Imitation of Life

Lora Meredith, a white widow who dreams of being on Broadway, has a chance encounter with Annie Johnson, a black single mother. Annie becomes the caretaker of Lora’s daughter, Susie, while Lora pursues her stage career. Both women deal with the difficulties of motherhood: Lora’s thirst for fame threatens her relationship with Susie, while Annie’s light-skinned daughter, Sarah Jane, struggles with her African-American identity.
<%%item_is_not_adult%%

Credits: TheMovieDb.

Film Cast:

  • Lora Meredith: Lana Turner
  • Steve Archer: John Gavin
  • Susie (16): Sandra Dee
  • Sarah Jane (18): Susan Kohner
  • Allen Loomis: Robert Alda
  • David Edwards: Dan O’Herlihy
  • Annie Johnson: Juanita Moore
  • Sarah Jane (8): Karin Dicker
  • Susie (6): Terry Burnham
  • Young man: John Vivyan
  • Photographer: Lee Goodman
  • Showgirl: Ann Robinson
  • Frankie: Troy Donahue
  • Receptionist: Sandra Gould
  • Mr. McKenney: David Tomack
  • Minister: Joel Fluellen
  • Stage manager: Jack Weston
  • Fat Man on Beach: Billy House
  • Teacher: Maida Severn
  • Romano: Than Wyenn
  • Fay: Peg Shirley
  • Choir Soloist: Mahalia Jackson
  • Geraldine Moore (uncredited): Bess Flowers
  • Party Guest: Frank Baker
  • Audience Member: Alex Ball
  • Furniture Mover: George Barrows
  • Man at Coney Island: Chet Brandenburg
  • Marching Band Member: Teddy Buckner
  • Security: George Calliga
  • Actor at Audition: Steve Carruthers
  • McKinney: Richard Collier
  • Show Spectator: Paul Cristo
  • Marching Band Member: Joe Darensbourg
  • Waiter: Robert Darin
  • Marching Band Member: Mike De Lay
  • Lora’s Friend: Elinor Donahue
  • Himself (Archive Footage): Adolf Eichmann
  • Louis Morton: Cicely Evans
  • Iris Dawn: Myrna Fahey
  • Show Spectator: George Ford
  • Cop: Tedd Hadfield
  • Teacher: Lynne Hunter
  • Doctor: Nelson Leigh
  • Waiter: Paul Levitt
  • Doctor: John McNamara
  • Watchman: Joseph Mell
  • Cop at Funeral: Eddie Parker
  • Restaurant Patron: Waclaw Rekwart
  • Audience Member: Cosmo Sardo
  • Audience Member: Jeffrey Sayre
  • Truck Driver: Cap Somers
  • Dog Owner: Ted Thorpe
  • Kenneth, Lora’s Butler: Napoleon Whiting

Film Crew:

  • Editor: Milton Carruth
  • Original Music Composer: Henry Mancini
  • Sound: Glenn E. Anderson
  • Sound: Leslie I. Carey
  • Production Manager: Norman Deming
  • Costume Designer: Jean Louis
  • Visual Effects: Clifford Stine
  • Art Direction: Alexander Golitzen
  • Art Direction: Richard H. Riedel
  • Set Decoration: Russell A. Gausman
  • Set Decoration: Julia Heron
  • Director of Photography: Russell Metty
  • Makeup Artist: Del Armstrong
  • Costume Designer: Bill Thomas
  • Hairstylist: Larry Germain
  • Makeup Artist: Bud Westmore
  • Songs: Paul Francis Webster
  • Original Music Composer: Frank Skinner
  • Screenplay: Eleanore Griffin
  • Producer: Ross Hunter
  • Title Designer: Wayne Fitzgerald
  • Director: Douglas Sirk
  • Music Supervisor: Joseph Gershenson
  • Novel: Fannie Hurst
  • Hairstylist: LaVaughn Speer
  • Songs: Sammy Fain
  • Screenplay: Allan Scott
  • Assistant Director: Frank Shaw
  • Theme Song Performance: Earl Grant
  • Makeup Artist: Lynn F. Reynolds
  • Makeup Artist: Nick Marcellino
  • Sound: Joe Lapis
  • Assistant Director: Wilson Shyer
  • Hairstylist: Pat Westmore
  • Unit Publicist: Don Morgan
  • Musician: Ethmer Roten
  • Wardrobe Master: Martha Bunch
  • Camera Operator: Eddie Pyle
  • Assistant Camera: Ledge Haddow
  • Gaffer: Max Nippell
  • Props: Robert Laszlo
  • Grip: Charles Cowie
  • Still Photographer: Rollie Lane
  • Assistant Camera: Roy Vaughn
  • Wardrobe Master: Rydo Loshak
  • Wardrobe Master: Rosamonde Lytele
  • Script Supervisor: Luanna Sherman
  • Sound: Henry Janssen

Movie Reviews:

    %d bloggers like this: