Joan Crawford

Lucille Fay LeSueur
1906 - 1977
American born San Antonia, Texas

Nickname Billie Cassin, Cranberry, Billie . Height 5' 5" (1.65 m) . Lucille LeSueur's parents separated before she was born. By age 16 she had known three fathers, one of whom (a vaudeville theater manager) had given her the name Billie Cassin. By 1915 she and her mother lived in Kansas City and Billie worked in a laundry and also as a menial to pay school tuition. Winning an amateur dance contest in 1923 led to chorus work in Chicago, Detroit and New York. On New Year's Day of 1925 she left for Hollywood. Before her second picture, a "Photoplay" contest led to the name "Joan Crawford". With Our Dancing Daughters (1928) she became a star. She had a string of successes playing a socialite or rags-to-riches shopgirl, most notably as Crystal Allen in The Women (1939). She stayed with MGM for 18 years, signing with Warners in 1943. Mildred Pierce (1945) was a defining role and won her an Oscar. After more than 70 films she married the Chairman of the Board of the Pepsi-Cola Co., a company with which she remained as an executive and spokesman after her husband's fatal heart attack in 1959 (in 1972 when the company's executives saw no further use for her, they pushed her out; after that she referred to the CEO as "Fang"). What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) brought new careers to both Crawford and Bette Davis in 1962--although the two despised each other--but the ensuing roles were neither numerous nor flattering. Horrified by a photo taken of her in 1974, she retired completely, devoting herself to Christian Science and increasing use of vodka. Her four adopted children received little from her $2-million estate: $77,500 each for Cathy and Cindy, nothing for Christopher or Christina Crawford "for reasons best known to them". Spouse Alfred Steele (14 January 1956 - 6 April 1959) (his death), Phillip Terry (21 July 1942 - 25 April 1946) (divorced) 1 child, Franchot Tone (11 October 1935 - 11 April 1939) (divorced), Douglas Fairbanks Jr. (3 June 1929 - 12 May 1933) (divorced), James Welton (1923 - 1924) (divorced).

"The Sixth Sense" (1972) , Beyond the Water's Edge (1972) , Journey to Murder (1971) , "The Name of the Game"(1971) , Trog (1970) , "The Virginian" (1970) , Night Gallery (1969) , Journey to the Unknown (1969) , "The Secret Storm" (1954) , Berserk! (1968) , Journey to Midnight (1968) , "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." (1967) , I Saw What You Did (1965), Strait-Jacket (1964) , Della (1964) , "Route 66" (1963) , The Caretakers (1963) , What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) , "Your First Impression" (1962) , The Foxes (1961) , "Zane Grey Theater" (1961) , The Best of Everything (1959) , "On Trial" (1959) , Woman on the Run (1959) , "General Electric Theater" (1959) , The Story of Esther Costello (1957) , Autumn Leaves (1956) , Queen Bee (1955) , Female on the Beach (1955) , Johnny Guitar (1954) , Torch Song (1953) , "The Revlon Mirror Theater" (1953) , Sudden Fear (1952) , This Woman Is Dangerous (1952) , Goodbye, My Fancy (1951) , Harriet Craig (1950) , The Damned Don't Cry (1950) , Flamingo Road (1949) , Daisy Kenyon (1947) , Possessed (1947) , Humoresque (1946) , Mildred Pierce (1945) , Above Suspicion (1943) , Reunion in France (1942) , They All Kissed the Bride (1942) , When Ladies Meet (1941) , A Woman's Face (1941) , Susan and God (1940) , Strange Cargo (1940) , The Women (1939) , The Ice Follies of 1939 (1939) , The Shining Hour (1938) , Mannequin (1937) , The Bride Wore Red (1937) , The Last of Mrs. Cheyney (1937) , Love on the Run (1936) , The Gorgeous Hussy (1936) , I Live My Life (1935) , No More Ladies (1935) , Forsaking All Others (1934) , Chained (1934) , Sadie McKee (1934) , Dancing Lady (1933) , Today We Live (1933) , Rain (1932) , Letty Lynton (1932) , Grand Hotel (1932) , Possessed (1931) , This Modern Age (1931) , Laughing Sinners (1931) , Dance, Fools, Dance (1931) , Wir schalten um auf Hollywood (1931) , Paid (1930) , Our Blushing Brides (1930) , Montana Moon (1930) , Great Day (1930) , Untamed (1929) , Our Modern Maidens (1929) , The Duke Steps Out (1929) , Dream of Love (1928) , Our Dancing Daughters (1928) , Four Walls (1928) , Across to Singapore (1928) , Rose-Marie (1928) , The Law of the Range (1928) , West Point (1928) , Tide of Empire (1928) , Spring Fever (1927) , Twelve Miles Out (1927) , The Unknown (1927) , The Understanding Heart (1927) , The Taxi Dancer (1927) , Winners of the Wilderness (1927) , Paris (1926) , The Boob (1926) , Tramp, Tramp, Tramp (1926/I) , Sally, Irene and Mary (1925) , The Only Thing (1925) , Old Clothes (1925) , The Midshipman (1925) , The Circle (1925) , The Merry Widow (1925) , A Slave of Fashion (1925) , Pretty Ladies (1925) , Proud Flesh (1925) , Lady of the Night (1925)