Joan Crawford (bornLucille Fay LeSueur; March 23, 1904–1908[a] – May 10, 1977) was an American actress. She started her career as a dancer in traveling theatrical companies before debuting onBroadway. Crawford was signed to a motion-picture contract byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1925. Initially frustrated by the size and quality of her roles, Crawford launched a publicity campaign and built an image as a nationally knownflapper by the end of the 1920s. By the 1930s, Crawford's fame rivaled MGM colleaguesNorma Shearer andGreta Garbo. Crawford often played hardworking, young women who find romance and financial success. These "rags-to-riches" stories were well received byDepression-era audiences and were popular with women. Crawford became one ofHollywood's most prominent movie stars and one of the highest paid women in the United States, but her films began losing money. By the end of the 1930s, she was labeled "box office poison".
After an absence of nearly two years from the screen, Crawford staged a comeback by starring inMildred Pierce (1945), for which she won theAcademy Award forBest Actress. In 1955, she became involved with thePepsi-Cola Company, through her marriage to company presidentAlfred Steele. After his death in 1959, Crawford was elected to fill his vacancy on the board of directors but was forced to retire in 1973. She continued acting in film and television regularly through the 1960s, when her performances became fewer; after the release of the horror filmTrog in 1970, Crawford retired from the screen. She withdrew from public life and became increasingly reclusive until her death in 1977.
Crawford married four times. Her first three marriages ended in divorce; the last ended with the death of husband Al Steele. She adopted five children, one of whom was reclaimed by his birth mother. Crawford's relationships with her two older children,Christina and Christopher, were acrimonious. Crawford disinherited the two and, after Crawford's death, Christina published the tell-all memoirMommie Dearest.[8]
Early life
Born Lucille Fay LeSueur, ofFrench-Huguenot, English, Dutch, and Irish ancestry[9][10] in San Antonio, Texas, she was the youngest of two children of Thomas E. LeSueur (born January 2, 1867, in Tennessee;[11][12] died January 1, 1938), a construction worker, and Anna Bell Johnson (died August 15, 1958[9]), later known as Anna Cassin. Crawford's mother was likely under 20 when her first two children were born. Crawford had one half-sister, Daisy McConnell (1901–1904), and one brother,Hal LeSueur.[13]
Thomas LeSueur abandoned the family when Lucille was ten months old,[14] eventually resettling in Abilene, Texas, reportedly working in construction.[13] In 1909, while working as a sales associate at Simpson's, Crawford's mother married Henry J. Cassin (1868–1922) inFort Worth,[15] who is incorrectly listed in the 1910 census as her second husband rather than her third.[16][17] They lived inLawton, Oklahoma, where Cassin ran the Ramsey Opera House, booking such diverse and noted performers asAnna Pavlova andEva Tanguay. As a child, Crawford, who preferred the nickname "Billie", enjoyed watchingvaudeville acts perform on the stage of her stepfather's theater. At that time, Crawford was reportedly unaware that Cassin, whom she called "Daddy", was not her biological father; her brother later told her the truth.[18]
From childhood, Crawford's ambition was to be a dancer. One day, in an attempt to escape piano lessons, she leapt from the front porch of her home and cut her foot severely on a broken milk bottle.[19] She had three surgeries to repair the damage, and for 18 months was unable to attend elementary school or continue dancing lessons.[19]
In June 1917, the family moved toKansas City, Missouri, after Cassin was accused ofembezzlement; although acquitted, he was blacklisted in Lawton.[17] After the move, Cassin, a Catholic, placed Crawford at St. Agnes Academy in Kansas City. When her mother and stepfather separated, she remained at school as a work student, where she spent far more time working, primarily cooking and cleaning, than studying. She later attended Rockingham Academy, also as a working student.[20] While there, she began dating, and had her first serious relationship: a trumpet player, Ray Sterling, who reportedly inspired her to challenge herself academically.[21]
In 1922, she registered atStephens College inColumbia, Missouri, giving her year of birth as 1906.[22] She attended Stephens for a few months and then withdrew after she realized that she was not ready for college.[23] Due to her family's instability, Crawford's schooling never surpassed the primary level.[24]
Career
1924–1925: Early career
Crawford in 1925
Under the name Lucille LeSueur, Crawford began dancing in the choruses of traveling revues, and was spotted dancing in Detroit by producerJacob J. Shubert.[24] Shubert put her in the chorus line for his 1924 show,Innocent Eyes, at theWinter Garden Theatre on Broadway in New York City. While appearing inInnocent Eyes, Crawford met a saxophone player named James Welton. The two were allegedly married in 1924, and lived together for several months, although this supposed marriage was never mentioned in later life by Crawford.[25]
Crawford wanted additional work, and approachedLoews Theaters publicistNils Granlund. Granlund secured a position for her with singerHarry Richman's act and arranged for her to do a screen test, which he sent to producerHarry Rapf in Hollywood.[26] Rapf notified Granlund on December 24, 1924, thatMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) had offered Crawford a contract at $75 a week. Granlund immediately wired Crawford, who had returned to her mother's home in Kansas City, with the news; she borrowed $400 for travel expenses.[27]
MGM publicity headPete Smith recognized her ability to become a major star, but felt her name sounded fake; he told studio headLouis B. Mayer that her last name, LeSueur, reminded him of a sewer. Smith organized a contest called "Name the Star" inMovie Weekly to allow readers to select her new stage name. The initial choice was "Joan Arden", but after another actress was found to have prior claim to that name, the alternative surname "Crawford" became the choice. She later said that she wanted her first name to be pronounced Jo-Anne, and that she hated the name Crawford because it sounded like "crawfish", but also admitted she "liked the security" that went with the name.[29]
1925–1928: Self-promotion and early successes
Studio portrait (1925)
Growing increasingly frustrated over the size and quality of the parts she was given, Crawford embarked on a campaign of self-promotion. As MGM screenwriterFrederica Sagor Maas recalled, "No one decided to make Joan Crawford a star. Joan Crawford became a star because Joan Crawford decided to become a star."[30] She began attending dances in the afternoons and evenings at hotels around Hollywood and at dance venues on the beach piers, where she often won dance competitions with her performances of theCharleston and theBlack Bottom.[31]
Her strategy worked and MGM cast her in the film where she first made an impression on audiences,Edmund Goulding'sSally, Irene and Mary (1925). From the beginning of her career, Crawford considered Norma Shearer – the studio's most-popular actress – her professional nemesis. Shearer was married to MGM Head of ProductionIrving Thalberg; hence, she had the first choice of scripts, and had more control than other stars in what films she would and would not make. Crawford was quoted to have said: "How can I compete with Norma? She sleeps with the boss!"[32]
Crawford appeared as a skimpily clad young carnival assistant inThe Unknown (1927), starringLon Chaney, Sr. as a carnival knife thrower with no arms who hopes to marry her. She stated that she learned more about acting from watching Chaney work than from anyone else in her career. "It was then", she said, "I became aware for the first time of the difference between standing in front of a camera, and acting." Also in 1927, she appeared alongside her close friend,William Haines, inSpring Fever, which was the first of three movies the duo made together.[35][36]
In 1928, Crawford starred opposite Ramón Novarro inAcross to Singapore, but it was her role as Diana Medford inOur Dancing Daughters (1928) that catapulted her to stardom. The role established her as a symbol of modern 1920s-style femininity who rivaledClara Bow, the originalIt girl, and Hollywood's foremostflapper. A stream of hits followedOur Dancing Daughters, including two more flapper-themed movies, in which Crawford embodied for her legion of fans (many of whom were women) an idealized vision of the free-spirited, all-American girl.[37]
Joan Crawford is doubtless the best example of the flapper, the girl you see in smart night clubs, gowned to the apex of sophistication, toying iced glasses with a remote, faintly bitter expression, dancing deliciously, laughing a great deal, with wide, hurt eyes. Young things with a talent for living.
Crawford described her glamorous onscreen persona more succinctly, saying, "If you want to see the girl next door, go next door."[39]
1929–1936: Transition to sound and continued success
Crawford in 1928
After the release ofThe Jazz Singer in 1927—the first feature-length film with some audible dialogue—sound films became all the rage. The transition from silent to sound caused panic for many, if not all, involved with the film industry; many silent film stars found themselves unemployable because of their undesirable voices and hard-to-understand accents, or simply because of their refusal to make the transition to talkies. Many studios and stars avoided making the transition as long as possible, especially MGM, which was the last of the major studios to switch over to sound.The Hollywood Revue of 1929 was one of the studio's first all-talking films, and their first attempt to showcase their stars' ability to make the transition from silent to sound. Crawford was among the dozen or more MGM stars included in the movie; she sang the song "Got a Feeling for You" during the film's first act. She studied singing withEstelle Liebling, the voice teacher ofBeverly Sills, in the 1920s and 1930s.[40]
To rid herself of her Southwestern accent, Crawford tirelessly practiced diction and elocution. She said:[41]
If I were to speak lines, it would be a good idea, I thought, to read aloud to myself, listen carefully to my voice quality and enunciation, and try to learn in that manner. I would lock myself in my room and read newspapers, magazines and books aloud. At my elbow, I kept a dictionary. When I came to a word I did not know how to pronounce, I looked it up and repeated it correctly fifteen times.
Crawford in 1932
Crawford made a successful transition to talkies with her first starring role in the all-talking feature-length filmUntamed (1929), co-starringRobert Montgomery. Despite the success of the film at the box office, it received mixed reviews from critics, who noted that while Crawford seemed nervous at making the transition to sound, she had become one of the most popular actresses in the world.[42]Montana Moon (1930), an uneasy mix of Western clichés and music, teamed her withJohn Mack Brown andRicardo Cortez. Although the film had problems with censors, it was a major success at the time of its release.Our Blushing Brides (1930), the final installment in theOur Dancing Daughters franchise co-starringRobert Armstrong andAnita Page, where Crawford "carries the burden of dramatics in this photoplay and comes off splendidly and intelligently."[43]
Her next movie,Paid (1930), paired her withRobert Armstrong, and was another success. During the early sound era, MGM began to place Crawford in more sophisticated roles, rather than continuing to promote her flapper-inspired persona of the silent era.[44] In 1931, MGM cast Crawford in five films. Three of them teamed her oppositeClark Gable, the studio's soon-to-be biggest male star and "King of Hollywood".[45]Dance, Fools, Dance, released in February 1931, was the first pairing of Crawford and Gable. Their second movie together,Laughing Sinners, released in May 1931, was directed byHarry Beaumont and also co-starredNeil Hamilton.Possessed, their third film together, released in October, was directed byClarence Brown.[46] These films were immensely popular with audiences and were generally well received by critics, establishing Crawford's position as one of MGM's top female stars of the decade along withNorma Shearer,Greta Garbo andJean Harlow. Her only other notable film of 1931,This Modern Age, was released in August and despite unfavorable reviews was a moderate success.[47]
Crawford in a publicitystill with Beery forGrand Hotel (1932)
MGM next cast her in the filmGrand Hotel, directed byEdmund Goulding. As the studio's first all-star production, Crawford co-starred oppositeGreta Garbo,John andLionel Barrymore, andWallace Beery, among others. Receiving third billing, she played the middle-class stenographer to Beery's controlling general director. Crawford later admitted to being nervous during the filming of the movie because she was working with accomplished actors, and that she was disappointed that she had no scenes with one she had admired, the "divine Garbo".[48]Grand Hotel was released in April 1932 to critical and commercial success.[49] It was one of the highest-grossing movies of the year,[50] and won theAcademy Award for Best Picture.[51]
Crawford achieved continued success inLetty Lynton (1932). Soon after this movie's release, a plagiarism suit forced MGM to withdraw it; it is therefore considered the "lost" Crawford film. Designed byAdrian, the gown with large ruffled sleeves which Crawford wore in the movie became a popular style that same year, and was even copied byMacy's.[52] On loan toUnited Artists, she played prostitute Sadie Thompson inRain (1932), a film version ofJohn Colton's 1923 play. ActressJeanne Eagels played the role on stage, andGloria Swanson had originated the part on screen in the1928 film version. Crawford's performance was panned, and the film was not a success.[53] Despite the failure ofRain, in 1932, the publishing of the first "Top Ten Money-Making Stars Poll" placed Crawford third in popularity at the box office, behind onlyMarie Dressler andJanet Gaynor. She remained on the list for the next several years, last appearing on it in 1936.
