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JOAN CRAWFORD : 1905 - 1977Joan Crawford's birth date always gives some cause for debate. When she married Douglas Fairbanks Jr, she gave her birth year as 1908 and would continue to claim she was born in 1908 for the rest of her life. However, the April 1910 census shows her to be 5 years old and so we now know that there was a little girl called Lucille Fay LeSueur born on March the 23rd in San Antonio, Texas to Thomas LeSueur and Anna Bell Johnson. When she was just a little girl, Lucille's father left home. Bette Davis would claim that Thomas LeSueur had run off with a stripper from Galveston, but whatever the circumstances, his leaving left Lucille without a father figure in her life. She had been quite close to her father in the absence of a real relationship with her mother and the tension between Anna and Lucille wasn't helped when Lucille's oldest sister Daisy died. Anna became closer to Hal LeSueur, Lucille's older brother and pushed Lucille out of her affections but Hal soon got replaced too - by Henry Cassin, a man who ran a small Vaudeville theatre in Lawton, Oklahoma. Lucille took "Daddy Cassin" to her heart and believed for some time that he was her real father and just like Lucille's real father, Cassin would leave the LeSueur family when Lucille was 11 years old. A string of men followed and it left Lucille feeling insecure and vunerable. She would later criticise her mother's relationship pattern saying, "Mother shacked up with so many men that Hal could be my half-brother".The years spent with Henry Cassin were beneficial in one way though, as the young "Billie" (as she was nicknamed due to her tomboyish behavious) spent hours watching the Vaudevillians perform. It was here that her interest in dancing was born and the young Billie Cassin decided that she wanted to be a dancer. All was not well in the LuSueur household though. As the young Billie grew up, her relationship with her mother went from bad to worse and Anna Johnson relied on corporal punishment to discipline her daughter through the use of "Billie's stick". Her frequent beatings were Anna's way of keeping her away from the frequenters of Henry Cassin's theatre but as Joan would later explain, "If she told me not to do something without explaining why, I'd do it anyway". Anna didn't have to worry for long though. When Henry was charged with embezzlement, the entire family were upheaved and moved to Kansas City where Cassin tried to run a hotel but when that proved unsuccessful, he left Anna, Billie and Hal with nothing. Anna took a job in a laundry and to save money, sent Billie to a Catholic boarding school. The days were filled with schooling but also with laundry and other domestic work to earn her keep. The nuns who ran the institution were less than kind but Billie persevered until she left and gained a place on another work programme at Rockingham Academy.When she was older, Joan would always say that she had never got past the fifth grade but this wasn't quite true. From the age of 15 to the age of 17, she attended Stephen's College in Missouri and was extremely popular as a pretty and friendly girl. The young Lucille (she had since dropped the name Billie Cassin) left the college and managed to join a pair of dancing-actresses to form "The Cook Sisters". She was hired for a night-club tour but took the costumes and the money and got out of Kansas as quickly as she could. Frightened and scared, she ended up Chicago and it was long before she was introduced to an MGM executive who spotted the potential Lucille LeSueur had. In the days of the studio, the contract system and the mass-marketing of stars, Lucille was a perfect candidate for the company. She was offered a 5 year contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1924 and left Chicago for California. After screen-tests, she was introduced slowly to films as an extra. She appeared in a ballroom scene of "The Merry Widow" and was also used as a stand in for Norma Shearer (they only filmed her from the back) but MGM casting agents still doubted whether Lucille LeSueur was right for them. One film proved that she was - it was "Our Dancing Daughters" made in 1928. Lucille gave her all and her chance to show her dancing skills off to the world won her legions of fans and instant stardom. Another contract with MGM followed and the marketing of LucilleLeSueur as the new star of MGM had begun.Lucille was given all the privelages of the established MGM contractees. The re-branding of Lucille included a new name and MGM commissioned a competition in "Movie Weekly" to find a stage name for their latest addition. The winner would take $500 home, Lucille would take a new name. That new name was Joan Crawford. It took some time for Joan to get used to it. At first, she pronounced Joan as "Jo-Anne" (something that would later irritate her) and apparantly said that "Crawford" sounded like "Crawfish". Eventually she accepted the name but it was long before she'd adopt yet another new name - that of Mrs Fairbanks Jr. Joan Crawford's courtship with Douglas Fairbanks Jr was well hidden by their nearest and dearest. The imperious Mary Pickford (Fairbanks Jr's step-mother) referred to Joan as "that little chorus girl" and was sure that their relationship was nothing but a fling. She was wrong and despite objections from his parents, Doug married Joan on June 3rd 1929 at St Malachy's Catholic Church, New York. Lies were told by both Mary Pickford and Anna Bell Johnson. Both swore under oath that their children were born in 1908 and therefore the marriage was allowed to take place. Had anyone checked, they would have found that Joan was born in 1905 and Douglas in 1909. MGM were thrilled with the match but the tension between Mary and Joan grew. The Pickfords were Hollywood Royalty and Joan simply didn't