Tura Satana American actress, dancer Date of Birth: 10.07.1938 Country: USA

Biography of Tura Satana

Tura Satana was an American actress and exotic dancer of Japanese descent, best known for her role as Varla in the cult film "Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!" by Russ Meyer. She was born in Hokkaido, Japan to a father who was a silent film actor and a mother who was a circus performer. The unique professions were not the only distinction of her family; her father was of Japanese and Filipino descent, while her mother had a complex blend of Scottish, Irish, and Native American blood running through her veins.

After World War II, the Yamaguchi family spent some time in an internment camp in Lone Pine, California, before eventually moving to the Westside of Chicago. Tura developed quickly, both physically and intellectually. However, her non-traditional appearance, combined with her Asian heritage, made her a target of constant harassment. Despite her efforts to fit into her new world, she faced rejection. At the age of 9, Tura was raped by five unknown assailants while returning home from school. According to Tura, the attackers were never brought to justice, possibly due to a corrupt judge. However, they underestimated her determination. After the assault, Tura began studying martial arts and spent the next 15 years tracking down and seeking revenge on each of her attackers.

The incident of the rape and the bribery of the judge had other consequences as well. Tura was sent to a reform school. However, she quickly gained authority and became the leader of one of the local gangs. At the age of 13, Tura got married, arranged by her parents and the parents of her 17-year-old groom.

At the age of 13, Tura arrived in Los Angeles, where she initially tried to make a living by performing blues music, but she was not successful in this field. It was Harold Lloyd who suggested to Tura that she should try her luck in the film industry. Tura's modeling career didn't last long due to a cosmetic poisoning that caused serious skin problems. She returned to Chicago and turned to dancing. Eventually, Tura transitioned into exotic dancing. According to Tura, it was Lloyd's words that gave her the confidence she needed for such an unconventional profession. Before meeting the actor, she considered herself a complete failure.

At the age of 19, Tura became pregnant but continued performing. For the next 8 months, she danced and earned an average of $1500 per week. Tura made her acting debut in television shows such as "Burke's Law," "The Greatest Show On Earth," "Hawaiian Eye," and "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." She also appeared in feature films such as "Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed?" with Dean Martin and Elizabeth Montgomery, and the musical "Irma La Douce" with Jack Lemmon and Shirley Maclaine. However, her most notable role was as Varla in the film "Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!" Tura played a strong, aggressive, and sexual character, and she did all her own stunts. She brought numerous visual and narrative innovations to the film.

Later, Tura primarily worked with cult film director Ted V. Mikels, appearing in well-known films within niche circles such as "The Astro-Zombies," "The Doll Squad," and "Mark of the Astro-Zombies." She also worked as a nurse at a local hospital for a period of time. Tura experienced her fair share of hardships, including being shot by her ex-lover in 1973 and breaking her neck in a car accident in 1981. She passed away on February 4, 2011, in Reno, Nevada, due to heart failure.