10 Fascinating Facts about Joan Crawford

Joan-crawford by George Hurrell from Wikimedia Commons

10 Fascinating Facts about Joan Crawford

Even after more than 40 years after her passing, Joan Crawford is still regarded as the ideal example of a Hollywood starlet. Her film career spanned the years 1925 to 1970, and for the majority of that time, she was the star and draped in splendour.

Crawford did manage to win an Oscar for Mildred Pierce, despite the fact that opinions about her acting ability have remained divided. She also put a lot of effort into being an actor and star. Sadly, she is perhaps just as well-known for being “Mommy Dearest,” the allegedly violent parent in her adopted daughter’s biography and the 1981 movie adaptation starring Faye Dunaway.

Here are ten intriguing details about the actress’s difficult life.

1. Her actual name was not Joan

Joan’s real name is Lucille Fay LeSueur. Joan used her stepfather’s last name and a childhood nickname to go by Billie Cassin for a while (her mom and real dad were never married). When she and her stepfather were divorced, she reverted to using the last name LeSueur and started a career in performing and dancing. Pete Smith, the publicity director at MGM, was under a new contract and was confident he had a star on his hands, but he detested her name because he believed it sounded too much like sewer.

To determine Joan’s new stage name, Smith organised a contest in Movie Weekly magazine called “Name the Star.” Although another actress was discovered to bear the name “Joan Arden,” it was initially the winner. The winner received $500 for her efforts and the alternate surname “Crawford” was chosen. Crawford disliked the name since it had a “crawfish” sound to it, but she did admit that she “loved the security” that went with it.

2. Joan remarried a couple of times

Crawford-Gilbert by Studio from Wikimedia Commons

Joan tied the knot for the first time (legally) with the ridiculously handsome actor Douglas Fairbanks Jr. in 1929. She wed the actor Franchot Tone in 1935, whom some think Bette Davis lusted over (Joan certainly broke the girl code). She married actor Phillip Terry in 1942.

Her previous spouse was Alfred Steele, who at the time served as CEO of Pepsi-Cola. Only four years into their marriage, poor Joan lost Al to a heart attack, yet she continued to serve on the board of directors for Pepsi-Cola until 1973 when she was “forced to retire.”

3. To adopt her children, she engaged shady baby brokers

Christopher-Joan Crawford by Los Angeles Times from Wikimedia Commons

Many people are aware that Joan had an adopted daughter named Christina (obviously), but did you know she actually adopted five—count ’em, five—children? In 1939, Christina was born, making her the oldest and first child to be adopted. Following in 1942 was a son named Christopher. Unfortunately for Joan, a few weeks later, Christopher’s biological mother changed her mind and came looking for him again. In 1943, Joan adopted a second boy, naming him Phillip in honour of her ex-husband Phillip Terry.

She changed the name of that child to Christopher following her divorce from Terry. Later, in 1947, Joan adopted Cathy and Cindy, a pair of fraternal twins. The only child who is still alive is Christina; Christopher, Cindy, and Cathy have since passed away. Christina and Christopher were “black market infants,” despite Cathy and Cindy having been adopted lawfully.

4. She didn’t have a great relationship with all her children

Even Christina, the author of the book Mommie Dearest, claims that a lot of what is depicted in the movie was inaccurate, including the infamous wire hanger scene. Despite Joan’s posthumous reputation as a wire hanger-wielding, child-abusing alcoholic thanks to the movie Mommie Dearest, Christina states that this is true even of Joan. The identical twins Cathy and Cindy vigorously refuted any allegations of abuse, declaring publicly that Joan was firm but not abusive.

According to Casey LaLonde, Cathy’s son, his mother still has memories of a “really loving household,” which she recalled to Elizabeth Day in 2008. A great lady, Joan was a devoted mother who was also incredibly warm and supportive. I’ve always taken great care not to accuse Christina of lying, but it’s obvious that her experience was very different from those of my mother and my aunt Cindy.

5. She may have been bisexual 

Joan Crawford by liveinternet from Wikimedia Commons

There was no denying that Joan was quite the maneater, supposedly having affairs with Clark Gable, Vincent Sherman, and Spencer Tracy, but there were also stories of claimed affairs with well-known women. It has been reported that Joan had intercourse with Dorothy Arzner, Barbara Stanwyck, Claudette Colbert, Greta Garbo, and possibly Marilyn Monroe.

6. She was good to her fans 

Joan Crawford by Joan Crawford from Wikimedia Commons

In her free time, Joan would frequently type up personal letters to fans and sign each one for them. She genuinely enjoyed answering her own fan mail. Once she remarked, “Oh, the thank you notes and the best wishes are no big deal. People deserve to be remembered on special occasions, and appreciate being remembered.” 

From the beginning of her career in the 1920s until her passing in the spring of 1977, Joan is thought to have written close to three million fan letters. In fact, Joan autographed so many things throughout her life that it is only worth $50 to $100 today.

7. She became a Christian Scientist

1970 saw the release of the actress’ final film, the B-grade horror Trog. She then appeared in a few TV appearances before retiring to her Manhattan apartment. Her drinking allegedly ended after she converted to Christian Science.

She avoided rigorous cancer treatment because of her religion, which ultimately caused her death on May 10, 1977, at 69, 71, 72, or 73 years old. Despite the fact that she didn’t have much money to leave behind, her twins and a number of charities were taken care of. Christopher and Christina were not, by chance.

8. She was referred to as “box office poison”

Joan Crawford by Employee(s) of MGM from Wikimedia Commons

Although Crawford frequently appeared in the Top Ten Money-Making Stars list in the early and middle 1930s, the Independent Theatre Owners Association of America referred to her, along with Marlene Dietrich, Greta Garbo, and Katharine Hepburn, as “box-office poison” in 1938. Her star was briefly dampened by a string of forgettable parts, but Joan was always good at making a comeback.

9. Crawford was a redhead with a tiny frame and freckles

On the screen, she appears to be very large. In terms of the complexion and hair colour, the freckles were erased with makeup and the hair changed with the role, and Crawford was rarely seen in colour until 1953’s Torch Song, and by that time her appearance had reached a height of artificiality that rendered the question of natural hair colour moot.

10. Her true age is unknown

Everyone agrees that Joan Crawford (real name Lucille LeSueur) was born on March 23, even though there is no birth certificate for her. Another consideration is the year.

Crawford always stated that she was born in 1908, making her 16 years old when she signed a deal with MGM in January 1925. Other sites, including IMDb, state 1905, and some claim 1904, which, according to author Donald Spoto, is illogical given that her brother Harold was born in September 1903. Although there is no concrete evidence, it appears that 1906 is the year that Crawford was born.

A few people said Joan had killed herself soon after she passed away, raising the possibility. She might have overdosed on sleeping pills after learning of her fatal disease, according to suggestions made by a close friend, a neighbour, and Cindy, her daughter.

The notion didn’t seem all that outlandish because Joan had given away some of her personal items (including her cherished dog, who she left to live with friends) and because the date of her death fell on what would have been her 22nd wedding anniversary to Al Steele.