fit in. Endless dinner parties and hunting weekends bored her but she learned table manners and how to deal with Mary's kind of people which would equip her for later life.Joan Crawford was now a household name and she began to worry about her look. She needed a trademark, an image that would last and with the help of Adrian, the famed MGM couturier, Joan would adopt an image that would indeed last for decades to come. Her eyebrows were made thicker, lips were painted on making her mouth wider and the legendary shoulder pads were adopted to make her waist look smaller. Her new look was given a showing when she appeared in the Hollywood hit, "Grand Hotel" where Joan was given the chance to work with her idol - Greta Garbo. Things were going well for Joan on screen but all was not well at home. Joan had begun an affair with Clark Gable and saw him as a wonderful escape from things at Pickford. One night, she apparantly told her maid at Pickford, "Fuck this" and called a cab. Joan admitted that she had an affair with Gable but would never say how long for. L.B Mayer was informed of the situation and called Joan and Clark to his office. He told them to drop the affair or face the axe from MGM. They dropped the affair but it wasn't enough to save the Fairbanks/Crawford marriage. Joan kept her mind on her work, making a film called "Letty Lynton" and then another in 1933 called "Dancing Lady". It was a successful picture but was slightly tainted by Joan's divorce which was finalised in July 1933. It wasn't long before she was looking for another man however and her choice would make her a life-long rival.Bette Davis was at Warner Bros. making a film called "Dangerous" with Franchot Tone. She fell for him hook, line and sinker but Tone was already claimed by none other than Joan Crawford. Franchot was educated and gentle and was just what Joan felt she needed after her divorce from Douglas Fairbanks Jr. They saw more and more of each other and eventually their relationship became common knowledge but Bette Davis's crush on Franchot was becoming more serious and she told the actress Joan Blondell that she was in love. Suddenly, in the spring of 1935, Joan Crawford announced her engagement to Mr Franchot Tone and the couple married in the same year. Joan got Franchot and Bette got an Oscar for "Dangerous". Joan's career continued to be steady and although a few films flopped (like "The Gorgeous Hussy" made in 1936), Franchot Tone encouraged Joan to fufill her potential as a great actress and even as a singer. She sang in "Ice Follies of 1939" but sadly, 4 of her songs were cut with the remaining 2 being dubbed much to the horror of Miss Crawford. That was nothing - her marriage to Franchot was over. He had become a slave to drink and Joan claimed that he beat her occassionally. She divorced him on the grounds on adultery after she caught him in bed with a prostitute.Joan was single again but Joan's 54th film would be one that still wows audiences today. It was "The Women" in which Joan played bitchy Crystal Allen, and though her first pleas to play the role met with the objection of Mr Mayer, Joan eventually convinced him to let her take the part. Alongside Rosalind Russell and Norma Shearer, Joan shone but no awards came her way. Miss Crawford upstaged Norma Shearer completely and forced Miss Shearer into semi-retirement. Joan was going from great picture to great picture however and the success of "The Women" would only be topped by her role as Mildred Pierce in 1945. In 1940, Joan made a decision that would scar her legacy by adopting a child. Joan had always wanted a baby but both Douglas Fairbanks Jr and Franchot Tone had refused to give Joan children. Fairbanks said that Joan was too vain to ever carry a baby and Franchot felt she would throw her career away. Whatever their reasons, Joan was unable to go full-term after a badly botched abortion at the age of 15. Now she was single, Joan applied to adoption agencies to get herself the child she so badly wanted but she was refused. Single women were rarely given children to adopt and Joan looked to other avenues. Eventually she adopted a baby girl and gave her the temporary name of "Joan". Later, Joan Crawford Jr would become Christina Crawford.Joan was now a mother and she proudly showed off her new daughter. She began a relationship with Glenn Ford but it ended quickly and badly. Joan wanted to get married and give her daughter a father, knowing all too well what a father-less upbringing was like. She proposed to Clark Gable, recently widowed when his wife Carole Lombard died in a plane crash. John Wayne was also considered but she finally settled for Phillip Terry and married him on the 20th September 1942. In 1943, she adopted a son, Christopher who was given the name 'Christopher Terry' but he soon became 'Christopher Crawford' when she divorced Terry in 1946. In the same year, Joan began to do her bit for the war effort (which included disbanding her fan club!). She was filmed at the Hollywood Canteen entertaining the troops and in 1944 appeared in a film about it as herself but her time at MGM was ticking away. L.B Mayer called her to his office and axed her contract. Joan was furious but wasn't found wanting. She signed a contract with Warner Bros. much to the anger of Bette Davis. 