Passion outranks stardom

By the time she was 23, Susan Kohner had won two Golden Globes and received an Academy Award nomination for supporting actress for her scene-stealing performance in the classic 1959 melodrama “Imitation of Life.” But just five years later, she gave up her movie career and never looked back.

“I didn’t have the passion anymore,” says Kohner, 67. “The passion went into another direction and I never missed it. I think part of it was the man I married [the late John Weitz]. He was the most fascinating, erudite and marvelous individual. I wanted to have children and I didn’t think I could handle both -- a career and raising a family. I wanted to be there and not off traveling with other people bringing up my children.”

Her sons, writer-directors Chris and Paul Weitz, received an Oscar nomination for co-writing the 2002 hit, “About a Boy” (directed by Cameron Crowe). “What mother wouldn’t just die to have two kids working with each other? It’s just lovely,” says Kohner, who lives in New York.

Kohner is making a rare public appearance Wednesday at the American Cinematheque screening of “Imitation of Life” at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. After the film, Kohner and co-stars Juanita Moore, Ann Robinson and Peg Shirley will discuss the film with historian and author Foster Hirsch.

Based on Fannie Hurst’s novel -- “Imitation of Life” had previously been filmed in 1934 -- the florid drama chronicles parallel mother-and-daughter stories: Lana Turner and Sandra Dee play a haughty actress and her daughter, who both love the same man (John Gavin). Moore, who also received an Oscar nomination, plays Turner’s loyal African American servant who has her own problems with her rebellious light-skinned daughter (Kohner), who is trying to pass for white. Directed by Douglas Sirk and produced by Ross Hunter, “Imitation of Life” is one of the films that inspired director Todd Haynes’ acclaimed 2002 melodrama, “Far From Heaven.”

Kohner says Universal took a “really big chance” on “Imitation of Life” because of the racial story line. “In 1959, things weren’t that open -- segregation was very much in place. When we went on tour with the film in the South, Juanita appeared at theaters with predominantly black audiences and I went to theaters that were mostly white. Today, they wouldn’t cast a white actress. But in those days, I don’t even know if they tested any black actresses.”

Her role in “Imitation of Life” was a “lovely chance for an actress,” Kohner says. “I won’t say it was foolproof, but it really allowed emotion and turmoil to come out.”

Kohner acknowledges that Sirk, who directed such weepies as “Written on the Wind” and “Magnificent Obsession,” frightened her. “He was really anything but a father figure to me,” she says. “I was a bit terrified. He was a very stern man, very Prussian. I was overwhelmed by him, but he certainly knew what he was doing. It was a contrast between him and Ross Hunter -- as producer and director they were the odd couple. Ross Hunter was so outgoing and charming. They were two divergent personalities, but they worked well together.”

Although Kohner’s father was the famed producer-agent Paul Kohner and her mother is Mexican-born actress Lupita Tovar, “I don’t know if acting is something my father really wanted me to get involved in,” she says.

“From his angle of the business, he certainly saw all the disappointments one can suffer in the business unless you have a tough skin. But once they realized that’s what I wanted to do, they stood behind me and supported me.”

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‘Imitation of Life’

When: Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

Where: Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd.

Price: $9 general; $8 seniors and students with ID and $6 for Cinematheque members

Contact: (323) 466-FILM or www.egyptiantheatre.com