Authors: Donald Spoto
baby brokers, 150, 173, 191
Back Street
(film), 162
Bacon, James, 257, 278
Bainter, Fay, 132, 136
Baker, Diane, 247, 248, 261, 262, 268, 270
Bakewell, William, 48–49, 77, 78
Ball, Lucille, 268
Bankhead, Tallulah, 104
Barbier, Larry, 2–3
Barefoot in the Park
(play), 279
Barker, Betty, 122, 159, 199, 286, 290
Barrymore, John, 64, 93, 94
Barrymore, Lionel, 4–5, 53, 93
Bautzer, Gregson, 151, 153, 180, 186–87, 189, 190, 192, 199, 201, 205, 209
“Because I Love Him” (TV episode), 223
Beery, Wallace, 4–5, 45, 93, 138
Belasco Theatre (Los Angeles), 51
Bell, Monta, 22, 23
Belloc Lowndes, Marie, 94, 95, 140
The Bells of St. Mary’s
(film), 182, 183
Bennett, Constance, 33, 34–35, 36, 37, 39, 45, 83, 122
Bennett, Joan, 34
Bergman, Ingrid, 36, 154, 183
Bermuda: Steele-Crawford holiday in, 244
Bern, Paul, 21, 51, 52, 284
Bernhardt, Sarah, 23
Berserk
(film), 269, 271, 274, 275, 276
The Best of Everything
(film), 245, 247–50, 261, 276
A Bill of Divorcement
(film), 119
The Black Pirate
(film), 51
Blackglama Mink campaign, 291
Blackwell, Earl, 228–29
Blanding, Don, 8–9
Blanke, Henry, 172–73
Blyth, Ann, 174, 176, 178, 183, 188
The Boob
(film), 44
Booth, Clare, 138
Booth, Shirley, 227
Borzage, Frank, 127, 135, 136, 141, 143
box-office poison, 133–34
Brady, Scott, 224
Branch, William, 118, 144
Brandeis University, 6, 281
Brando, Marlon, 216
brassiere, torpedo/bullet, 219
Brazzi, Rossano, 241
Breen, Joseph, 173–74
Brian, David, 200, 202, 203, 206, 213
The Bride Wore Red
(film), 127, 129–31
Bridgwood, Florence (a.k.a. Florence Lawrence), 27
Brinke, Anna Maria, 264
The Broadway Melody
(musical), 62
Brown, Clarence, 86–88, 95, 96, 114, 115, 134, 140, 164
Brown, John Mack, 57, 68, 81, 82
Brynner, Yul, 195
Buono, Victor, 254, 255
Cain, James M., 173, 176–77, 178, 281
Capra, Frank, 119
The Caretakers
(film), 251
Carroll, Madeleine, 210
Carson, Jack, 174, 175, 179, 200–201
Caruso, Enrico, 65, 66
Casablanca
(film), 174
Cassin, Billie.
See
Crawford, Joan
Cassin, Henry J., 7–8, 9, 10–11, 14, 41
Castle, William, 260, 261, 262, 269
Cecil B. DeMille Award, 276
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (Los Angeles), 267
censors: and
The Damned Don’t Cry,
204; and
Dance, Fools, Dance,
77, 80; and
Forsaking All Others,
116; and
Goodbye, My Fancy,
211; and
The Gorgeous Hussy,
123; and
Johnny
Guitar,
224; and
Mildred Pierce,
173–74
Chadwick School, 222–23
Chained
(film), 113–15, 117, 130, 131, 167
Chandler, Jeff, 227, 259
Chaney, Lon, 46, 47, 62, 64
Chaplin, Charlie, 24, 41, 51, 128
Charisse, Cyd, 219
charity donations, 259, 268, 272, 280, 281–82, 286, 290.
See also
generousity, Crawford’s
Chester, Genie, 113, 181, 282
Chevalier, Maurice, 52
Chicago, Illinois: Crawford as dancer in, 16
children: baby brokers for, 150, 173, 191; of celebrities, 196–97, 198; and Crawford as disciplinarian, 196, 197–98; as Crawford’s blind spot, 197; Crawford’s decisions to adopt, 136–37, 149–51, 158–59, 168, 191, 197; and Crawford’s frame of reference for motherhood, 197; and Crawford’s fund-raising for nursery schools, 169; and Crawford’s miscarriages, 125, 137, 149; and Crawford’s need to save children, 158, 197; and Crawford’s personality, 196–97; and Terry- Crawford divorce, 180.