1945 brought the end of the war and an Oscar for Joan in her first proper film for her new studio. "Mildred Pierce" was the tale of a cruel daughter (Veda) who forced her mother Mildred to work hard to pay for the luxurious lifestyle Veda wanted. Starring alongside Ann Blyth, "Mildred Pierce" was a hit and there was no doubt that Joan would take the Oscar for Best Actress. Joan decided not to attend the awards (just in case) and feigned illness. She accepted the award in her sick bed and recieved notes from thousands of colleagues wishing her well (one read "Congratulations" and was signed Bette Davis). Over the next few years, Joan would make picture after picture including "Possessed", "Humoresque" (which won her an Oscar nomination) and "Flamingo Road". Her family would also grow when she adopted twins, Cindy and Cathy, in 1947.The Fifties brought more amazing performances in the likes of "Torch Song", "Johnny Guitar" and "Queen Bee" but the studio system had gone. Joan was no longer protected by a Louis Mayer or a Jack Warner but she showed a canny business attitude which she put to great use when she embarked on a second career and a fourth marriage. In 1955, Joan Crawford married Al Steele, a CEO at Pepsi Cola. Joan became a spokeswoman and her film work declined as she took on the role as the Queen of Pepsi. Joan felt that she had been waiting her entire life for Al to come along and their marriage was a happy one. but his sudden death in 1959 left Joan devastated. She faced huge pressure from the Pepsi company to resign her positions but Joan famously took on the executives. Just three days after the death of Al Steele, Joan sat at a table and was informed that Pepsi had retired her. She lifted her black mourning veil and to a shock and frightened board shouted, "Don't fuck with me fellas! I've fought bigger sharks than this!". She was elected to the Board of Directors in Al Steele's place, a role she'd keep until she retired in 1973.In 1962, a classic screamed onto the big screen. It was camp culture's dream movie. It starred bitter rivals Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. It was "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?". Baby Jane was perhaps one of Joan's greatest performances. She played Blanche Hudson, a former movie queen who had been paralysed in a suspicious road accident. Her sister, Baby Jane Hudson, was jealous of her famous sister and with malice, made Blanche a prisoner whilst she tried to re-launch her career as a child star. The film was a success and Bette Davis was nominated for an Oscar but she didn't get it. Although Joan denied it, Bette claimed that Joan had telephoned members of the Academy and persuaded them to vote for Anne Bancroft which they did. When the Oscar was presented, it wasn't collected by Bancroft but by Joan Crawford. She paid tribute to Bancroft and left a stunned Bette in the wings. Joan's last 4 films were in a similar genre (nicknamed 'Biddy Horror') and included "Trog", a picture about a doctor who creates a monster. It was Joan's final performance on the big screen.
Click to join joancrawfordbestIn 1970, Joan was awarded the Cecil B.De Mille Award at the Golden Globes. She returned to Stephen's College and was given an honourary degree and in 1971, she released her autobiography, "My Way of Life". The golden days of Joan Crawford were sadly over. In 1973, she sold the apartment she'd shared with Al Steele and bought a smaller property in New York. She was last seen at a party held in honour of Rosalind Russell and on May 10th 1977, Joan Crawford left this world forever. She had been suffering from pancreatic cancer but a heart attack took Miss Crawford from her adoring fans. Her legacy was 85 movies, each given dedication and hard work recognised the world over. She was cremated and her ashes interred at Ferncliff Cemetary, New York in a shared vault with Al Steele. What happened next was horrifying and would result in Joan's name being blackened by a certain book entitled "Mommie Dearest" penned by Christina Crawford. A gloating Bette Davis relished the publication - until her own daughter B.D Hyman pulled the same stunt on her in 1985 with her book, "My Mother's Keeper". Joan would be portrayed in a 1981 movie version of the book by Faye Dunaway and sadly, many choose to view this over films like "Mildred Pierce".Joan's real gift to the world was not only her glamour and personality but her kindness of spirit to her friends and fans. Her dedication to her public is evident from the millions of letters and notes she wrote to them. Her 85 films stand as a testament to her great talent and her interview appearances show a woman who truly lived a rags to riches life. She is not only admirable but is also inspirational and is sadly missed by her devotees. Her films are still broadcast, they have all made the journey to DVD and will be watched and enjoyed by generations to come. Her fan club will make sure of that. Joan Crawford has gone but she lives on through recordings, pictures and the memories of those who grew up with her movies. She will never be forgotten. God Bless Miss Joan Crawford
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Myspace Banner GeneratorGraham Newey - "Hollywood" (Live @ Santa BárbaraJoan Crawford is Wonder Woman
Add to My Profile | More Videos-----Valley Of The Dolls----“You’ve got to climb to the top of Mount Everest
to reach the Valley of the Dolls. It’s a brutal climb
to reach the peak which so few have seen. You never
knew what was up there but the last thing you expected
to find was the Valley of the Dolls. You stand there
waiting for the rush of exhilaration you expected to feel
but it doesn’t come and you’re too far way to hear the
applause and take you bows. There’s nowhere left to climb.
You’re alone and the feeling of loneliness is overpowering.
The air is so thin you can scarcely breath, you’ve made it
the world says you’re a hero. But it was more fun at the bottom
where you started, with nothing more but hope and the
dream of fulfillment. All you saw was the top of that mountain
and there was no one to tell you about the Valley of the Dolls.But is different when you reach the summit.â€"JOHNNY GUITAR"
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The Best of Everything:A Joan Crawford Encyclopediawww.joancrawfordbest.comhttp://groups.myspace.co
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