

 

[ClassyCo]

I really enjoyed Lana as Jacqueline on FALCON CREST, even though I hated the way Susan Sullivan pronounced the name.

One can easily see all the explanations for Lana's exit from FALCON CREST as plausible. Her days as a star at MGM spoiled her, which even she admitted once she was forced to freelance, and one can definitely see her and Jane not getting along. I do wish Lana had stuck around, but just as Joan wasn't going to allow another dame to take her spotlight on DYNASTY (hence the apparent firing of Kate O'Mara), Jane wasn't going to allow it in her valley.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

I really enjoyed Lana as Jacqueline on FALCON CREST, even though I hated the way Susan Sullivan pronounced the name.

Everybody's pronunciation of Jacqueline stood in sharp contrast to Angela's contemptuous "JAKKLIN PERRAWLT" (which was always funny).

One can easily see all the explanations for Lana's exit from FALCON CREST as plausible. Her days as a star at MGM spoiled her, which even she admitted once she was forced to freelance, and one can definitely see her and Jane not getting along. I do wish Lana had stuck around, but just as Joan wasn't going to allow another dame to take her spotlight on DYNASTY (hence the apparent firing of Kate O'Mara), Jane wasn't going to allow it in her valley.

But, as we've said numerous times, Jacqueline was almost worth more to the show dead than alive, the potential Mother of all Soap Mothers -- sweetly elegant, blackhearted and vile. Maggie's sordid revelations about her mother-in-law's history in Season 3 would never have happened were Lana Turner still there. With Madame Perrault conveniently out of the picture, they could attach any sin, past or present, to the character (and, if anything, they didn't do that enough!).

It just worked.

The same can't be said for Caress being shoved aside on DYNASTY -- she should have been fully on display for Season 7 in order to harass her sister (and Diahann Carroll, who also wanted Kate O'Mara out of Denver) before exiting, possibly disappearing in that avalanche which never happened. And then brought back for Phantom Season 10.

But Collins was renegotiating her contract in mid-1986 and, yes, probably wanted O'Mara gone. (Kate apparently believed this to be the case).

 

[Carrie Fairchild]

Lana (unfortunately) was not made for television. There’s an article online somewhere, where she’s interviewed while making The Survivors, and she sounds like a pain in the ass. I’ll post it if I can find it but IIRC she basically bragged about not lowering her standards, just because she was doing television, and still expected the movie star treatment of limos and the like. There was also the infamous argument between Lana and a producer over her refusal to wear paste jewellery, which culminated in her slapping him in the face (and him returning the favour, twice).

Anyway, after The Survivors, she only ventured back to TV for Falcon Crest (which, as this thread discusses, didn’t end well) and an episode of The Love Boat, which would’ve been more up her street as Aaron Spelling apparently laid the star treatment on thick for the guests on that show.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

There was also the infamous argument between Lana and a producer over her refusal to wear paste jewellery, which culminated in her slapping him in the face (and him returning the favour, twice).

Just as Johnny asked for a butter knife, the poor kid.

She's just so creepy, an image she was well-aware of, but denied.

 

[Chris2]

Recently, on social media, Jamie Rose responded to suggestion that Jane Wyman got Lana Turner sacked by making the following comment:

"I was there. I was a regular on the show and Lana played my grandmother. The problem was that Lana, as wonderful and gorgeous and glamorous as she was, was habitually late to set—as much as an hour or two. Jane was a consummate professional. She didn’t abide that kind of behavior. I was very disappointed to see Lana go because I just adored her, but I understand why she was let go."

She didn't say whether Jane was instrumental in getting Lana sacked, or whether it was a decision entirely of the producers,

Sure she did - she said Jane “didn’t abide that kind of behavior”

 

[Monzo]

Anyway, after The Survivors, she only ventured back to TV for Falcon Crest (which, as this thread discusses, didn’t end well) and an episode of The Love Boat, which would’ve been more up her street as Aaron Spelling apparently laid the star treatment on thick for the guests on that show.

Regarding The Love Boat, Linda Purl was a guest on the same episode as Lana Turner and Anne Baxter. Recently, Linda Purl was a guest on the Love Boat podcast. She revealed that there was a kind of feud between Lana Turner and Anne Baxter on set, but the podcast hosts tried to downplay it as a joke, and that Lana Turner was a lovely person, except for the fact that she had ruined the life of a Black actor because she had had an affair with him back in the day, at least that's what Ted Lange said.

That stuff about Lana Turner stars around 19 minutes of the podcast.

 

[Rove]

I really enjoyed Lana as Jacqueline on FALCON CREST

I recall watching Falcon Crest for the first few seasons and the excitement created when Lana Turner was joining. I knew little of Lana Turner or those old Hollywood type actors and actresses; much like Howard Keel joining Dallas. Lana's introduction created a renewed interest in watching Falcon Crest simply because of the tension emitting from the small screen when she had scenes with Jane Wyman. I get actors have enormous egos and believe their star is bigger than anyone else but for the life of me I'll never understand why those egos are not kept in check when the product delivered makes for great television.

And isn't this the result producers and networks are hoping for? More eyeballs on their product? The head of CBS at the time should have sent the message out...keep those classy broads at it.

 

[WarriorsFan]

I wonder if there was tension between Lana Turner and Angela Lansbury at MGM. That could be why Lana Turner never guest starred on Murder She Wrote.