See also
specific child
Christian Science, 291
Clark, Dane, 171–72
“Claustrophobia” (short story), 120–21
cleanliness: Crawford’s concerns about, 130, 133, 169, 170, 171, 270
Clift, Montgomery, 250
close-up shots, 157–58, 178
Clurman, Harold, 112
Cobb, Lee J., 112
Cochran, Steve, 202, 203, 259
Cocoanut Grove (Los Angeles), 26, 52
Cocteau, Jean, 52
Coffee, Lenore, 87, 89, 216
Cohen, Herman, 271, 273, 274–75
Colbert, Claudette, 104, 110, 119, 178
Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS), 272
Columbia Studios, 161, 190, 206, 228, 235, 240, 261, 264, 280
Comédie-Française, 23
comedy: and Crawford as comedy actress, 116, 124, 167, 201; high, 160–61; political, 212; screwball, 115–16, 119, 123, 161.
See also
specific film
Complete Surrender
(film). See
Laughing
Sinners
Connery, Sean, 261
contract players, 5, 23, 24, 25, 42
contracts, Crawford: Metro-Crawford, 19, 20, 29, 84, 103, 117, 134; morals clause in, 91; and morals clause in contracts, 91; Warner Bros.–Crawford, 171, 172, 190, 199
Coogan, Jackie, 30
Cooper, Ben, 224, 226
Cooper, Gary, 104, 130, 200
Cornell, Katharine, 17, 112
Coward, Noel, 281
Craig’s Wife
(play). See
Harriet Craig
(film)
Crawford, Anna.
See
Le Sueur, Anna Bell Johnson
Crawford, Catherine “Cathy” (adopted daughter): adoption of, 191; childhood of, 192; Christina’s relationship with, 222, 289; and Crawford’s drinking, 286; and Crawford’s finances, 234, 246; Crawford’s relationship with, 192, 198–99, 239, 288–90, 291; and Crawford’s will, 290; education of, 223; European vacation of, 238; marriage/divorce of, 289; and
Mommie Dearest,
193, 198–99; and Steele-Crawford relationship, 231, 235
Crawford, Cheryl, 112
Crawford, Christina (adopted daughter): acting ambitions of, 238–40, 257, 277; adoption of, 152–53; Bacon interview of, 278; and Bautzer-Crawford relationship, 187; at Chadwick School, 222–23; charity work of, 272; childhood of, 165, 169–70; and Christopher on location with Crawford, 224; Crawford as TV replacement for, 272–73; Crawford’s comments about, 279; and Crawford’s finances, 234, 246; and Crawford’s generosity, 153; Crawford’s gifts to, 258, 274, 280; and Crawford’s preoccupation with her career, 195; Crawford’s relationship with, 153, 192–99, 239, 250–51, 257–59, 272–73, 277, 279–80, 288–89, 290–91; and Crawford’s will, 193, 290; and Davis and Crawford comparison, 253; education of, 193; European vacation of, 238; and Hal, 60; illness of, 272; Loy’s comments about, 198, 279; and McCabe-Crawford relationship, 152; Medlinsky marriage and divorce of, 257, 277;
Mommie
Dearest
of, 192–99, 258, 263, 273, 274, 278–79, 280, 289; personality of, 192; and Steele-Crawford relationship, 231, 235; television appearances of, 272–73, 277, 278; Terry as father for, 163; and Terry-Crawford divorce, 180; twins’ relationship with, 289
Crawford, Christopher (a.k.a. Marcus Gary Kullberg) (adopted son), 159, 162, 173
Crawford, Christopher (a.k.a. Phillip Terry II) (adopted son): adoption of, 168; Barker’s comments about, 199; at Chadwick School, 222–23; childhood and youth of, 195, 196, 222–23, 224; Crawford’s comments about, 196, 243–44; and Crawford’s finances, 234, 246; Crawford’s relationship with, 195, 198, 239, 288–89, 290; and Crawford’s will, 193, 290; death of, 243; delinquency/legal problems of, 243; European vacation of, 238; legal name change for, 180; on location for
Johnny Guitar,
224; Loy’s comment about, 198; marriages/divorces of, 243; and Steele-Crawford relationship, 231, 235; twins’ relationship with, 289
