Jana Lund was an American model, actress, and singer who had a promising career in the 1950s and 1960s. She appeared in several films and TV shows, including Frankenstein 1970, High School Hellcats, and The Red Skelton Show. She also had the distinction of giving Elvis Presley his first onscreen kiss in the 1957 film Loving You. However, her life was cut short by a mysterious illness that claimed her life in 1991. What was the cause of her death and what happened to her after she left Hollywood? Here is the tragic story of Jana Lund.
Early Life and Career
Jana Lund was born on August 28, 1933, in Los Angeles, California, to a family of actors. Her younger sister was Caryll Ann Ekelund, who appeared in the Shirley Temple film The Blue Bird and died of burns from fire before the film’s release. She also had five older brothers.
Jana Lund began her career as a young child actor, performing on a California radio show at age three and appearing in Our Gang comedies. She attended Marymount College and College of the Pacific for a year each.
In August 1953, Lund was featured in an eight-page swimsuit spread in the magazine Pageant. She was part of advertising campaigns and appeared on television shows. In 1955, she joined The Johnny Carson Show as a singer.
Don’t Knock the Rock (1956) was her first film as an adult. Lund appeared with Elvis Presley in the 1957 film Loving You; she gave him his first onscreen kiss. They reportedly kissed on their first meeting at the insistence of director Hal Kanter.
Lund had numerous roles on television shows and supporting roles in various films. She also was a recording artist and a member of the Pied Pipers and the Roger Wagner Chorale, the latter with whom she sang at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. She was a nightclub entertainer as well, performing in Jerry Lewis’ Los Angeles nightclub in 1962.
Personal Life and Death
Jana Lund enjoyed water skiing and skin diving. She dated Elvis Presley for a time and married Hollywood lawyer Arthur Crowley in 1962 after dating him for several years. They had two children together, but divorced in 1976.
Lund left Hollywood in the late 1960s and moved to Oregon with her children. She became a real estate agent and a horse breeder. She also became involved in charity work and environmental causes.
However, her health deteriorated in the 1980s. She suffered from chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and multiple chemical sensitivity. She also developed a rare blood disorder called hemolytic anemia, which causes red blood cells to break down faster than they can be replaced.
According to Wikipedia, Lund died on July 20, 1991, at the age of 57 in Los Angeles, California. The cause of her death was not officially disclosed, but some sources claim that she died of complications from AIDS. However, this has not been confirmed by her family or friends.
Jana Lund’s death was largely unnoticed by the media and the public. She was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.
Jana Lund was a talented and beautiful actress who had a bright future ahead of her. She kissed Elvis Presley, sang for the Queen, and starred in movies and TV shows. However, she also faced many challenges and tragedies in her life. She lost her sister at a young age, suffered from various illnesses, and died prematurely. Her story is one of fame, fortune, love, loss, and mystery.