She was again teamed with Clark Gable, along withFranchot Tone andFred Astaire, in the hitDancing Lady (1933), in which she received top billing. She next played the title role inSadie McKee (1934), opposite Tone andGene Raymond. She was paired with Gable for the fifth time inChained, and for the sixth time inForsaking All Others (both 1934). Crawford's films of this era were some of the most-popular and highest-grossing films of the mid-1930s.[54]
Crawford continued her reign as a popular movie actress well into the mid-1930s.No More Ladies (1935) co-starred Robert Montgomery and then-husband Franchot Tone, and was a success. Crawford had long pleaded with MGM's headLouis B. Mayer to cast her in more dramatic roles, and although he was reluctant, he cast her in the sophisticated comedy-dramaI Live My Life (1935), directed byW. S. Van Dyke, and it was well received by critics.
She next starred inThe Gorgeous Hussy (1936), oppositeRobert Taylor and Lionel Barrymore, as well as Tone. It was a critical and box-office success, and became one of Crawford's biggest hits of the decade.Love on the Run (1936), a romantic comedy directed byW. S. Van Dyke, was her seventh film co-starring Clark Gable.
Even though Crawford remained a respected MGM actress, and her films still earned profits, her popularity declined in the late 1930s. In 1937, Crawford was proclaimed the first "Queen of the Movies" byLife magazine. She unexpectedly slipped from seventh to sixteenth place at the box office that year, and her public popularity also began to wane.[55]Richard Boleslawski's comedy-dramaThe Last of Mrs. Cheyney (1937) teamed her oppositeWilliam Powell in their sole screen pairing. The film was also Crawford's last box-office success before the onset of her "box office poison" period.
She co-starred opposite Franchot Tone for the seventh—and final—time inThe Bride Wore Red (1937).Mannequin, co-starring Spencer Tracy, also released in 1937 did, as theNew York Times stated, "restore Crawford to her throne as queen of the working girls". On May 3, 1938, Crawford—along withGreta Garbo,Mae West,Edward Arnold,Marlene Dietrich,Katharine Hepburn, andKay Francis—was dubbed "Box Office Poison" in an advertisement in theHollywood Reporter. The list was submitted by Harry Brandt, president of the Independent Theatre Owners Association of America. Brandt stated that while these stars had "unquestioned" dramatic abilities, their high salaries did not reflect in their ticket sales, thus hurting the movie exhibitors involved. (Later, an article in theIndependent Film Journal, stated that some of the other stars considered Box Office Poison includedNorma Shearer,Dolores del Rio,Fred Astaire,John Barrymore andLuise Rainer). Crawford's follow-up movie,Frank Borzage'sThe Shining Hour (1938), also starringMargaret Sullavan andMelvyn Douglas, was well received by critics, but it was a box-office flop.[56]
She made a comeback in 1939 with her role as home-wrecker Crystal Allen inThe Women, opposite her professional nemesis,Norma Shearer. A year later, she played against type in the unglamorous role of Julie inStrange Cargo (1940), her eighth—and final—film withClark Gable. She later starred as a facially disfigured blackmailer inA Woman's Face (1941), a remake of the Swedish filmEn kvinnas ansikte which had starredIngrid Bergman in the lead role three years earlier. While the film was only a moderate box office success, Crawford's performance was hailed by many critics.[57]
After 18 years, Crawford requested to be released from her contract with MGM, which was terminated by mutual consent on June 29, 1943. In lieu of the last film remaining under her contract, MGM bought her out for $100,000.
1943–1952: Move to Warner Bros.
For $500,000, Crawford signed withWarner Bros. for a three-movie deal, and was placed on the payroll on July 1, 1943. Her first film for the studio wasHollywood Canteen (1944), an all-star morale-booster film that teamed her with several other top movie stars at the time.
She wanted to play the title role inMildred Pierce (1945), but directorMichael Curtiz instead lobbied for the casting ofBarbara Stanwyck. Curtiz demanded Crawford prove her suitability by taking a screen test; she agreed and ultimately received the role.Mildred Pierce was a resounding critical and commercial success. It epitomized the lush visual style and the hard-boiledfilm noir sensibility that defined Warner Bros. movies of the late forties. Crawford earned theAcademy Award forBest Actress in a Leading Role.[58]
After the completion ofThis Woman Is Dangerous (1952), she asked to be released from her Warner Bros. contract. Later the same year, she received her third Academy Award nomination for "Best Actress" inSudden Fear forRKO Radio Pictures.
