Steve Crane

Joseph Stephen Crane, known professionally as Stephen Crane, was an American actor and restaurateur. A Columbia Pictures actor in the early 1940s, Crane opened the Luau, a popular celebrity restaurant, in 1953 and established a successful twenty-five year career in the restaurant industry. In addition to his own accomplishments, Crane is often remembered as Lana Turner's ex-husband. The two were married twice and had one daughter, Cheryl Crane. On April 4, 1958, Crane's 14 year old daughter killed Turner's boyfriend, Johnny Stompanato. Sensationalized in the press, the case brought attention to Stephen Crane. At the inquest, Crane testified on behalf of his daughter and in the end, the killing was deemed a justifiable homicide.

After selling the Luau in 1978, Crane seemed to disappear from the public eye. While he did contribute to the entertainment field, Crane's legacy lies in his restaurants. Crane's innovative and high profile restaurants helped to solidify and remains a symbol of the Polneysian pop culture of the 1950s and 1960s.