Lana Jean Clarkson (April 5, 1962 – February 3, 2003) was an American actress and fashion model. During the 1980s, she rose to prominence in several sword and sorcery films. In 2003, record producer and songwriter Phil Spector shot and killed Clarkson inside his home; he was charged with second-degree murder and convicted in 2009.
Early life
Clarkson was born in Long Beach, California, to Donna and James M. Clarkson and was raised in the hills of Sonoma County, California, from a young age. She had a brother, Jessee J. Clarkson, and a sister, Fawn. While living in Northern California, she attended Cloverdale High School and Pacific Union College Preparatory School. During the Christmas season of 1978 Clarkson's family returned to Southern California and settled in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles. After Clarkson's family moved back to Los Angeles County, she pursued a career in the entertainment industry as an actress and fashion model. She played the wife of science teacher Mr. Vargas (Vincent Schiavelli). The film was her first speaking role. She appeared in Scarface (1983) behind Michelle Pfeiffer dancing on the floor of the Babylon Club. Her first big role was in the Nico Mastorakis science-fiction thriller Blind Date (1984).
As an actress, Clarkson became best known for her five feature films for producer Roger Corman, beginning with his fantasy film Deathstalker (1983), as a female warrior and love interest to the title character played by Richard Hill.
In 1987, Clarkson appeared in the John Landis spoof Amazon Women on the Moon. Following that, Clarkson starred in Roger Corman's Barbarian Queen sequel, Barbarian Queen II: The Empress Strikes Back.
In 2001, while living in Venice, California, for the last several years, Clarkson developed, wrote, produced, and directed a showcase reel titled Lana Unleashed. She took a part-time side job as a hostess in early January 2003 at the House of Blues in West Hollywood, California, to make ends meet. About an hour later, the driver heard a gunshot before Spector exited his house through the back door with a gun. He was quoted as saying, according to affidavits, "I think I just shot her."
Spector appeared in court charged with the murder of Clarkson in 2007. On September 26, 2007, the trial judge declared mistrial due to a hung jury ten to two for conviction. Spector was retried and in April 2009 he was convicted of second-degree murder. Spector was sentenced on May 29, 2009, to 19 years to life in state prison. He died in 2021 while serving his sentence.
In February 2012, Donna Clarkson, Lana's mother, settled a civil lawsuit with Spector and his insurance company over the wrongful death of Lana Clarkson. Terms of the settlement were not released to the public.
Filmography
Film
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
!Ref.
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1982
| My Favorite Year
| Girl in Old Gold Cigarette Pack
| Uncredited
|
|-
| Fast Times at Ridgemont High
| Mrs. Vargas
|
|
|-
| rowspan="4" | 1983
| Deathstalker
| Kaira
| Alternative title: Warrior King
|
|-
| Brainstorm
| Food Fantasy Girl
| Uncredited
|
|-
| Scarface
| Woman at Babylon Club #6
| Extra
|
|-
| Female Mercenaries
|
|
|
|-
| 1984
| Blind Date
| Rachel
|
|
|-
| 1985
| Barbarian Queen
| Amethea
|
|
|-
| 1987
| Amazon Women on the Moon
| Alpha Beta
| (segment "Amazon Women on the Moon")
|
|-
| 1989
| Wizards of the Lost Kingdom II
| Amathea
|
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1990
| The Haunting of Morella
| Coel
|
|
|-
| Barbarian Queen II: The Empress Strikes Back
| Princess Athalia
| Direct-to-video release
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1997
| Vice Girls
| Jan Cooper
|
|
|-
| Love in Paris
| Woman at Fashion Show
| Alternative title: Another 9½ Weeks
|
|-
| Retroactive
|
| Stunt performer
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2000
| Little Man on Campus
| Joyce
| Short
|
|-
| March
| Dr. Ellen Taylor
| (final film role)
|
|}
Television
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
!Ref.
|-
| 1983
| Three's Company
| Sharon Gordon
| Episode: "Alias Jack Tripper"
|
|-
| 1983
| The Jeffersons
| Sofia
| Episode: "Who's the Fairest?"
|
|-
| 1984
| Brothers
| Vanessa
| Episode: "Fear of Flying"
|
|-
| 1984
| The New Mike Hammer
| Masseuse
| Episode: "Kill Devil"
|
|-
| 1984
| Riptide
| Kelly
| Episode: "Catch of the Day"
|
|-
| 1984
| Knight Rider
| Marilyn
| Episode: "The Rotten Apples"
|
|-
| 1984
| Who's the Boss?
| Nanette
| Episode: "Sports Buddies"
|
|-
| 1985
| The A-Team
| Sonny Monroe's Girlfriend
| Episode: "Champ!"
|
|-
| 1985
| George Burns Comedy Week
| Librarian
| Episode: "Disaster at Buzz Creek"
|
|-
| 1985–1990
| Night Court
| Various roles
| 2 episodes
|
|-
| 1986
| Hotel
| Sheila Carlson
| Episode: "Hidden Talents"
|
|-
| 1986
| Amazing Stories
| Mrs. Ellis
| Episode: "Miscalculation"
|
|-
| 1986
| The Love Boat
| Angela
| Episode: "The Shipshape Cruise"
|
|-
| 1988
| It's a Living
| Fawn
| Episode: "Skin Deep"
|
|-
| 1992
| Wings
| Janine
| Episode: "Noses Off"
|
|-
| 1993–1995
| Silk Stalkings
| Various roles
| 2 episodes
|
|-
| 1996
| Night Stand with Dick Dietrick
| Jamie
| Episode: "Getting Even"
|
|-
| 1996
| Land's End
| Kay
| Episode: "Who's Killing Cole Porter?"
|
|-
| 2000
| 18 Wheels of Justice
| Marta
| Episode: "Revelation"
|
|-
| 2001
| Black Scorpion
| Dr. Sarah Bellum / Mindbender
| Episode: "Virtual Vice"
|
|}