In 1953 withLouis B. Mayer at the premiere ofTorch Song. "To me, L.B. Mayer was my father, my father confessor, the best friend I ever had", Crawford was quoted as saying.[60]
After her Academy Award-nominated performance in 1952'sSudden Fear, Crawford continued to work steadily throughout the rest of the decade. After a 10-year absence from MGM, she returned to that studio to star inTorch Song (1953), a musical drama centering on the life of a demanding stage star who falls in love with a blind pianist, played byMichael Wilding.
Crawford, who had been left near-penniless following Alfred Steele's death,[61] accepted a small role inThe Best of Everything (1959). Although she was not the star of the film, she received positive reviews. By 1961, Joan Crawford was once again her own publicity machine, with a new script,Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?, sent byRobert Aldrich.[62]
Crawford as Blanche Hudson
Crawford starred as Blanche Hudson, an elderly, disabled formerA-list movie star who lives in fear of her psychotic sisterJane, in the highly successful psychological thrillerWhat Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962). Despite the actresses' earlier tensions, Crawford reportedly suggestedBette Davis for the role of Jane. The two stars maintained publicly that there was no feud between them.
The film was a huge success, recouping its costs within eleven days of its nationwide release and reviving Crawford's career. Davis was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance as Jane Hudson. In 1964, Crawford starred as Lucy Harbin inWilliam Castle's horror mysteryStrait-Jacket (1964). During the same year, Aldrich reteamed Crawford and Davis inHush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964). After a purported campaign of harassment by Davis on location in Louisiana, Crawford returned to Hollywood and entered a hospital. After a prolonged absence, Aldrich was forced to replace her withOlivia de Havilland. Crawford, who was devastated, said "I heard the news of my replacement over the radio, lying in my hospital bed ... I cried for nine hours."[63] Despite being replaced, brief footage of Crawford made it into the film when she is seen sitting in a taxi in a wide shot.[64]
Night Gallery episode (1969)
In 1965, she played Amy Nelson inI Saw What You Did, another William Castle vehicle. She starred as circus owner Monica Rivers inHerman Cohen's thrillerBerserk! (1967). After the film's release, Crawford guest-starred as herself onThe Lucy Show. The episode, "Lucy and the Lost Star", first aired on February 26, 1968. Crawford allegedly struggled during rehearsals, however, she was letter-perfect on the day of the show, which included dancing the Charleston, and received two standing ovations from the studio audience.[65]
In October 1968, Crawford's 29-year-old daughter, Christina (who was then acting in New York in the soap operaThe Secret Storm), needed immediate medical attention for a ruptured ovarian tumor. Despite the fact that Christina's character was a 28-year-old, Crawford played the role for one week.[66]
Crawford's appearance in the 1969 television filmNight Gallery (which served as pilot to the series that followed) was the first occasion whenSteven Spielberg directed a professional actor.[67] Crawford made a cameo appearance as herself in the first episode ofThe Tim Conway Show, which aired on January 30, 1970. She starred on the big screen one final time, playing Dr. Brockton in Herman Cohen's science fiction horror filmTrog (1970), rounding out a career spanning 45 years and more than 80 motion pictures. Crawford made three more television appearances, including one as Stephanie White in a 1970 episode ("The Nightmare") ofThe Virginian, and as Joan Fairchild (her final dramatic performance) in a 1972 episode ("Dear Joan: We're Going to Scare You to Death") ofThe Sixth Sense.[68]
Personal life
Marriages
On June 3, 1929, Crawford eloped withDouglas Fairbanks, Jr. atSaint Malachy's Roman Catholic Church (known as "The Actors' Chapel", owing to its proximity to Broadway theatres) in Manhattan, although neither was Catholic.[69] Fairbanks was the son ofDouglas Fairbanks and the stepson ofMary Pickford, who were considered Hollywood royalty. Fairbanks Sr. and Pickford were opposed to the sudden marriage, and did not invite the couple to their home atPickfair for eight months after the marriage.[9]
The relationship between Crawford and Fairbanks, Sr., eventually warmed; she called him "Uncle Doug", and he called her "Billie", her childhood nickname, but one that close friends used throughout her life.[70] Following that first invitation, Crawford and Fairbanks, Jr., became more frequent guests. While the Fairbanks men played golf together, Crawford was either left with Pickford, who would retire to her quarters, or simply left alone.[71]
Crawford with second husband, actorFranchot Tone, 1936
In May 1933, Crawford divorced Fairbanks, citing "grievous mental cruelty". Crawford claimed Fairbanks had "a jealous and suspicious attitude" toward her friends, and that they had "loud arguments about the most trivial subjects" lasting "far into the night".[72]
In 1935, Crawford marriedFranchot Tone, a stage actor from New York who planned to use his film earnings to finance his theatre group. The couple built a small theatre at Crawford's Brentwood home, and put on productions of classic plays for select groups of friends who lived in the popular Brentwood area like Clark Gable and Charley Chase.[73] Tone and Crawford had first appeared together inToday We Live (1933), but Crawford was hesitant about entering into another romance so soon after her split from Fairbanks.[74]
Newlyweds Crawford and Steele in 1955
Before and during their marriage, Crawford worked to promote Tone's Hollywood career, but he was not interested in being a star, ultimately wanting to just be an actor, and Crawford wearied of the effort.[75] During their marriage they tried on two separate occasions for children, both ending in miscarriage.[76] Tone allegedly began drinking and became physically abusive. She filed for divorce, which was granted in 1939.[77] Crawford and Tone later rekindled their friendship, and Tone even proposed in 1964 that they remarry. When he died in 1968, Crawford arranged for him to be cremated and his ashes scattered at Muskoka Lakes, Canada.[78]
Crawford met actorPhillip Terry in June 1942 after press agent Harry Mines asked if he could bring Terry along for dinner at Crawford's home. On July 21, 1942, the couple married 10 minutes after midnight at the home of Crawford's lawyer, Neil McCarthy, by Judge Flynn, six weeks after their first date inSan Fernando Valley.[10][79] On December 16, 1945, Crawford and Terry separated. Later, on March 12, 1946, Crawford filed for divorce on "grounds of cruelty".[80] On April 25, they divorced.[81]
Crawford married her fourth—and final—husband,Alfred Steele, at theFlamingo Hotel in Las Vegas on May 10, 1955.[82] Crawford and Steele met at a party in 1954. By that time, Steele had become president ofPepsi-Cola.[83] He later was named chairman of the board of Pepsi-Cola. They remained married until his death in May 1959.