Crawford, Cynthia “Cindy” (adopted daughter): adoption of, 191; childhood of, 192; Christina’s relationship with, 222, 289; Crawford as attending to, 192; and Crawford’s drinking, 286; and Crawford’s finances, 234, 246; Crawford’s relationship with, 198–99, 239, 288–89; and Crawford’s will, 290; education of, 223; European vacation of, 238; marriage/divorce of, 289; and
Mommie Dearest,
193, 198–99; and Steele-Crawford relationship, 231, 235
Crawford, Joan: abuse of, 11, 134, 187; Academy Awards for, 183–84; in accidents, 49–50, 55, 108; ambitions of, 10, 19, 21, 45, 65, 71, 75, 80, 94, 129; appearance of, 2, 95, 110–11, 120, 142–43, 176, 221, 237, 238, 259, 287, 288, 291; “biography” for, 27–28; birth of, 6, 127; childhood and youth of, 7–15, 16, 197, 198, 210; complexity of, 288; contest for naming, 23, 26– 30; cosmetic surgery for, 56, 118, 219, 285; death of, 292; depression of, 134, 149, 150, 162, 170, 256; divorces of, 105–6, 135, 180, 181; drinking by, 135, 184, 209, 223, 249, 258, 271, 272, 273, 275, 277, 280, 286; education of, 9–10, 11, 12, 13–14; fame of, 46, 53; family background of, 6–7; father figures for, 14, 41; film assignments for, 70, 99, 140; first top billing for, 44; illness of, 144, 149, 183–84, 223, 267–68, 274–75, 284, 285, 286, 291–92; image of, 46, 91, 101–2, 129, 221, 233, 235, 244, 262, 263, 279, 287–88; inferiority complex of, 10, 11, 12, 54, 71, 100, 101, 111, 158; insecurity/vulnerability of, 26–27, 73, 112–13, 127–28, 134, 135, 150, 176, 186, 205, 206, 219, 227, 235, 248, 249, 262, 271, 272; legal name change for, 30; library of, 280; loneliness of, 10, 11, 102, 180, 221, 222, 223, 231, 236, 249, 250, 271, 285; marriages of, 63, 64, 121, 163, 230–32; miscarriages of, 125, 137, 149; as Movie Queen, 210, 242; as national figure, 34; overdose of sleeping pills of, 212– 13; penitential performances by, 228; personality of, 29, 39, 54, 72, 98, 129, 133, 189, 196–97, 209–10, 288; popularity of, 12, 14, 80, 90, 234; possession mania of, 222; public appearance of, 33–34, 110–11, 128, 129, 209, 223, 242; as recluse, 223, 226, 286; reputation of, 44; as romantic, 206; self-confidence of, 21, 71, 140, 157, 184; self-improvement program of, 12, 72, 76, 85, 117; sense of self of, 21, 45, 46, 72, 128, 210, 227, 286, 287–88, 291–92; social life of, 34, 72, 117, 122; talents of, 8, 41, 47, 70, 73–74, 80, 167; as threatened by younger actresses, 212; tour requirements for, 264–67; will of, 193
The Crawford News,
92–93
crew, film: Crawford’s relationships with, 94, 117, 170–71, 209, 217–18, 220, 247–48, 269, 274
Crothers, Rachel, 119, 144, 145, 146, 159, 160, 161
Cudahy, Michael, 31–33, 34, 42–44, 52
Cukor, George, 119–20, 138, 139, 140, 146–47, 155, 156, 157, 164, 282
Curtis, Alan, 130, 131
Curtiz, Michael, 174, 175–76, 178, 182, 183, 200
Daisy Kenyon
(film), 130, 190–92, 215
The Damned Don’t Cry
(film), 202–5, 206, 208, 209
Dance, Fools, Dance
(film), 76–80, 82
dancing, Crawford’s: Anna’s objections to, 8; in Chicago strip clubs, 16; as child and teenager, 7–8, 10, 12–13, 15–16; and Crawford’s ambitions, 10, 19; and Crawford’s early performances, 15–16; and Crawford’s physical appearance, 53; in dance contests, 15, 22, 26, 30, 34, 52; in
The Hollywood Revue
of 1929,
62–63; as means of losing weight, 1; nude, 15; in
The Shining
Hour,
136; and silent versus sound films, 41; in
Torch Song,
218.
See also
specific club or musical
Dancing Lady
(film), 106–9, 111, 112, 117, 130, 161, 219
Dangerous
(film), 121
Dassin, Jules, 164–65
Davies, Marion, 5, 21
Davis, Bette, 58, 121, 172, 202, 205, 206, 252–56, 260, 263, 267, 268