1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:02,400 Speaker 1: Have you ever had a friend or a family member 2 00:00:02,400 --> 00:00:05,120 Speaker 1: who got involved with somebody you just didn't trust, like 3 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:08,080 Speaker 1: a real jerk. Well, now, imagine you're a fourteen year 4 00:00:08,080 --> 00:00:10,720 Speaker 1: old kid and your mom is a huge movie star. 5 00:00:11,160 --> 00:00:15,280 Speaker 1: She's beautiful, wildly successful, and has a passion for men 6 00:00:15,360 --> 00:00:19,120 Speaker 1: who aren't always great for her or you. Lana Turner 7 00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:22,200 Speaker 1: was red hot in the nineteen forties and fifties. In 8 00:00:22,239 --> 00:00:26,160 Speaker 1: addition to her yes eight marriages, she had a string 9 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:29,560 Speaker 1: of lovers that included at least one very dangerous guy. 10 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:34,239 Speaker 1: I'm Patty Steele. Did Lana's daughter Cheryl really stab her 11 00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:42,640 Speaker 1: mother's boyfriend to death? That's next on the backstory? The 12 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:45,880 Speaker 1: backstory is back, all right, We got to dig into 13 00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:50,080 Speaker 1: one of Hollywood's wildest scandals. It's all about a glamorous 14 00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:54,520 Speaker 1: movie star, her mobbed up boyfriend, and her terrified teenage 15 00:00:54,600 --> 00:00:59,360 Speaker 1: daughter who allegedly wound up clutching a carving knife. So 16 00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:03,360 Speaker 1: how did Johnny Stampinado wind up stabbed to death in 17 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:06,959 Speaker 1: the pink bedroom of Lana Turner's Beverly Hills home. It 18 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:09,960 Speaker 1: was the biggest story in Hollywood for a while, equal 19 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:14,080 Speaker 1: parts tabloid feeding frenzy, know how that goes courtroom drama 20 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 1: and psychological thriller. Okay, let's head back to nineteen fifty seven. 21 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:22,800 Speaker 1: When it all began. Lana Turner was not only one 22 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:25,800 Speaker 1: of the biggest stars in Hollywood, she was also one 23 00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:29,600 Speaker 1: of the highest paid. Known as the original platinum blonde 24 00:01:29,640 --> 00:01:34,800 Speaker 1: sweater girl. She was beautiful, vulnerable, and a tiny bit tragic, 25 00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:38,840 Speaker 1: and she was a terrific actress because of it. Why tragic? 26 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:43,240 Speaker 1: Her personal life was filled with heartbreak, abuse, and scandal. 27 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:47,960 Speaker 1: And that's where Johnny Stompinado comes in. Lana is filming 28 00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:51,919 Speaker 1: a romantic comedy and suddenly starts receiving tons of flowers 29 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:55,960 Speaker 1: and on set telephone calls from Johnny, who called himself 30 00:01:56,040 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 1: John Steele. No relation, I promise anyway. John He's a 31 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:04,640 Speaker 1: former marine with nineteen fifties movie star, looks kind of 32 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:07,720 Speaker 1: a big, bulky guy, you know. He starts sending Lana 33 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:11,679 Speaker 1: lavish gifts as well, and she's really intrigued. What she 34 00:02:11,760 --> 00:02:15,120 Speaker 1: doesn't know is since leaving the Marines, he's become an 35 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:18,720 Speaker 1: enforcer from a guy named Mickey Cohen, one of LA's 36 00:02:18,760 --> 00:02:23,040 Speaker 1: most notorious mob bosses. So this good looking, slick and 37 00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:27,920 Speaker 1: intriguingly dangerous guy manages to worm his way into Lana's 38 00:02:27,960 --> 00:02:31,160 Speaker 1: life and of course, her bed. It all starts as 39 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:35,600 Speaker 1: a fun, whirlwind romance, but it quickly starts turning dark. 40 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:40,000 Speaker 1: Problem is, Johnny is fiercely possessive to the point of violence, 41 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:44,400 Speaker 1: and he's demanding Lana is paying his rent, his debts, 42 00:02:44,440 --> 00:02:47,919 Speaker 1: including his gambling losses. The more controls she gives him, 43 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:51,400 Speaker 1: the more he wants. He wants to control her entire life. 44 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:54,800 Speaker 1: He actually forbids her from speaking to other men, even 45 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:59,359 Speaker 1: her co stars. It's early nineteen fifty eight. Now their 46 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:03,720 Speaker 1: relationship has turned into a storm of screaming fights and threats, 47 00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:09,880 Speaker 1: but then passionate reconciliations. Lana's teenage daughter, Cheryl Crane is 48 00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:14,040 Speaker 1: watching this all unfold. She's just fourteen years old, a 49 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:17,600 Speaker 1: kid growing up in the shadows of old Hollywood. She's 50 00:03:17,639 --> 00:03:20,560 Speaker 1: already been through plenty of trauma. Where it was she 51 00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:25,079 Speaker 1: was molested by Lana's fourth husband, actor Lex Barker, when 52 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:27,760 Speaker 1: she told her mom, Lana pulled a gun on Barker 53 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:31,280 Speaker 1: while he slept. They divorced, but the damage to Cheryl's 54 00:03:31,280 --> 00:03:35,920 Speaker 1: psyche was done. When Johnny Stamponado first came into their lives. 