I talk to John William Law about his book The Moviestar and The Mobster:Lana Turner, Johnny Stompanato, And Murder In The Pink Bedroom. I find this case fascinating and think if its not Hollywoods biggest scandal it' s in the top 5. We discuss Lanas lurid affair with one of Mickey Cohen's low level hoods, Johnny Stompanato. He wooed Lana with flowers and phone calls until she finally agreed to meet him. I'm sure she rued the day. After the meeting they were a couple. After a while Lana found out John Steele was really Johnny Stompanato. She got through that, but did not want Johnny seen as her paramour. She thought people would think he was her paid escort. Johnny would lavish Lana with jewelry and other gifts. He of course used her money to pay for them. Such a romantic guy. They had a tempestuous affair. Lots of yelling, physical brutality and then passionate makeup sex. Lana loved the sense of danger. Lana flew to England to make a movie with Sean Connery and the gossip rags insinuated that Sean and Lana were more then costars, enraging Johnny. I heard he flew out there without Lanas knowledge, but actually Lana paid for his ticket. He stayed in her little cottage then made his way to the set with gun in hand threatening Sean Connery. The English police kicked him out of the country. When Lana got home they went on a trip to Mexico. The nail in Johnnys coffin was when Lana got nominated for best actress for her role in Peyton Place. Her escort was not to be Johnny, they were her daughter Cheryl and Lanas mom. Johnny steamed. They stayed late and went to after partys. The end of this saga is told and its a doozy. 

Want to thank John William Law for doing the podcast. You were so great!!

Mostly I want to thank the listeners. Lots of great shows coming up. As a P.S. John has generously offered 4 books as a give a way. The first four people to PM me on my facebook site
www.facebook.com/truestoriesoftinseltown will be sent his signed book. Its a great read.

Grace
xoxo

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Clark Gable and Carole Lombard were two of the twelve of the classic Hollywood people Sara highlighted in her book. We talked Clarks hometown, his two marriages prior to Carole. He basically used them to get him to Hollywood and stay there. Both were 17 years older. We merge to Carole and Clark and talk after Caroles death. After we discuss Clark and Carole we talk Jean Harlow. I love Jeans accent but is it midwestern?? We talk her move to Hollywood with mama Jean. Her stardom, her marriage to Paul Bern, her unhappiness over William Powells stalling on marrying her and of course her tragic death. We then tackle Spencer Tracy. We really don't talk much of the Katherine Hepburn time. Spencer was a very complicated man. He was tortured and when he went on his drunks, he'd disappear for days at a time. I thought he was kind like the character he portrayed in Dr Jeckyll and Mr Hyde, except for being a vicious killer. I learned a lot about him I never knew. We did talk about Katherine Hepburn and Spencer and the rumors that they were only good friends. We talked a bunch of interesting things and people. I want Sara to come back on and talk about the eight others we didn't get to. They are Jane Wyman, Dorothy Dandridge, Rock Hudson, Jean Seberg, Marilyn Maxwell, Jane Russell, Anne Baxter and Louella Parsons. 

You can also get an autographed copy if you want to get it here. 

 www.pageturnerbooks.biz

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