Children
Crawford adopted her first child, a daughter, in June 1940. Because she was single, California law prevented her from adopting within the state, so she arranged the adoption through an agency in Las Vegas. The child was temporarily called Joan, until Crawford changed her name toChristina. Christina's birth mother was a 19-year-old unmarried girl who had moved to Los Angeles with her family. Christina's birth mother contracted with a baby broker for Crawford to adopt her baby after its birth.[84]
While married toPhillip Terry, the couple adopted a son (born Marcus Gary Kullberg on June 3, 1941, prior to changing his name to David Gary Deatherage) whom they named Christopher. His mother, Rebecca, had been a married woman who had become pregnant after having an affair with a neighbor. Ten days after the child's birth, Crawford picked him up, but when Rebecca learned the child had been adopted by a celebrity, she attempted to blackmail Crawford for money, which resulted in Crawford giving the child back to her. After his return, Rebecca's husband was physically and emotionally abusive, refusing to let Christopher in his sight (his mother would have to hide him in closets). After he threw an infant Christopher against a wall, rupturing hishernia, Rebecca placed him back up for adoption, and he was adopted by a loving family.[85][86] However, losing him devastated Crawford, and none of her other children dared mention him, as it was a tender subject for her.[85]
Crawford and son Christopher, 1951
In 1942, Crawford and Terry adopted another boy, whom they named Phillip Terry Jr. After the marriage ended in 1946, Crawford changed that child's name to Christopher Crawford.[87] In 1944, when Rebecca learned of the child (who was unrelated to her son), she claimed he was also her child, leading to her arrest and her being placed in apsychiatric hospital. Christopher changed his name to Davis Gary Deatherage and wrote a memoir of his childhood titledThe Other Side of My Life, which released in 2006. He lamented not being able to meet her personally, and Crawford's twin daughters told him about how Crawford felt about losing him.[85]Christopher Crawford, not Rebecca's son, often ran away from home. He was expelled from several schools and went to amilitary academy for his high school days.[88][89] At 18, Christopher married; by the time he was 19, he and his wife had a daughter named Janet. In 1961, he took them to meet Crawford inMiami, Florida. He told theLos Angeles Times in 1978, "J.C. [Crawford] was staying at theFontainebleau. My daughter was six weeks old and I thought J.C. would like to see her granddaughter. She held Janet for about 10 seconds, I think. I said, 'Janet, that's your grandmother; she's a very famous lady.’ J.C. said, ‘I'm nobody's grandmother. I'm Aunt Joan.’ Then she handed her back to me and said, 'She doesn't look anything like you!'" He never saw Crawford in person again after this meeting.[88] His second daughter, Bonnie, was born around 1973. In the same interview, he recalled, "When Bonnie was born, she had a lot of trouble. She was just a tiny little mass of bones with some skin stretched over them. So I called J.C. and said, 'I need your help. Your granddaughter needs blood and she needs it now. She might die.’ J.C. said, 'She's not my granddaughter. You were adopted.’ I lost my temper and slammed down the phone so hard I broke the receiver. That was it between J.C. and me." As of 1978, Christopher had remarried and had another daughter, Chrystal. "She was not a family," he said of Crawford. "I honestly to this day do not believe that she ever cared for me."[90] Christopher died in 2006.[87]
Crawford with twins Cathy and Cynthia
In 1947, Crawford adopted two fraternal twin daughters and named them Catherine "Cathy" and Cynthia "Cindy". They were born prematurely on January 13, 1947, and required hospital supervision for several weeks. Cathy and Cynthia are the only children adopted by Crawford from theTennessee Children's Home Society.[91] Their birth mother was ill and died less than a week after the twins were born due tokidney failure; their biological father abandoned their mother during birth. Their biological mother made the adoption arrangements before Cathy and Cindy were born.[92]
Crawford's fourth husband,Alfred Steele, took on a father-figure role to the children after his marriage to Crawford in 1955.[93][94]
Cathy described her mother as wise, warm, realistic, caring, and a "good friend".[95][96] Cathy attended Vernon Court Junior College, theFashion Institute of Technology, and theInternational Fine Arts College. In November 1967, Crawford announced that Cathy, was engaged to Navy petty officer, Jerome Jon Lalonde.[97] They met while Cathy was working part time as a waitress while attending college. They were married inAlexandria Bay on August 10, 1968. Herbert L. Barnet, then CEO ofPepsi Cola, gave Cathy away at the wedding. Cathy designed and sewed her own wedding dress. They had two children together. The couple separated in 1984, later divorcing.[98][99] Cynthia married John Jordan and also had two children. They would eventually divorce.
