Susanna Susan Kohner born November 11 1936 is an American former actress She is best known for her role as Sarah Jane in Douglas Sirks drama Imitation of Life 1959 which earned her a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress Kohner has also starred in the films The Gene Krupa Story 1959 for which she won a Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer Female All the Fine Young Cannibals 1960 By Love Possessed 1961 and Freud 1962 Kohner retired from acting in 1964 after marrying menswear designer John Weitz with whom she had two sons filmmakers Paul and Chris Weitz