Crawford, Joan (1905-1977), was one of the most popular and durable stars in motion-picture history. Her long career lasted from the 1920’s to the early 1970’s.
Crawford was born on March 23, 1905, in San Antonio. Her real name was Lucille Fay LeSueur. She began her show-business career as a dancer in nightclubs and in Broadway shows. She made her movie debut in 1925 in the silent film Pretty Ladies. She quickly came to represent the wild-living young women of what is known as the Jazz Age of the 1920’s. During the 1930’s, Crawford often portrayed ambitious working women. She played glamour roles and suffering heroines in films of the late 1930’s and 1940’s. She won the 1945 Academy Award for best actress for her performance as a self-sacrificing mother in Mildred Pierce. In the 1950’s, she appeared as fascinating mature women. She ended her career in horror films.
Crawford made more than 85 movies over 45 years. Her most important films include Our Dancing Daughters (1928), Grand Hotel and Rain (both 1932), Dancing Lady (1933), The Women (1939), A Woman’s Face (1941), Humoresque (1946), Possessed (1947), Sudden Fear (1952), and What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962). She also wrote two volumes of autobiography, A Portrait of Joan (1962) and My Way of Life (1971). Crawford died on May 10, 1977. Her adopted daughter Christina wrote a best-selling and controversial biography called Mommie Dearest (1978). It portrayed Crawford as an abusive mother.