In the 1990s, the twins reconnected with their biological family inTennessee. Cynthia died on October 14, 2007.[100] Cathy died on January 11, 2020, oflung cancer.[94]
Pepsi-Cola
During her marriage toAlfred Steele, Crawford traveled extensively on behalf ofPepsi. Following Steele's death on April 19, 1959, Crawford was elected as the first female to the board of directors and later took on the role ofgoodwill ambassador.[101][102] In 1966, Crawford estimated that she traveled over 100,000 miles (160,000 km) a year for the company.[103]
In 1963, Crawford received the Pepsi's sixth annual "Pally Award", which was in the shape of a bronze Pepsi bottle. It was awarded to the employee making the most significant contribution to company sales. In 1973, Crawford retired from Pepsi's board of directors upon her official age of 65.[101]
Later life
On February 2, 1970, Crawford was presented with theCecil B. DeMille Award byJohn Wayne at theGolden Globes, held at the Coconut Grove atThe Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. In 1970, she also spoke at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, where she had been a student for two months in 1922.[104]
Crawford published her autobiography,A Portrait of Joan, co-written withJane Kesner Ardmore, in 1962 through Doubleday. Crawford's next book,My Way of Life, was published in 1971 bySimon & Schuster.
Joan Crawford's last official public appearance was on April 8, 1973, at Town Hall in Manhattan, New York. Crawford appeared as the fourth legend in John Springer's "Legendary Ladies" series. The event was sold out, with the 1,500 seat venue filled to capacity. The audience watched a series of highlight scenes from Crawford's screen career. Afterward, Crawford came on stage for a question-and-answer session with the audience. Upon Crawford's departure, approximately 200 fans surrounded her limousine and would not let it move for several minutes.[105]
In September 1973, Crawford moved from apartment 22-G to a smaller apartment next door, 22-H, at the Imperial House, 150 East 69th Street, New York City. Her last public appearance was made on September 23, 1974, at a book party co-hosted with her old friendRosalind Russell at New York'sRainbow Room, after which unflattering photographs were published.[106]
Death
Crawford had aheart attack on May 10, 1977, and died in her apartment inLenox Hill, New York City.[107] Her age was reported as 69.[12] Four days earlier on May 6, 1977, Crawford had given away herShih Tzu, Princess Lotus Blossom, because she was too weak to continue to care for her.[108][109]
A funeral was held atCampbell Funeral Home, New York, on May 13, 1977, and her cremated ashes were placed in a crypt atFerncliff Cemetery and Mausoleum, Hartsdale, Westchester County, New York, next to her fourth and last husband Alfred Steele.[110]
She disinherited her two eldest children, Christina and Christopher, stating in her will: "It is my intention to make no provision herein for my son, Christopher, or my daughter, Christina, for reasons which are well known to them." Both of them challenged the will and received a $55,000 settlement.[111] She also bequeathed nothing to her niece, Joan Lowe (1933–1999; born Joan Crawford LeSueur, the only child of her estranged brother, Hal).
On September 14, 1929, Crawford was honored with a block in the forecourt ofGrauman's Chinese Theatre.
Joan Crawford's handprints and footprints were imprinted in a block in the forecourt ofGrauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on September 14, 1929.[112]
She has a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame, at 1752 Vine Street, for her contributions to the motion picture industry.[113]
Playboy listed Crawford as number 84 of the "100 Sexiest Women of the 20th century".[115]
Crawford has also attracted a following in the gay community. InJoan Crawford: The Essential Biography, the author wrote that Crawford appealed to many gay men because they sympathized with her struggle for success in both the entertainment industry and her personal life.[116]
Charity contributions
Throughout her life, Crawford was heavily involved in charity work, as well as contributing to various efforts for service members. In the 1930s, Crawford was named one of the vice presidents on the board of theMotion Picture Relief Fund. Throughout the 1930s, Crawford supported the cause by promoting, donating, attending board meetings, and collecting contributions "from actors and directors who were remiss". In 1938, Crawford,Adolphe Menjou, andJackie Cooper were on the organization's stamp committee whose goal was to raise money from used stamps. The sales from the stamps to collectors would benefit actors in need of aid. Crawford donated all her stamped envelopes from fan letters to the cause that year.[117][118] In 1933, Crawford donated her large doll collection she had been collecting since the 1920s to a children's hospital.[119][120]
DuringWorld War II, Crawford did much to help in the war effort which included promoting the sale of war bonds to the public. In 1942, she began volunteering at theHollywood Canteen in Los Angeles to entertain and serve service members. In 1943, she began volunteering forAmerican Women's Voluntary Services nurseries as a member[116] by giving of her time and money to provide support service to the children of service members.[121] DuringWWII, Crawford volunteered as the guarantor forEnglish actor and writer,Margaret Chute. Chute required a guarantor to move fromEngland to theUnited States during war.[122]
In 1942, Crawford donated her entire $112,500 salary fromThey All Kissed the Bride to charities in memory ofCarole Lombard. They included theAmerican Red Cross ($50,000) which helped in recovery efforts following Lombard's death, the Infantile Paralysis Drive ($25,000), Motion Picture Relief ($25,000), and the Navy Relief Fund ($12,500).[123][124][125][126]
In June 1952, Crawford travelled toFort Worth andDallas, Texas for charity and helped raise thousands of dollars, shook hands, and met with 575 people in one night.[127] In 1955, she donated some of her clothes for auction to support theBoys Republic, a rehabilitation centre for teenagers.[128] Crawford was also named Chairman of the "1959National Multiple Sclerosis Society Fund campaign", renamed the "Alfred N. Steele Memorial Campaign for the MS Hope Chest" followingSteele's death in May 1959.[129]
In the 1960s, Crawford sponsored the Philadelphia Cotillion Society's annual Christmas Cotillion, aimed at raising funds forHeritage House and theNAACP.[130][131][132]
