Joan Crawford

Joan Crawford
(1904 - 1977)
Biography from Baseline's Encyclopedia of Film

Born Lucille Fay Le Sueur in San Antonio, TX, her extraordinary career encompassed 45 years and some 80 films. She quit Stephens College, a posh university for women in Columbia, Missouri, in the early 1920s. Spotted in a chorus line by MGM and signed in 1925, her portrayal of a "flapper" in her 21st film, OUR DANCING DAUGHTERS (1928), made her a star. Crawford maintained this status throughout the remainder of her career, but not without setbacks. Her films of the 1930s, though lavish and stylish, were mostly routine and superficial. Despite a mature and impressive performance in THE WOMEN (1939), Crawford continued to be given less-than-challenging roles by the studio.

In 1942 Crawford left MGM and her career took a decided upward turn after she signed with Warner Bros. the following year. In numerous Warner Bros. melodramas and films noirs, a new Crawford persona emerged: intelligent, often neurotic, powerful and sometimes ruthless, but also vulnerable and dependent. Memorable roles in MILDRED PIERCE (1945), HUMORESQUE (1946) and POSSESSED (1947) restored and consolidated her popularity. In her nine films noirs for Warner Bros. and other studios, as well in most of her non-noir features (such as HARRIET CRAIG, 1950), Crawford gave expert and fully realized interpretations.
After this brief period of success, Crawford's career declined once again, and in 1951 she left Warners. She worked for various studios, most memorably for RKO in SUDDEN FEAR (1952), a performance which earned her an Oscar nomination. With the exception of WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? (1962), Crawford's performances of the 60s were mostly self-caricatures in second-rate horror films (BERSERK, 1967, TROG, 1970). Although these later features were poor vehicles for her talents, she was a resilient and consummate professional who continued to impose the highest standards of performance upon herself.
Crawford was married 5 times: to James Welton (1923-24), to actors Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., (1929-1933), Franchot Tone (1935-1939) and Phillip Terry (1942-1946) -- all of which ended in divorces -- and to Alfred Nu Steele (1956 until his death in 1959). She was portrayed as a cruel and calculating mother by Faye Dunaway in the 1981 film, MOMMIE DEAREST, based on a biography by her adopted daughter Christina.
Actress 1945: MILDRED PIERCE
Nominated for Actress 1947: POSSESSED
Nominated for Actress 1952: SUDDEN FEAR
3 nominations. 1 Award

	Born Lucille Fay Le Sueur in San Antonio, TX, her extraordinary career encompassed 45 years and some 80 films. She quit Stephens College, a posh university for women in Columbia, Missouri, in the early 1920s. Spotted in a chorus line by MGM and signed in 1925, her portrayal of a "flapper" in her 21st film, OUR DANCING DAUGHTERS (1928), made her a star. Crawford maintained this status throughout the remainder of her career, but not without setbacks. Her films of the 1930s, though lavish and stylish, were mostly routine and superficial. Despite a mature and impressive performance in THE WOMEN (1939), Crawford continued to be given less-than-challenging roles by the studio.
	In 1942 Crawford left MGM and her career took a decided upward turn after she signed with Warner Bros. the following year. In numerous Warner Bros. melodramas and films noirs, a new Crawford persona emerged: intelligent, often neurotic, powerful and sometimes ruthless, but also vulnerable and dependent. Memorable roles in MILDRED PIERCE (1945), HUMORESQUE (1946) and POSSESSED (1947) restored and consolidated her popularity. In her nine films noirs for Warner Bros. and other studios, as well in most of her non-noir features (such as HARRIET CRAIG, 1950), Crawford gave expert and fully realized interpretations.
	After this brief period of success, Crawford's career declined once again, and in 1951 she left Warners. She worked for various studios, most memorably for RKO in SUDDEN FEAR (1952), a performance which earned her an Oscar nomination. With the exception of WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? (1962), Crawford's performances of the 60s were mostly self-caricatures in second-rate horror films (BERSERK, 1967, TROG, 1970). Although these later features were poor vehicles for her talents, she was a resilient and consummate professional who continued to impose the highest standards of performance upon herself. Crawford was married 5 times: to James Welton (1923-24), to actors Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., (1929-1933), Franchot Tone (1935-1939) and Phillip Terry (1942-1946) -- all of which ended in divorces -- and to Alfred Nu Steele (1956 until his death in 1959). She was portrayed as a cruel and calculating mother by Faye Dunaway in the 1981 film, MOMMIE DEAREST, based on a biography by her adopted daughter Christina. Actress 1945: MILDRED PIERCE Nominated for Actress 1947: POSSESSED Nominated for Actress 1952: SUDDEN FEAR 3 nominations. 1 Award