55 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:39,320 Speaker 1: Cheryl saw him as a cool older guy. He let 56 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:41,920 Speaker 1: her ride his horse, he gave her a part time job, 57 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:47,680 Speaker 1: But what about his temper? His explosive jealousy disturbing to 58 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:51,800 Speaker 1: say the least. Fast forward to April fourth, nineteen fifty eight. 59 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:55,800 Speaker 1: That night, Lana tells Cheryl she's ending it with Johnny. 60 00:03:55,920 --> 00:03:59,120 Speaker 1: She's done with him. He's dangerous and she needs him gone. 61 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:04,320 Speaker 1: Oscar season and Lona, always aware of her press, needs 62 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:08,440 Speaker 1: her life under control. But there's a problem. Johnny is 63 00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:12,240 Speaker 1: not good with rejection. So it's about eight o'clock on 64 00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:16,160 Speaker 1: this good Friday evening. Johnny shows up at Lana's house. 65 00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:20,240 Speaker 1: He's in a furious rage. There's no pop Rossie outside. 66 00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:23,840 Speaker 1: It's just a quiet Beverly Hills street in early spring, 67 00:04:24,440 --> 00:04:28,359 Speaker 1: but there's a storm brewing inside the house. Lana and 68 00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:32,479 Speaker 1: Johnny start arguing viciously. He threatens to ruin her. He 69 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:36,360 Speaker 1: says he'll disfigure her face, kill her mother, and kill 70 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:41,000 Speaker 1: her daughter Cheryl. Cheryl is upstairs doing homework, but she 71 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:46,080 Speaker 1: hears every single word. Understandably, she panics and runs to 72 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:49,200 Speaker 1: the kitchen. She grabs the first big knife she can 73 00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:53,200 Speaker 1: find and sneaks back to her mother's bedroom door. Later, 74 00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:56,120 Speaker 1: Cheryl said that Johnny was coming at Lana with his 75 00:04:56,279 --> 00:04:59,279 Speaker 1: arm raised. Cheryl thinks he has a gun, so she 76 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:02,680 Speaker 1: lunges out him and plunges the knife into his stomach. 77 00:05:03,160 --> 00:05:07,440 Speaker 1: He's in shock. He staggers backward and says his last words, 78 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:11,919 Speaker 1: my god, Cheryl would have you done. Minutes later, he's dead. 79 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:16,520 Speaker 1: You can imagine the aftermath. It's pure chaos. Lana is 80 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:19,599 Speaker 1: intent on taking the blame. She begs the cop, saying, 81 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:23,120 Speaker 1: please let me say I did it, But Cheryl has 82 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:26,160 Speaker 1: already confessed to her father, saying I did it, Daddy, 83 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 1: but I didn't mean to. He was going to hurt mommy. 84 00:05:29,839 --> 00:05:32,560 Speaker 1: Fourteen year old Cheryl is booked at the Beverly Hills 85 00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:36,880 Speaker 1: Police Department and they hold her in juvenile detention. Reporters 86 00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:40,520 Speaker 1: are everywhere. Of course, Lana hires the best of the best, 87 00:05:40,920 --> 00:05:45,359 Speaker 1: big time Hollywood defense attorney Jerry Geisler, who's already defended 88 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:49,159 Speaker 1: Errol Flynn on statutory rape charges, as well as mobster 89 00:05:49,279 --> 00:05:53,159 Speaker 1: Bugsy Siegel. Over one hundred journalists show up for the 90 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:58,520 Speaker 1: coroner's inquest. Their lawyer Jerry took control. He coached Cheryl 91 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:00,799 Speaker 1: on what to say, and he prepped Love as well. 92 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:05,560 Speaker 1: The inquest began on April eleventh, nineteen fifty eight. The 93 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:09,599 Speaker 1: first witness called was the Mafia boss of Bosses, Mickey Cohen, 94 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:14,360 Speaker 1: but he refused to testify. But then Lana testified. Some 95 00:06:14,440 --> 00:06:17,720 Speaker 1: called it the greatest performance of her life. She talked 96 00:06:17,720 --> 00:06:20,520 Speaker 1: about watching Johnny die and she said it was clear 97 00:06:20,839 --> 00:06:24,320 Speaker 1: her daughter was just trying to protect her. Reporters said 98 00:06:24,360 --> 00:06:28,719 Speaker 1: that during her testimony, Lana almost collapsed from anxiety. She 99 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:32,039 Speaker 1: described the scene Johnny coming after her as she opened 100 00:06:32,080 --> 00:06:35,719 Speaker 1: the bedroom door and Cheryl rushing in. She said she 101 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:38,520 Speaker 1: never saw a knife and thought Cheryl had just punched 102 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:42,400 Speaker 1: Johnny in the stomach. After four hours of testimony, the 103 00:06:42,520 --> 00:06:46,360 Speaker 1: coroner's jury took twenty five minutes to declare the killing 104 00:06:46,839 --> 00:06:51,400 Speaker 1: a justifiable homicide. Cheryl was held by juvenile authorities for 105 00:06:51,440 --> 00:06:54,240 Speaker 1: a couple of weeks and then released to her grandmother. 106 00:06:55,040 --> 00:06:58,960 Speaker 1: Now there was one popular story among some conspiracy theorists. 107 00:06:59,400 --> 00:07:01,760 Speaker 1: They believe that Lana was the one who'd done the 108 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:04,880 Speaker 1: stabbing and was letting her daughter take the fall since 109 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:09,320 Speaker 1: she was only fourteen. Either way, Lana's image had taken 110 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:12,679 Speaker 1: a hit. Love letters between her and Johnny were leaked 111 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:16,600 Speaker 1: to the press, disturbingly showing she had enjoyed his rough 112 00:07:16,680 --> 00:07:20,600 Speaker 1: treatment of her. The rumors lasted for years. Some thought 113 00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:24,560 Speaker 1: Lona had basically sacrificed her daughter's innocence just to save 114 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:27,440 Speaker 1: her own career. There was even a story that Lana 115 00:07:27,480 --> 00:07:30,520 Speaker 1: had killed Johnny because he was trying to blackmail her 116 00:07:30,560 --> 00:07:34,000 Speaker 1: with film footage from a hidden camera. The murder of 117 00:07:34,040 --> 00:07:38,120 Speaker 1: Johnny's Stompinado was more than a tabloid sensation. It was 118 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:42,160 Speaker 1: kind of a snapshot behind the scenes of Hollywood's golden 119 00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:46,680 Speaker 1: age at its darkest. So what were their lives like afterward? 120 00:07:47,320 --> 00:07:50,760 Speaker 1: Lana continued to act, even appearing in the nineteen eighties 121 00:07:50,920 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 1: nighttime soap Falcon Crest, but after a lifetime of chain smoking, 122 00:07:56,080 --> 00:07:59,360 Speaker 1: Lana Turner died of throat cancer in nineteen ninety five, 123 00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:04,120 Speaker 1: was seventy four years old. Meantime, Cheryl spent years in 124 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:07,320 Speaker 1: and out of mental health facilities, although she stayed close 125 00:08:07,360 --> 00:08:10,840 Speaker 1: to her mother. Later, she wrote several best selling books 126 00:08:10,880 --> 00:08:13,520 Speaker 1: and said she and her mom had handled the Johnny 127 00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:18,240 Speaker 1: Stomponado experience differently. She'd walked through the fire, and her 128 00:08:18,280 --> 00:08:22,160 Speaker 1: mother had hidden behind the glitz of being lt a 129 00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:26,800 Speaker 1: Hollywood goddess. In twenty fourteen, Cheryl married her partner of 130 00:08:26,880 --> 00:08:31,160 Speaker 1: forty years. She's now eighty two years old. Sadly, after 131 00:08:31,280 --> 00:08:34,120 Speaker 1: everything she'd gone through with her mother and her mother's 132 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:38,360 Speaker 1: eight marriages, including the abuse she'd suffer from at least 133 00:08:38,400 --> 00:08:41,320 Speaker 1: two of the men, Lana had left the bulk of 134 00:08:41,360 --> 00:08:45,319 Speaker 1: her one point seven million dollar estate to her housekeeper, 135 00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:53,840 Speaker 1: with just fifty thousand dollars going to her daughter, Cheryl Crane. 136 00:08:54,559 --> 00:08:57,800 Speaker 1: Hope you're enjoying the Backstory with Patty's deal, follow or 137 00:08:57,920 --> 00:09:01,560 Speaker 1: subscribe for free to get new up episodes delivered automatically, 138 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:04,000 Speaker 1: and feel free to dm me if you have a 139 00:09:04,040 --> 00:09:07,160 Speaker 1: story you'd like me to cover. On Facebook, It's Patty 140 00:09:07,240 --> 00:09:12,880 Speaker 1: Steele and on Instagram Real Patty Steele. I'm Patty Steele. 141 00:09:13,160 --> 00:09:17,440 Speaker 1: The Backstories a production of iHeartMedia, Premiere Networks, the Elvis 142 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:21,680 Speaker 1: Durand Group and Steel Trap Productions. Our producer is Doug Fraser, 143 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:25,559 Speaker 1: Our writer Jake Kushner. We have new episodes every Tuesday 144 00:09:25,559 --> 00:09:28,080 Speaker 1: and Friday. Feel free to reach out to me with 145 00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:32,120 Speaker 1: comments and even story suggestions. On Instagram at real Patty 146 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:35,640 Speaker 1: Steele and on Facebook at Patty Steele. Thanks for listening 147 00:09:35,679 --> 00:09:38,960 Speaker 1: to the backstory with Patty Steele, the pieces of history 148 00:09:39,120 --> 00:09:40,800 Speaker 1: you didn't know you needed to know.