In 1965, theU.S.O. named Crawford the "Woman of The Year" for her ongoing contributions to the organization and the support of American service members.[133] Crawford continued her commitment to service members into the 1960s, by visiting army hospitals to cheer up soldiers who were injured in theVietnam War.[134]
Aside from volunteering to war efforts and service members, Crawford also volunteered for a great number of charity organizations, which included the AmericanRed Cross, C.A.R.E., various charities for the advancement of care and cures for crippled children[135] and theAmerican Cancer Society, for which Crawford served as national chairwoman in 1972.[136] From 1966 until 1973, Crawford appeared on the annualmuscular dystrophy telethon to encourage the public to pledge funds to help those affected by the illness.[137][138]
Crawford was elected as ball chairman of the 16th annual Animal Kingdom Ball on January 20, 1965, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of theAmerican Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.[139] On March 25, 1971, Crawford accepted a position as honorary chairmanship of the board of advisers to help raise funds for theNegro Ensemble Company.[140] Crawford also sent out the invitations forAlan King's first charity benefit in support of children with mental disabilities.[141]
Following her death, it was revealed that for many years Crawford had paid for hospital rooms and specialists[142] for hundreds of indigent people who could not afford medical care—many of whom were members of the film industry who were down on their luck and destitute. Crawford never publicized these contributions, and did not want the public (or the patients) to know she was paying their medical bills.[143][144]
Crawford's two other twin daughters, Cathy Crawford Lalonde and Cynthia Crawford Jordan, denounced the book, categorically denying any abuse. Cindy told reporters in 1979, "I can't understand how people believe this stupid stuff Tina has written."[146][147] Cathy claimed in 1981 both the book and movie were "untrue".[96]
On May 28, 1981, Cathy appeared onGood Morning America, claiming their mother was "warm" and Christina's book was a "great work of fiction".[148]
On July 20, 1998, Cathy filed a lawsuit against Christina for "defamation of character". Cathy stated in her lawsuit that during the 20th-anniversary book tour ofMommie Dearest, Christina publicly claimed to interviewers that LaLonde and her twin sister, Cynthia, were not biological sisters, and that their adoption was never legal. LaLonde stated neither claim by Christina was true and attached copies of the twin girls' birth certificates and adoption documentation to the lawsuit.[149] The lawsuit was later settled out of court for $5,000 plus court costs.[150] Later in 2008, Cathy told biographerCharlotte Chandler in 2008, "I don't know where [Christina] got her ideas. Our Mommie was the best mother anyone ever had."[95]
Helen Hayes,[151]June Allyson,[152] andVincent Sherman[153] stated they had witnessed strict discipline. For example, Hayes and Sherman both stated in their autobiographies that they felt Joan was too strict a parent. Allyson stated in her autobiography that she witnessed Joan put Christina in "time-out", and did not let her go to a friend's birthday party as a punishment. However, these people never stated they witnessed any outright abuse.James MacArthur stated he spent a weekend with the Crawford family when he was a child and never saw any abuse, but did observe that Christopher was harnessed in his bed at night. Unbeknownst to MacArthur, according to Christopher's daughter, Janet, Christopher was diagnosed withattention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and Joan's family doctor recommended the store-bought child harness to keep Christopher in bed at night and prevent him from wandering outside to play and possibly fall into the swimming pool. Christopher's daughter stated to columnistCindy Adams, "I have two boys, one is identical to my brother and my father. We're treating his hyperactivity with medication, but three generations have had this condition. It must come from something. Joan said she didn't believe in heredity, but my dad proves her wrong. He, my brother, and my son all look alike and act alike."[154][155]
Many of Crawford's friends and co-workers, includingVan Johnson,Ann Blyth,Katharine Hepburn,Cesar Romero,Gary Gray, andDouglas Fairbanks Jr. (Crawford's first husband), denied the claims.[citation needed] In her 1987 autobiography,Myrna Loy stated, "She [Christina] wanted to be Joan Crawford. I think that's the basis of the book she wrote afterward and everything else. I saw what Christina's mind created, the fantasy world she lived in."[156]
Christina's husband, producer Harvey Medlinsky, said in response to Christina's memoir, "I have only good things to say about Joan Crawford. She was always nice to me and Christina."[157]The Secret Storm producer Gloria Monty, countered Christina's allegation that Joan "stole" Christina's role on the television show when she fell ill in 1968. According to Monty, Christina lied regarding this situation. Monty stated that she and CBS asked Joan to substitute for her daughter on the show, and that Joan agreed only in the interest of not allowing Christina to be permanently replaced by another actress until she could return to the show. Monty added, "I'll tell you that I saw Joan Crawford do everything she could to save that girl's life and job."[158]
Bette Davis, Crawford's lifelong rival, also defended Crawford. "I was not Miss Crawford's biggest fan but, wisecracks to the contrary, I did and still do respect her talent. What she did not deserve was that detestable book written by her daughter. I've forgotten her name. Horrible."[159]
Since the publication ofMommie Dearest in 1978, Christina has attempted to capitalize on its monetary success with a one-woman show entitled "Surviving Mommie Dearest" in 2013, and in 2019, attempted to produce a musical version of her memoir, though it did not come to fruition.[160][161]
^abCrawford's year of birth is uncertain, as various sources claim 1904,[1] 1905,[2] 1906,[3] 1907,[4] and 1908.[5] Crawford herself widely claimed 1908 (the date on her tombstone).[6] Crawford's daughterChristina asserts it was 1904 in the biographyMommie Dearest, published in 1978.[7]
Bret, David (2009).Joan Crawford: Hollywood Martyr. New York City:Da Capo Press. p. 8.ISBN978-0-7867-3236-4.She was born Lucille Fay LeSueur, most likely on 23 March 1904 (though she always maintained it was 1908, when birth certificates became state mandatory...)
