Susan Kohner
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| Susan Kohner | |
|---|---|
 from the trailer for Imitation of Life (1959) |
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| Born | Susanna Kohner |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1956–1964 |
| Spouse | John Weitz (1964–2002) (his death) |
Susan Kohner (born November 11, 1936) is an American actress.
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[edit] Early life and career
Born as Susanna Kohner in Los Angeles, Kohner is the daughter of Mexican actress Lupita Tovar and Jewish film producer Paul Kohner who was born in Czechoslovakia. Most of Kohner's film roles came during the late 1950s and early 1960s, including co-starring with Sal Mineo in both Dino (1957) and The Gene Krupa Story (1959).
In 1959, she was cast as the racially ambiguous Sarah Jane, her most notable role, in the 1959 color remake of Imitation of Life. The expensive, glossy Ross Hunter production directed by Douglas Sirk and starring Lana Turner was a box office smash; Kohner won an Academy Award nomination and won the Golden Globe in the Best Supporting Actress categories.
Following her appearance in Imitation of Life, Kohner appeared in All the Fine Young Cannibals, opposite Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner. She later had guest roles on episodic television including roles on Hong Kong, Going My Way, and Temple Houston. She made her last film appearance in 1962, co-starring with Montgomery Clift in Freud: The Secret Passion.
[edit] Personal life
In 1964, Kohner married German novelist and fashion designer John Weitz, and retired from acting. Their children, Chris and Paul Weitz, are successful film directors in Hollywood, having helmed films such as American Pie and About a Boy. Chris Weitz is best known for directing New Moon in The Twilight Saga (film series).
On April 23, 2010, a new print of "Imitation of Life" was screened at the TCM Film Festival in Los Angeles, California. After the screeening, Kohner appeared on stage along with her costar Juanita Moore for a question-and-answer session hosted by TCM's Robert Osborne. Kohner and Moore received standing ovations.
[edit] Filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1955 | To Hell and Back | Maria | |
| 1957 | Dino | Shirley | Alternative title: Killer Dino |
| 1959 | Imitation of Life | Sarah Jane, age 18 | |
| The Big Fisherman | Fara | ||
| The Gene Krupa Story | Ethel Maguire | Alternative title: Drum Crazy | |
| 1960 | All the Fine Young Cannibals | Catherine McDowall | |
| 1961 | By Love Possessed | Helen Detweiler | |
| 1962 | Freud: The Secret Passion | Martha Freud | Alternative title: Freud |
| Television | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1956 | The Alcoa Hour | Joanna | 1 episode |
| Four Star Playhouse | Anita | 1 episode | |
| Cavalcade of American | 1 episode | ||
| Climax! | 2 episodes | ||
| 1956–1957 | Schlitz Playhouse of Stars | Lynn Howell | 2 episodes |
| 1957 | Matinee Theatre | 1 episode | |
| Wagon Train | Mokai | 1 episode | |
| Suspicion | Gina | 1 episode | |
| 1958 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Therese | 1 episode |
| 1960 | Playhouse 90 | Rachel Heller | 1 episode |
| 1961 | The DuPont Show with June Allyson | Clare Anderson | 1 episode |
| Hong Kong | Elena | 1 episode | |
| 1961–1963 | Route 66 | Katherine Midge |
2 episodes |
| 1962 | Checkmate | Vicki Angelo | 1 episode |
| The Dick Powell Show | Miriam Marks | 1 episode | |
| 1963 | The Nurses | Terry Collins | 1 episode |
| Going My Way | Elaine Brady | 1 episode | |
| Temple Houston | Ellena Romolo | 1 episode | |
| 1964 | Rawhide | Abbie Bartlett | 1 episode |
| Channing | Rena | 1 episode | |
[edit] Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Result | Category | Film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | Academy Award | Nominated | Best Supporting Actress | Imitation of Life |
| 1959 | Golden Globe Award | Won | Most Promising Newcomer - Female |
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| 1960 | Best Supporting Actress | Imitation of Life | ||
| 1963 | Nominated | Best Supporting Actress | Freud: The Secret Passion | |
| 1958 | Laurel Awards | Nominated | Top New Female Personality |
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| 1959 | 2nd Place | Top Female New Personality |
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[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Susan Kohner |
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