Susan Kohner facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Susan Kohner
Kohner in Imitation of Life (1959)
Born	Susanna Kohner (1936-11-11) November 11, 1936 (age 88) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Other names	Susan Weitz
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1955–1964
Known for	Imitation of Life All the Fine Young Cannibals Freud: The Secret Passion
Spouse(s)	John Weitz ​ ​ (m. 1964; died 2002)​
Children	Paul Weitz Chris Weitz
Parents	Paul Kohner (father) Lupita Tovar (mother)
Awards	Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture

Susanna "Susan" Kohner (born November 11, 1936) is an American actress. She was famous for her roles in movies and on television. Her most well-known role was as Sarah Jane in the 1959 film Imitation of Life. For this role, she was nominated for an Oscar and won two Golden Globe awards.

In 1964, Susan Kohner married John Weitz, a designer and writer. Their two sons, Paul Weitz and Chris Weitz, grew up to become successful film directors and producers.

Early Life and Family

Susan Kohner was born in Los Angeles, California. Her mother was Lupita Tovar, an actress from Mexico who worked in Hollywood. Her father was Paul Kohner, a film producer from Bohemia, which was part of Austria-Hungary. Susan's mother was Roman Catholic and had Irish and Mexican family roots. Her father was Jewish.

Acting Career

Susan Kohner starred in many films during the late 1950s and early 1960s. She appeared with actor Sal Mineo in movies like Dino (1957) and The Gene Krupa Story (1959).

Imitation of Life

Her most famous role was in Imitation of Life. In this movie, Susan Kohner played Sarah Jane. Sarah Jane was a light-skinned African-American character who chose to live as a white person. This film was a new version of a book from 1933. The story was updated to fit the time it was made.

The movie was directed by Douglas Sirk and starred Lana Turner. It was very popular and made a lot of money. Susan Kohner's acting in the film earned her a nomination for a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award. She also won a Golden Globe award for Best Supporting Actress and another for Best New Actress.

Other Roles and Retirement

After Imitation of Life, Susan Kohner acted in All the Fine Young Cannibals with Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner.

She first appeared on TV in 1956 in an episode of The Alcoa Hour. Later, she had guest roles on shows like Hong Kong and Going My Way. Her last movie was Freud: The Secret Passion in 1962, where she acted alongside Montgomery Clift. Susan Kohner stopped acting in 1964.

Personal Life

In 1964, Susan Kohner married John Weitz, a writer and fashion designer from Germany. She decided to stop acting to focus on her family. They had two sons, Chris and Paul Weitz. Both of their sons became successful film directors and producers in Hollywood. They worked on movies like American Pie (1999) and About a Boy (2002). Chris Weitz also directed New Moon (2009), which is part of The Twilight Saga film series.

In 2010, a special screening of Imitation of Life (1959) was held in Los Angeles. Susan Kohner and her co-star Juanita Moore were invited. After the movie, they answered questions from the audience and received a standing ovation.

Theater Appearances

Susan Kohner also acted in plays on stage:

• 1958: Love Me Little at Helen Hayes Theatre (her first Broadway play).
• 1962: Pullman Car Hiawatha at Circle in the Square Theatre.
• 1963: Saint Joan at Vancouver Theater Festival.

Film and Television Roles

Film

Television

Awards and Nominations

Susan Kohner received several awards and nominations for her acting:

See also

In Spanish: Susan Kohner para niños

• John Weitz
• Chris Weitz
• Paul Weitz
• Lupita Tovar
• Paul Kohner