Cowie, Peter (2009).Joan Crawford: The Enduring Star. Ann Arbor, Michigan:University of Michigan.ISBN978-0-8478-3066-4.On March 23, 1908, by her own reckoning (although the real date may have been 1905, or even 1904), Lucille Fay LeSueur was born ...
Quirk, Lawrence J.; Schoell, William (2002).Joan Crawford: The Essential Biography. Lexington, KY:University Press of Kentucky. p. 1.ISBN978-0-8131-2254-0.On March 23, 1904, in San Antonio, Texas, Anna Bell Johnson LeSueur gave birth to a little girl, whom she and her husband, Thomas, named Lucille Fay. Lucille was the couple's third child; another daughter, Daisy, had died in infancy, and Lucille's brother, Hal, had been born the previous year. (Many years later, when little Lucille was the famous woman known to the world as Joan Crawford, the year of her birth mysteriously changed to 1906 or 1908.)
"The Second Rise of Joan Crawford".Life. June 23, 1947. p. 45.ISSN0024-3019. RetrievedMarch 23, 2020.The year of Miss Crawford's birth has been variously identified as 1904, 1906, 1908, and 1909, the last being her own favorite..
^Crawford, Christina (2017) [1978].Mommie Dearest. New York City:William Morrow & Company.ISBN978-1-5040-4908-5.My mother was born Lucille LeSueur in San Antonio, Texas, in 1904, although when she came to Hollywood, she lied about her age and changed the year to 1908.: 20 Publicly, her birth date was always reported as March 23, 1908, but Grandmother told me that she was actually born in 1904.": 66
^Golden, Eve (2013).John Gilbert: the last of the silent film stars. Lexington, Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky.ISBN978-0-8131-4164-0.OCLC831665560.
^Soares, André (2010).Beyond paradise: the life of Ramon Novarro (Paperback ed.). Jackson: University Press of Mississippi.ISBN978-1-60473-458-4.OCLC758384859.
^Basinger, Jeanine,The Star Machine, Knopf Books, 2007, p. 37
^Dean Fowler, Alandra (1994).Estelle Liebling: An exploration of her pedagogical principles as an extension and elaboration of the Marchesi method, including a survey of her music and editing for coloratura soprano and other voices (PhD).University of Arizona.
^Austin, Linda T. (1990). "Babies for Sale: Tennessee Children's Adoption Scandal".Tennessee Historical Quarterly.49 (2):91–102.ISSN0040-3261.JSTOR42626860.
^Chandler, Charlotte (2008).Not the Girl Next Door: Joan Crawford, a Personal Biography (1st ed.). United States: Simon & Schuster (published February 12, 2008).ISBN978-1416547518.
^Varney, Carleton (1980).There's No Place Like Home: Confessions of an Interior Designer by Carleton Varney (hardcover ed.). Bobbs-Merrill.ISBN978-0-672-51872-0.
^Wilson, Scott.Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed.: 2 (Kindle Locations 10300-10301). McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. Kindle Edition.
^abParish, James Robert (2002).The Hollywood book of death: the bizarre, often sordid, passings of more than 125 American movie and TV idols. Chicago: Contemporary Books.ISBN0-8092-2227-2.OCLC46617003.
^Hegedus, Eric."New York Post". No. June 6, 2019. RetrievedMarch 26, 2023.
^Schulman, Michael (May 10, 2013)."The New Yorker". RetrievedMarch 26, 2023.
Bibliography
Sources
Considine, Shaun (1989).Bette and Joan: The Divine Feud. New York, E. P. Dutton, a division of Penguin Books.ISBN0-525-24770-X.
Bret, David (2006). Joan Crawford: Hollywood Martyr. Robson.ISBN1-86105-931-0.
Granlund, Nils T. (1957).Blondes, Brunettes, and Bullets. New York, David McKay Company.
Hoefling, Larry J. (2008).Nils Thor Granlund: The Swedish Showman Who Invented American Entertainment. Inlandia Press.ISBN0-9822313-0-X.
LaSalle, Mick (2000).Complicated Women: Sex and Power in Pre-Code Hollywood. New York, Thomas Dunne Books, an imprint of St. Martin's Press.ISBN0-312-25207-2.
Leese, Elizabeth (1991).Costume Design in the Movies. Dover Books.ISBN0-486-26548-X.
Newquist, Roy, with introduction by John Springer (1980).Conversations with Joan Crawford. New Jersey, Citadel Press, a division of Lyle Stuart, Inc.ISBN0-8065-0720-9.
Quirk, Lawrence J. and William Schoell. (2002).Joan Crawford: the essential biography. University Press of Kentucky.ISBN0-8131-2254-6.
Skal, David J. (1993).The Monster Show: A Cultural History of Horror. Penguin Books.ISBN0-14-024002-0.
Thomas, Bob (1978).Joan Crawford: A Biography. New York, Bantam Books.ISBN0-553-12942-2.
Further reading
Carr, Larry (1970).Four Fabulous Faces: The Evolution and Metamorphosis of Swanson, Garbo, Crawford and Dietrich. New York: Doubleday.ISBN0-87000-108-6.
Nowak, Donna Marie (2010).Just Joan: A Joan Crawford Appreciation. Albany: BearManor Media.ISBN978-1-59393-542-9.
.png)