Murder She Wrote ran from 1984-1996. Lana Turner passed away in 1995.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

I get actors have enormous egos and believe their star is bigger than anyone else but for the life of me I'll never understand why those egos are not kept in check when the product delivered makes for great television.

A true diva must be willing to sacrifice everything -- a job, her income, her reputation, her latest boyfriend's life -- on the altar of that divadom.

Nothing is more important.

 

[ClassyCo]

But, as we've said numerous times, Jacqueline was almost worth more to the show dead than alive, the potential Mother of all Soap Mothers -- sweetly elegant, blackhearted and vile. Maggie's sordid revelations about her mother-in-law's history in Season 3 would never have happened were Lana Turner still there. With Madame Perrault conveniently out of the picture, they could attach any sin, past or present, to the character (and, if anything, they didn't do that enough!).

I most definitely agree with this. Killing Jacqueline opened a history to her that wouldn't have played out had Lana Turner stayed with the show. In fact, I'm almost positive it would've gone the other direction and spiraled into an utter mess, like most of FALCON CREST did after a while.

The same can't be said for Caress being shoved aside on DYNASTY -- she should have been fully on display for Season 7 in order to harass her sister (and Diahann Carroll, who also wanted Kate O'Mara out of Denver) before exiting, possibly disappearing in that avalanche which never happened. And then brought back for Phantom Season 10.

But Collins was renegotiating her contract in mid-1986 and, yes, probably wanted O'Mara gone. (Kate apparently believed this to be the case).

Kate O'Mara felt that Joan didn't want "two brunettes" on the same show, and apparently there was some speculation about O'Mara "replacing" Collins if the latter's renegotiations didn't go well in 1986.

I never knew that Diahann Carroll wanted O'Mara gone, or if I did, I must've forgotten I knew.

 

[Arlene Halloran]

The word in the media and perhaps behind the scenes was Lana took a limo to go to the loo. As others have said her expectations stemmed from being spoiled by MGM. She was only in six episodes but even in death Jacqueline continued to drive storylines. Some of the highest rated episodes were when Lana contributed.

https://www.lana-turner.com/wp-content/gallery/1982-1983-falcon-crest-tv-series/5-1.jpg

 

[Jock Og]

It's a bit telling Jamie leaving, just as Lana was written out. From what I've heard she was very fond of her. A third season with the two 'ding dong' grannies could only have intenisfed FC ratings. After season 4 the ratings went south. Jacqueline should really have returned as a ghost, in season 7 i.e. the all things to all men and all women season. The show could have lasted for another decade.

Lana from the movies to T.V.


Old rivals Angela and Jacqueline speak about Jason Gioberti (the Perrault woman's late ex husband and Mrs. Channing's troubled brother), (a scene from season 1, 1981 - '82):

Jacqueline: "You dominated everything and everyone you ever met. You live by taking the life of everyone around you, just like you tried to do to me. You constantly undermined Jason."

Angela: "Jason wasn't fit for the life here. Jason was weak. He just wasn't a vineyardist."

Jacqueline: "You never gave him a chance, did you?"

Angela: "I gave him every chance."

Jacqueline: "He was a man of culture, a man with style. He could have been a great man but you'd have killed him with your bare hands, before you'd have let him have any part of Falcon Crest."

 

[Gioberti84]

Hiring Lana to play Angela's rival was stunt casting, at its best. In one interview away back in the early eighties Lana was to have said there was no bad feeling between her and Jane. Then in another the mantra was you have to forgive your enemies in Hollywood. All of which boosted ratings, from an old Hollywood dame to another.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Hiring Lana to play Angela's rival was stunt casting, at its best.

I'm not sure was just stunt casting, though. (At its best, yes). How many Golden Age dowagers could bring to the role all the creepy qualities that Lana did??

 

[Toni]

I'm not sure was just stunt casting, though. (At its best, yes). How many Golden Age dowagers could bring to the role all the creepy qualities that Lana did??

Her (if she had been alive!)?

Here is Ms. Crawford in an alternate dimension,
filming her first scene with la Wyman...​

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Her (if she had been alive!)?

View attachment 58593
Here is Ms. Crawford in an alternate dimension,
filming her first scene with la Wyman...​

Although Crawford's domineering malevolence was too up-front to have the same impact (were she still alive). Turner's sugary-sweet veneer pulled you in -- right before stabbing you in the belly and blaming her daughter for it for the next 40 years.

 

[Toni]

Although Crawford's domineering malevolence was too up-front to have the same impact (were she still alive). Turner's sugary-sweet veneer pulled you in -- right before stabbing you in the belly and blaming her daughter for it for the next 40 years.

​

This reminds reminds me of Olivia de Havilland replacing Joannie in "Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte". IMHO, that didn´t work at all and made the film inferior to "Baby Jane" (besides Bette playing an adolescent with braids in the beginning).

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

This reminds reminds me of Olivia de Havilland replacing Joannie in "Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte". IMHO, that didn´t work at all and made the film inferior to "Baby Jane" (besides Bette playing an adolescent with braids in the beginning).

Now, you're losing ground with me! CHARLOTTE was clearly the better movie. I admit to being curious about what it might have been like to have had Joan in the picture (it would probably be even creepier), but then it would just've wound up another semi-sequel.

Besides, BABY JANE drags in spots -- not really its fault, but "held hostage" stories tend to do that, no matter whatchya do.

An idea: have Lana Turner replace Crawford in CHARLOTTE, as the seven-year-old girl who witnessed the murder back in 1927 (but did the toddler commit it herself, and then frame Mary Astor for 37 years?).