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Luana Walters

Luana Walters

Actor · Died May 19, 1963, aged 50 · Los Angeles, California, USA

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Luana Walters (July 22, 1912 - May 19, 1963) was a motion picture actress from Los Angeles, California. Walters was an expert horsewoman which led to her discovery as an actress at a rodeo in Palm Springs, California. She won a woman's bucking contest which was being watched by a movie scout, who noticed her. Her film career began when she visited a friend on a United Artists lot. Douglas Fairbanks Sr. was excited about her screen possibilities and arranged for a film test. However, only three days later Fairbanks went to Europe, and the test was never completed. Not long afterwards Joe Schenck saw Walters on the dance floor at the Cocoanut Grove in Los Angeles, California. After viewing the abbreviated test made by Fairbanks, Schenck offered her a contract with United Artists. The studio did not make a movie in the next six months so Walters' option was not taken up. Walters' screen credits start with an uncredited role in Reaching For The Moon (film) (1930). Her skill as an equestrian helped her in parts in westerns like Ride 'Em Cowboy (1936), Where The West Begins (1938), Mexicali Rose (1939), and Law Of The Wolf (1939). On many occasions Walters made films in which her role was cut out. This began when she made Reaching for the Moon (film) with Fairbanks. Her parts were also deleted from Spawn of the North (1938) and Souls At Sea (1937). The former was a Carole Lombard feature and the latter paired Walters with Robert Cummings. Walters was the first actress to portray Superman's biological mother Lara in a live-action format. She appeared in "Superman Comes to Earth", the first chapter of the 1948 Superman movie serial. Portions of this depiction appear in flashback in "At the Mercy of Atom Man!", the seventh chapter of the 1950 serial Atom Man vs. Superman. In the latter portion of her career Walters was in a number of B-Movie films, most of them of the sci-fi and horror genres. She plays a female reporter on the trail of a fiend's story in The Corpse Vanishes (1942), with Bela Lugosi. She appears as a cellblock guard in Girls In Prison (1956). Her final role came in The She Creature (1956). Luana Walters died of liver failure due to alcoholism in Los Angeles in 1963. Description above from the Wikipedia article Luana Walters, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 22, 1912
Died
May 19, 1963 (aged 50)
From
Los Angeles, California, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
24 on MovieCove · 53 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28Down 26% in 30 days

What are Luana Walters' films like?

Across their 15 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Drama8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 26th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 7th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 15th percentile
: browse their Crime movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
63%
Bonds
13%
Society
11%
Power
8%
Self
2%
Survival
2%
Justice12 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception4 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 15 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 10 · Serious 5 · Dark 0

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 8 · Stylized 6 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 6 · Charged 7 · Intense 2

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 12 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 6 · Some laughs 8 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 7 · Even-paced 6 · Relentless 2

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 12 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 14 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

7 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 3 of 7 analyzed roles.

Ally
3 of 7
Hero
2 of 7
Shapeshifter
1 of 7
Trickster
1 of 7
Show the 7 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
10
Thrilling
7
Warm
5
Absurd
3
Melancholic
3
Other
8

How their films linger

Fun8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy13
  • Bittersweet2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Luana Walters' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 15 of their 24 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (13).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Luana Walters' titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

53 credits, 24 with a MovieCove page.

  • Halloween Monster Bash (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Patricia Wilder (archive footage)

  • Girls in Prison(1956)

    as Cellblock guard

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Arthur Takes Over (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Newspaper Woman

  • Shoot to Kill(1947)

    as Marian Langdon (as Susan Walters)

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Drums of Fu Manchu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Mary Randolph

  • Bad Men of the Hills (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Laurie Bishop

  • Thundering Hoofs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Nancy Kellogg

  • Down Texas Way(1942)

    as Mary Hopkins

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Inside the Law(1942)

    as Dora Mason

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Corpse Vanishes(1942)

    as Patricia Hunter

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Lawless Plainsmen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Baltimore Bonnie Dixon

  • Captain Midnight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Fury Shark

  • The Lone Star Vigilantes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Marcia Banning

  • No Greater Sin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Sandra James

  • Arizona Bound(1941)

    as Ruth Masters

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Across the Sierras(1941)

    as Anne Woodworth

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • The Kid's Last Ride(1941)

    as Sally Rowell

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Misbehaving Husbands (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Jane Forbes

  • Blondie Plays Cupid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Millie

  • The Range Busters(1940)

    as Carol Thorp

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • The Tulsa Kid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Mary Wallace

  • The Durango Kid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Nancy Winslow

  • The Return of Wild Bill (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Kate Kilgore

  • Drums of Fu Manchu(1940)

    as Mary Randolph

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Millionaire Playboy(1940)

    as Resort Girl

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Eternally Yours(1939)

    as Girl at Shower (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Honeymoon in Bali (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Girl Having Her Fortune Told (uncredited)

  • Mutiny on the Blackhawk (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    Actor

  • Law of the Wolf(1939)

    as Ruth Adams

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Hotel Imperial (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Nurse (uncredited)

  • Mexicali Rose(1939)

    as Anita Loredo

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • King of Chinatown(1939)

    as Nightclub Girl (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Cafe Society (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Cigarette Girl

  • Paris Honeymoon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Angela

  • Fangs of the Wild(1939)

    as Carol Dean

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Say It in French(1938)

    as Hat Check Girl

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Thanks for the Memory(1938)

    as Model (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Marie Antoinette(1938)

    as Woman in Gaming House (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Assassin of Youth(1938)

    as Joan Barry

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • The Buccaneer(1938)

    as Suzette

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Where the West Begins (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Lynne Reed

  • Youth on Parole (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Salesgirl (uncredited)

  • Under Strange Flags (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Dolores de Vargas

  • Shadow of Chinatown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Sonya Rokoff

  • Shadow of Chinatown(1936)

    as Sonya Rokoff

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Ride 'Em Cowboy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Lillian Howard

  • Aces and Eights(1936)

    as Juanita Hernandez

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • The Speed Reporter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as May

  • The Third Sex (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Elinor Gordon

  • Fighting Texans (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Jo Ann Carver

  • End of the Trail (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Luana

  • Two Seconds (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Tart (uncredited)

  • Miss Pinkerton(1932)

    as First Nurse (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

Career shape

Star power in the 53rd percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 53 titles from 1932 to 1991.

Highest rated

Shoot to Kill (1947)

Midcredits 20th

Most popular right now

Drums of Fu Manchu (1940)

Film career

  • 1932Screen debut· Two Seconds

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting53 of 53: 53 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score25th

By decade

1930s28 · acting1940s23 · acting1950s1 · acting1990s1 · acting

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Luana Walters' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 25th percentile, the median of all 24; across their 15 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 25th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

25thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Approval · how many liked their films

14thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Reach · how many have seen their films

8thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Midcredits score across 24 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up1
  • 50th to 74th5
  • 25th to 49th6
  • Below 25th12

Shape of the crowd

15 of their 24 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Universally Panned1
  • Crowd Pleaser3
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed15

Most divisive · actor

Assassin of Youth (1938)

65th percentile spread · 48% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Marie Antoinette (1938)

Midcredits 87th · 78% liked

Reviewers score the acting 53/100 in their films, across 15 reviewed titles; fans 66, detractors 37. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Luana Walters work with?

People who share at least 2 of Luana Walters' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Earle Hodgins shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles