Paid (1930).

Paid(1930). Drama. Cast: Joan Crawford, Robert Armstrong, and Kent Douglass. Directed and produced by Sam Wood. The lead role was for Norma Shearer but she had to decline because of her pregnancy.

Mary Turner, is only a young shop-girl, who is sentenced to a 3-year prison term for a crime she did not commit, she promises that someday she will even the score.



Prison life hardens her and after serving her sentence, she hooks up with three criminals: Joe Garson, Agnes Lynch and Red and they all make a living at embezzlement, blackmail and larceny schemes...

To get revenge on her former employer Edward Gilder, she marries his son, Bob. Edward, tries to have the marriage annulled, which does not work out the way he planned. He then persuades Eddie Griggs to act as informer and help Joe and Red to rob Bob's home.

Mary learns of the scheme and exposes Eddie... Which causes someones death. Will Mary, end up back in prison?

I'm a big fan of Crawford's early performances.. I was so happy to catch her classic film, Paid for the first time.. If you are a fan of early talkies, this film is for you. Also, it was good to see the actress Marie Prevost perform in this film..

Marie Prevost (November 8, 1898 – January 21, 1937). In 1915, Prevost landed a job as a secretary at a law firm which represented the Keystone Film Corporation. While running an office errand at the Keystone Studios, Prevost was asked to perform in a bit part for the film, His Father's Footsteps. Keystone's owner, Mack Sennett, was impressed by Prevost's performance and sent word that he wanted to see Prevost in his office.

As her career was beginning to rise, Prevost married Henry Charles Gerke in June 1918. The couple separated soon after and Prevost kept news of the marriage a secret.

One of her first publicly successful film roles was in the 1920 romantic film Love, Honor and Behave.

In 1919, Sennett cast Prevost in her first lead role in, Yankee Doodle Dandy.

In 1921, director King Baggot's helped to secure her a contract with Universal for $1,000 a week. Prevost was released from her contract with Keystone and she signed with Universal in 1921.

At Universal, Irving Thalberg took an interest in Prevost and decided to make her a star. Thalberg ensured that she received a great deal of publicity and staged numerous publicity events. After announcing that he had selected two films for Prevost to star in, The Moonlight Follies (1921) and Kissed (1922), Thalberg sent Prevost to Coney Island where she publicly burned her bathing suit to symbolize the end of her bathing beauty days.

While at Universal, Prevost was still performed in light comedies. After her contract expired, Jack Warner signed her to a two-year contract at $1500 a week at Warner Bros.

Prevost was dating actor Kenneth Harlan. Jack Warner had also signed Harlan to a contract and cast the couple in the lead roles in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Beautiful and Damned. To publicize the film, Warner announced that the couple would marry on the film's set. The publicity stunt worked and thousands of fans sent gifts and letters to the couple.

In August 1923, Sonny Gerke, Prevost's first husband filed for divorce. The Los Angeles Mirror got wind that Prevost was still married and ran a story with the headline "Marie Prevost Will be a Bigamist if She Marries Kenneth Harlan". Warner was livid over the negative publicity and Prevost's failure to disclose her first marriage despite the fact that the publicity stunt was his idea. In spite of the bad publicity, Prevost's performance in, The Beautiful and Damned brought good reviews.

Director Ernst Lubitsch chose her for a major role opposite Adolphe Menjou in 1924's The Marriage Circle. Her performance as the beautiful seductress, Lubitsch said that she was one of the few actresses in Hollywood who knew how to underplay comedy to achieve the maximum effect.

This performance, praised by The New York Times, resulted in Lubitsch casting her in, Three Women in 1924 and in, Kiss Me Again the following year.

In early 1926, Warner Bros. decided to not renew Prevost and Harlan's contracts (the two had quietly married in 1924 after Prevost's divorced was finalized). Shortly after she was let go from Warner Bros., Prevost's mother, Hughlina Bickford, was involved in a fatal automobile accident in Lordsburg, New Mexico on February 5, 1926. Bickford was traveling to Palm Beach, Florida with actress Vera Steadman and Hollywood studio owner Al Christie when their vehicle overturned. Bickford was crushed by the vehicle and died at the scene. Steadman and Christie both sustained serious injuries but survived.

Devastated by the loss of her mother, Prevost began drinking heavily. Prevost, tried to get past her heart break by burying herself in her work. Adding to her depression was the end of her marriage to Kenneth Harlan, the two separated in 1927.

After seeing Prevost in, The Beautiful and Damned, Howard Hughes cast her as the lead in, The Racket (1928). Hughes and Prevost later had a affair. After the affair ended, which put her into a deeper depression. Her role in The Racket was to be Prevost's last leading role. Prevost's depression caused her to binge on food resulting in weight gain. Her weight gained furthered her depression which caused her to drink more.

In 1929, Cecil B. DeMille offered her a co-starring role in his final silent film, The Godless Girl, starring Lina Basquette.

In 1930, she performed in the classic film, Paid, starring Joan Crawford. While Prevost's role was secondary, she still received good reviews.

In 1932, she was one of the three leads in the film Three Wise Girls, starring Jean Harlow.

By 1934, she had no work and she ended up in financial trouble. Her weight problems forced her into crash dieting to keep whatever bit part a movie studio offered. Prevost made her last on screen appearance in a bit part as a waitress in, Ten Laps to Go.

Prevost died of alcoholism at the age of 38. Her body was not discovered until January 23, after neighbors complained about her dog's incessant barking. Police found several empty liquor bottles in the room along with a promissory note to Joan Crawford for $110. Her funeral (which was paid for by Joan Crawford) at the Hollywood Memorial Cemetery.

In February 1937, it was discovered that Prevost's estate was valued at $300. This prompted the Hollywood community to create the Motion Picture and Television Country House and Hospital to provide medical care for employees of the television and motion picture industry.

Pawsome Pet Pictures: Joan Crawford.

Personal Quote:

On The Women (1939) "Norma Shearer made me change my costume sixteen times because every one was prettier than hers. I love to play bitches and she helped me in this part".

The Women (1939).

The Women(1939). Comedy/drama directed by George Cukor. The film is based on Clare Boothe Luce's play of the same name, and was adapted for the screen by Anita Loos and Jane Murfin, who had to make the film acceptable for the Production Code. Cast: Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, Rosalind Russell, Paulette Goddard, Joan Fontaine, Lucile Watson, Mary Boland, and Virginia Grey, Marjorie Main and Phyllis Povah, the last two of whom reprise their stage roles from the play. Florence Nash, Ruth Hussey, Virginia Weidler, Butterfly McQueen(debut), and Hedda Hopper also appeared in smaller roles.

While having her nails painted "jungle red," as the catty Sylvia Fowler learns from Olga, the manicurist, that her good friend Mary Haines's husband Stephen, is having an affair with perfume clerk Crystal Allen.

Mary is hosting a luncheon that afternoon and Sylvia cannot wait to spread the gossip among their friends. When Stephen calls to cancel a trip they had been planning, making matters worse.

Sylvia,recommends Olga to Mary for a "jungle red" manicure, who shares with her the details of Stephen's affair, not realizing that Mary is Mrs. Haines.



Mary's mother, Mrs. Morehead, advises her daughter to keep silent, but during a fashion show, Mary unexpectedly meets the gold digger Crystal. Sylvia, loves that the confrontation made the society columns front page.

Heartbroken, Mary, now facing every woman's nightmare, wants a divorce and travels by train to Reno. While on the train, Mary meets her friends, Peggy Day, Miriam Aarons and Flora, the Countess De Lave, as they all travel to Reno to get their divorces.

Soon after arriving at a dude ranch for women, they are joined by Sylvia, who has just been left by her husband for Miriam.

On the day that Mary's divorce is to become final, Miriam tells her to forget her pride and take back her husband, but Mary is too late, as Stephen is planning to marry Crystal.

Two years later, Crystal, now bored with Stephen, begins an affair with singing cowboy Buck Winston, the countess' young husband.

Mary is still in love with her ex-husband Stephen, and becomes hopeful when her daughter, Mary, shares with her mother that her daddy is not happy with his new wife.

Deciding to fight for Stephen.. Mary, tricks Sylvia, who has become friends with Crystal, into publicly exposing Crystal's affair. Will Stephen and Mary, reconcile and get back together?

Fun Facts:

No doubles were used in the fight scene where Rosalind Russell bites Paulette Goddard. Despite the permanent scar resulting from the bite, the actresses remained friends.

Sydney's, the beauty salon, was named after Sydney Guilaroff, the chief hairstylist at MGM from 1934 to the late 1970's. He was brought to MGM from New York at the request of Joan Crawford.

According to her autobiography, Rosalind Russell called in sick because Norma Shearer refused to share top billing. She stayed "sick" until Shearer finally relented.

Myrna Loy and Greta Garbo were the only top-tier female stars at MGM who did not star in this film, although Loy was considered for the role of Crystal Allen.

My favorite scenes in this highly entertaining film: the fight scene with Goddard and Russell, the bath scene with Crawford and last scene when all the woman get into a cat-fight at the ball. With beautiful costumes designed by Adrian.

Phyllis Povah (July 21, 1893 – August 7, 1975), made her Broadway theatre debut in Mr. Pim Passes By in 1921 and acted in minor roles in several productions over the next two decades.

She achieved a notable success in a featured role in the stage production of The Women, and the play ran for 18 months, from 1936 until 1938.

When a film version was planned, Povah and Marjorie Main were the only members of the cast who were chosen to reprise their roles in the film which was released in 1939. (The film was directed by George Cukor).

The film was a success, but Povah continued to work steadily in theatre, and appeared in the film Let's Face It (1943) with Bob Hope and Betty Hutton.

Dear Ruth, in which Povah starred with John Dall and Virginia Gilmore played on Broadway from 1944 until 1946, and provided her with a substantial role and her biggest success during the 1940s.

She made two films in 1952, The Marrying Kind with Judy Holliday and Aldo Ray, and Pat and Mike with Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn, both directed by George Cukor.

Her final Broadway role was in Anniversary Waltz with MacDonald Carey and Kitty Carlisle in 1954 and 1955.

The film version, re-titled Happy Anniversary (1959) and costarring David Niven and Mitzi Gaynor, was her final film.

She died from a heart attack in Port Washington, New York, aged 82.

John Garfield 100th Birthday Blogathon: Humoresque(1947).

To celebrate classic actor John Garfield’s centennial birthday. Patti at "They Don’t Make Them Like They Used To", is hosting The John Garfield Centennial Blogathon. Please click on poster located on the side bar to read all contributions.

This is my contribution to the John Garfield, event. He was a popular leading man of his era, who made some great films. Which brings us to one of my favorite Garfield films the very glamorous:

Humoresque(1947). One of the best tortured love stories ever filmed. It is about.. one rich, bored with life woman and one poor, talented young man violinist, who fall in love and make trouble for everybody including themselves. Cast: Joan Crawford, John Garfield, Oscar Levant, J. Carroll Nash, Joan Chandler, Tom D'Andrea, Peggy Knudsen, Ruth Nelson, Craig Stevens, Paul Cavanaugh, Richard Gaines, John Abbott, Bobby Blake, Tommy Cook, Don McGuire, Fritz Leiber, Peg La Centra, Nestor Paiva, Richard Walsh.

John Garfield's violin "performances" are actually played by two professional violinists standing on either side of him, one to bow and one to finger. The actual music was performed by Isaac Stern. According to Isaac Stern's autobiography, "My First 79 Years", when the movie shows closeups of the hands alone playing the violin (without Garfield in the frame), those are Stern's hands you see.

Awards: 1947 Oscar nomination for Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture: Franz Waxman.

Violinist Paul Boray, first becomes interested in the violin as a child when he receives the violin as a birthday present. Phil, Paul's older brother, resents the fact that Paul spends all his time practicing, instead of working in the family grocery store.

Paul, finds a job with a radio orchestra, but.. things don't work out because he thinks he is ready to make his classical concert debut. His friend Sid, suggests that he attend a party at the home of socialites Helen and Victor Wright, where he might meet the right people, who introduces him to Bauer.

At the party Helen, who is jaded and bored with her life, amuses herself with young men. Becomes interested in the ambitious classical violinist performing at her party, she jokes that he will probably end up in prison.

Soon after, Paul becomes a successful performer and he and Helen fall in love. When Helen talks things over with his mother Esther, she reminds Helen about her three previous failed marriages and begs her to leave Paul alone.

One night, while Paul is performing on the radio, a drunken Helen realizes that she maybe holding him back from the thing he loves the most, his career. You see the despair written on Crawford's face and her loneliness of being in an unhappy marriage and not knowing what to do with her forbidden love.

The final chilling good-by scene is when Helen, walks along the beach, the ocean is dark, lonely and beautiful all at the same time....

Our Modern Maidens(1929).

Our Modern Maidens(1929). A silent film directed by Jack Conway. Cast: Joan Crawford in her last silent film role, Rod La Rocque, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., and Anita Page. Our Modern Maidens is the second of three film where Crawford and Page appear together. Fun Fact: Joan Crawford married co-star Douglas Fairbanks Jr. in a well orchestrated publicity event for the film.




The story begins during the "Jazz Age". Billie Brown and Gil Jordan, decide to secretly get married. To find Gil a diplomatic job in Paris, Billie, decides to trick Glenn Abbott, who falls in love with her, saying Gil is only a boy. While this is all going on Gil and Kentucky have an affair, which he regrets, telling her of his engagement to Billie. Kentucky, says she will never tell Billie, her best friend.

Soon After, Glenn gets Gil the job and their engagement is announced, enraging Glenn to the point he almost rapes Crawford. Billie and Gil, go ahead with their plans and get married in an elaborate wedding.

All is well.. until Billie discovers Gil's affair with Kentucky. Giving them good wishes, she leaves her husband.

Sometime later.. in France, she and Abbott meet again. Will, they find themselves back in each other arms?

This silent film has it all... Fast cars, jazz parties, a love quadrangle, great art deco sets.. a wonderful glimpse back in time..

Modern Maidens(1929)  Please check out Silents movie review..

Joan Crawford

Anita Page.

Pawsome Pet Pictures: Joan Crawford

What a great pic of Joan and her friend..

Pawsome Pet Pictures: Joan Crawford.

Personal Quote:

"There was a saying around MGM: "Norma Shearer got the productions, Greta Garbo supplied the art, and Joan Crawford made the money to pay for both".

Love on the Run (1936).

Love on the Run (1936). Cast: Joan Crawford, Franchot Tone, and Clark Gable. Love on the Run, is the seventh of eight cinematic collaborations between Crawford and Gable.

The story begins when, London based American newspaper reporters Michael Anthony and Barnabas Pells, flip a coin to see who will cover which of the two up coming stories.

Mike gets the story about millionairess Sally Parker's wedding to Prince Igor, while Barney, is to interview aviator Baron Otto Spandermann and his wife Hilda.

On the way into the wedding, Mike sees Sally the "runaway bride", run out of the church and follows her, in hopes to get a "big" story. At her hotel, Mike runs into Barney, but doesn't tell him that he is following Sally to her hotel room.

When the prince arrives at the hotel, Mike hits him when he recognizes him as a reporter. Mike and Sally take off, wearing the baron and baroness' flying suits as disguises. Barney chases them to the airport, but they fly away, even though they cant fly. Just before they crash land in France, they find a map in flowers to be delivered to the baroness and realize that the aviators are really spies. Mike, sends a cablegram about Sally, to his editor Berger, who is excited about the "spy story".

Barney, catches up with Mike and Sally in Paris, soon after they are seen by the baron and baroness. As they run, Mike pushes Barney, into the back of the truck they steal and tells Sally that Barney is a reporter. They arrive at the Palace of Fontainebleau and sneak in to spend the night. It is not long before, they realize that they are in love. The next morning, Barney catches up with them, and Sally doesn't believe him when he tells her that Mike is a reporter.

Mike wanting to fess up, gives her a newspaper with his story and she realizes that he is a reporter. He tells her he loves her, but she still rejects him. When Barney arrives, she tells him that she will give him a great story. As they are traveling by train to Nice, Sally can't forget Mike and wants to go back to him, but the baron and baroness, come into their compartment with guns and demand that Sally give them the map, which she does not have.

Barney finds Mike, at a cafe in Paris and tells him what has happened, Mike, decides to go to Nice, to save Sally. In Nice, Mike finds Sally, at her hotel and they go to the train station. In the station, the baroness switches clothes with Sally, in the ladies room, then goes with Mike, pretending to be Sally. The baron, then takes Sally to a restaurant. She tries to convince two policemen, that the baron's is a spy, but instead they believe the baron's story. The baron, kidnaps Sally and the two policemen and take them to his chateau, where the baroness and Mike, are waiting. Barney, hot on their heels also arrives. Will they all be able to over come the spies plans?

This film may remind you of Gable's role in "It Happened One Night" with him as a newspaper reporter passing himself off as a friend to runaway heiress.

You will love the funny scene, when the caretaker at the palace Fontainbleu, thinks Gable and Crawford are ghosts and wants to give Gable a tip on his minuet style. Crawford, chemistry with both stars is excellent.

Mona Barrie (December 18, 1909 – June 27, 1964), was an English born actress and was educated in Australia and made her professional debut as a ballet dancer in Sydney at the age of sixteen.

In 1933 she moved to New York, was given a test for films and this led to making her film debut in the 1934 film, Sleepers East.

She was mostly cast in secondary roles, during a film career spanning almost twenty years she performed in more than fifty motion pictures.

I Live My Life(1935).

Please click here to learn more about Joan Crawford.
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I Live My Life(1935). Cast: Joan Crawford, Brian Aherne, and Frank Morgan, and is based on the story Claustrophobia, by A. Carter Goodloe.

While vacationing in the Greek islands, wealthy Kay Bentley meets Terry O'Neill, a young archaeologist. At the site of Terry's dig, Kay forgets to tie her mule and finds herself left behind. She pretends to have twisted her ankle to get Terry, to carry her back to where her yacht is docked. Terry tells Kay, he despises people who own yachts.

When they arrive in the village, Kay, admits that she had been faking her ankle injury. Angry, Terry grabs her, carries her back up the hill and forces her to walk back down herself. Later, Kay, who could not get the scientist out of her mind, has the yacht's captain return back to, Naxos.

Back on the island, Kay apologizes to Terry, who tells her the story of Pygmalion and tells her that he is in love with her and promises to visit her in New York. Kay, only thinks of their relationship as a passing fancy. Terry, sails to New York, accompanied by his assistant, Betty Collins, who believes that he maybe in over his head.

After his arrival in New York, Terry learns that he has been dumped by Kay, and decides to attend a museum, where the topic is a new archaeological acquisition. There he meets Kay's father, a board member who invites him to his home to continue their discussion.

Kay, is surprised to find Terry, in her house, but invites him to go with her, to meet her wealthy friends. Terry, is introduced to Gene, who Kay's grandmother, wants her to marry. Gene, sarcastically asks Terry, if his firm handshake is from playing polo. Terry, not liking what he sees tells her that her friends are very selfish, people.

Later, Kay learns that her father's very important business deal will fall through unless she marries Gene. Hoping to save her father from financial ruin, Kay leaves for Connecticut, where she plans to tell her Grandmother(owns her father's company), that she going to marry Gene even though she is in love with Terry.

Kay, can not believe it when she learns that her father's deal went through successfully. Did Kay's grandmother, have a change of heart?

One of the film's highlights is the chemistry between Crawford and Frank Morgan, who plays her father. Also, Arthur Treacher, Jessie Ralph and Eric Blore all give wonderful performances. Sterling Holloway, has small but memorable role as Aherne's assistant. Aline MacMahon, Frank Conroy, all these character actors do their part in this entertaining film. I wish that Granville Bates, the yacht captain, had a larger role. Loved his performance in the film, My Favorite Wife.

A Woman's Face(1941).

A Woman's Face(1941). Drama, directed by George Cukor, Cast: Joan Crawford, Melvyn Douglas and Conrad Veidt.

Most of the film is told in flashbacks: Anna Holm, is in the courtroom waiting for her murder trial to begin. The first witness, Herman Rundvik, begins his testimony:

Late one night, while aristocrat Torsten Barring is hosting a party, one of the guests named Vera, is the wife of a well known plastic surgeon, Gustav Segert. When the tavern will no longer allow Torsten credit, he charms the badly scarred Anna Holm, into paying his tab.

Bernard Dalvik, then testifies: that he and Anna and Rundvik made most of their money from blackmail.

Vera testifies: When Anna, brings her letters, she demands more money. So while Vera is getting her jewels to pay for the letters, Gustav comes home unexpectedly and Anna tries to distract him. Thinking that Anna is a thief, Gustav wants to call the police, but Vera convinces him not to. Gustav, sees Anna's scars, and offers to perform plastic surgery on her.

Anna is sworn in next: She testifies that her childhood scars were caused when her drunken father accidentally started a fire. Anna, also tells the court that she had twelve operations, because she was in love with Torsten.

After the operation, Anna, is now a beautiful woman when she goes to Torsten, who tells her that his rich uncle, Consul Magnus Barring, is leaving everything to his four-year-old grandson, but.. if something happens to the grandson, Torsten, is next in line to inherit everything.

Anna, agrees to help Torsten, with his plan to kill the boy, by posing as a governess. To her suprise she finds that she really likes the Consul Magnus Barringand and his grandson. One night, Torsten comes to the chateau for a party, as does Gustav, who does not reveal her true identity.

The next day, while trying to listen to a conversation between Torsten and Gustav, Anna leaves the boy too long under the sun lamp and she becomes so upset, it makes Torsten think, she maybe changing her mind about helping him. He then gives her an ultimatum, that the boy must die... will she be able to go through with it?

Joan Crawford, has one of her first great roles in this part thriller part courtroom drama. A Woman's Face, gives Crawford the kind of role that showed off all her talents as an actress. This film, along with Mildred Pierce, Possessed and Humoresque, might be one of her best.

Osa Massen (13 January 1914 – 2 January 2006) was a Danish movie actress who began her career as a newspaper photographer before becoming an actress. Her best known performance was as Melvyn Douglas' unfaithful wife dealing with blackmailer Joan Crawford in the film, A Woman's Face (1941).

She also appeared as a mysterious woman with something to hide in the film, Deadline at Dawn.

Later in her career she performed in guest roles on many television programs.

She performed with Lloyd Bridges in the B-movie, Rocketship X-M (1950).

Her last role was on television in 1962.

Today We Live (1933) .

Today We Live (1933). Cast: Joan Crawford, Gary Cooper, Robert Young, and Franchot Tone. The film is based on "Turnabout" by William Faulkner. Faulkner also provided the dialogue for the film, making it the only film version of his work that he co-wrote. Joan Crawford's character was added to the film to add a love interest. She met her future husband Franchot Tone on the set of the film. They married two years later.

In World War I, Diana, a English girl, gets caught up in a love triangle between British Naval Officer, Claude and an American fighter pilot, Bogard. A rivalry for Diana develops between the men. Claude is blinded in action, just as he realizes Diana and Bogard's true feelings for one another. A suicide mission comes up, the men all go off to fight the war. Who will come back for Diana?

 Fun Facts:

Variety reported in its review that director Howard Hawks used footage from the movie, Hell's Angels (1930) for the big bomber expedition sequence, the main dogfight, and the head-on collision of two airplanes.

Film debut of Franchot Tone.

I thought this film had beautiful sets and interesting costumes. Joan Crawford's fans will find that she was at the height of her beauty and dominates the first forty-five minutes of the film. This love story is a strange one.

When Ladies Meet (1941).

When Ladies Meet (1941). Cast: Joan Crawford, Robert Taylor, Greer Garson, Herbert Marshall, and Spring Byington. The screenplay by S.K. Lauren and Anita Loos was based upon a 1932 play by Rachel Crothers. The film was directed by Robert Z. Leonard, who also co-produced the film with Orville O. Dull.

The story is about, Mary Howard, a novelist with different ideas about love and marriage. Things become complicated when she falls in love with her publisher, Rogers Woodruff. She decides to take him away from his wife. Mary's friend Jimmy, is convinced he's the right man for her and comes up with a plan to end her relationship with, Woodruff.

He invites Mary and Woodruff's wife Claire, to meet at the house of a friend. The two women do not know each other, but during their visits they become friends. When she learns Woodruff is a womanizer, she realizes she does not love him...

Video: When Ladies Meet (1941) -- So You Got Lost?



It is interesting to watch the two different acting styles of Joan and Greer, play off each other. Once again, Spring Byington perfectly plays the ditsy-rich-lady character. I just love her. You may find yourself routing for.. Greer Garson. I also thought the sets were absolutely beautiful..

Joan Crawford.

Joan Crawford, was one of Hollywood's most famous movie stars, but her films began losing money and by the end of the 1930s she was labeled "box office poison". After a two year break from performing on screen, Crawford, made a comeback in the film, Mildred Pierce (1945), for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress. The five films listed below are a couple of my favorite Joan Crawford films:

Mildred Pierce (1945) A woman turns herself into a business tycoon to win her self centered daughter's love . Cast: Joan Crawford, Ann Blyth, Jack Carson. Dir: Michael Curtiz.

Daisy Kenyon (1947). On the rebound from a married man, a woman marries a veteran, just as her lover becomes available. Cast: Joan Crawford, Henry Fonda, Dana Andrews. Dir: Otto Preminger.

This Woman Is Dangerous (1952) A female gangster learns she is losing her vision. Cast: Joan Crawford, Dennis Morgan, David Brian.



Goodbye, My Fancy (1951). When she returns to her alma mater to pick up an honorary degree, a congresswoman re-ignites an old flame. Cast: Joan Crawford, Robert Young, Frank Lovejoy. Dir: Vincent Sherman.

The Damned Don't Cry (1950), Fed up with her small-town marriage, a woman goes after the big time and gets mixed up with the mob. Cast: Joan Crawford, David Brian, Steve Cochran. Dir: Vincent Sherman.

Happy Birthday: Joan Crawford!

Joan Crawford (March 23, 1905 – May 10, 1977), career spanned over 45 years and over 80 films. She began dancing under the name, Lucille LeSueur, in traveling shows when she was spotted by producer Jacob J. Shubert. Shubert, put her in the chorus line for his 1924 show, Innocent Eyes, on Broadway in New York City.

Looking for work, she went to Loews Theaters publicist Nils Granlund, who found a place for her with producer Harry Richmond. He arranged for her a screen test which he sent to producer Harry Rapf, in Hollywood, who offered Crawford a contract.

As Lucille LeSueur, her first film was, Pretty Ladies(1925). A silent comedy-drama. The film is a fictional story about the, Ziegfeld Follies. Directed by Monta Bell. The story begins when.. Maggie, a Broadway dancing comedienne whose husband leaves her for another woman. Who finds love by being herself. It was also the film debut of, Myrna Loy (then still performing under her real last name Williams), who became a star in the film, The Thin Man (1934).

Also in 1925 she performed in a small role in the films, The Only Thing and Old Clothes. MGM publicity head Pete Smith, ran a contest in a popular fan magazine, Movie Weekly, which allowed fans to select her new name. Crawford, disliked the name throughout her life but, she said, "liked the security that went with it".

Becoming frustrated over the fluffy parts she was given, Crawford went on a self-promotion campaign. She began attending dances held at hotels around Hollywood, where she often won dance competitions. Her strategy worked and MGM cast her in the film, Sally, Irene and Mary (1925). In the same year, Crawford worked in, Lady of the Night, starring Norma Shearer.

Next, Crawford performed in the film, Paris(1926), where she showed off her sex appeal. Also, Crawford performed in the film, The Unknown (1927), starring Lon Chaney, Sr. She said that she learned more about acting from watching Chaney work, than from anything else in her career. "It was then", she said, "I became aware for the first time of the difference between standing in front of a camera and acting."

In 1928, Crawford starred opposite Ramon Novarro in the film, Across to Singapore, but.. it was her role in the film, Our Dancing Daughters (1928) that made her a star.

On June 3, 1929- May 1939, Crawford married Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. at Saint Malachy's Roman Catholic Church in New York City. Fairbanks, was the son of Douglas Fairbanks and the stepson of Mary Pickford.

Her first talkie film was, Untamed (1929), opposite Robert Montgomery. Crawford made the transition into sound movies with ease. The story is about, oil prospector Hank, who has raised his daughter Bingo, in the jungle of South America. He asks his friend Ben, to come work for him on his oil wells. Just as Ben arrives with Howard, Hank is killed by an oil worker who is in love with Bingo.

After, she has inherited her father's company, Ben becomes her guardian and she calls him and Howard both uncles, even though they are not related. Her "uncles" decide that Bingo should move to New York, to learn to behave like a lady. While they are aboard the ocean liner, she meets the well-educated Andy and it is love at first sight .



Because she is wealthy, he is afraid of what people might think and tells her that he cannot marry her and live off her money. Andy turns to Marjory and Bingo, goes into a jealous rage and shoots him in the shoulder. Changing his mind about leaving her, Andy decides that Bingo, is the woman for him .

After the sound film, Our Blushing Brides (1930), MGM began to develop a more sophisticated image of Crawford, rather than continuing the flapper girl of the silent era.

She went on to star opposite Clark Gable, in the film, Possessed(1931). A Pre-Code drama film directed by Clarence Brown. The film is the story of Marian Martin, a factory worker who rises to the top as the mistress of a wealthy attorney. Possessed, was the third of eight movie collaborations between Crawford and Gable.

The studio then cast her in the film, Grand Hotel, which starred the most famous actors of the 1930's. Crawford starred opposite Gable in the film, Dancing Lady (1933), in which she received top billing. Crawford's, next movies were, Sadie McKee, Chained and Forsaking All Others (all 1934).

In 1935-1939, Crawford married her second husband, Franchot Tone, a stage actor from New York who planned to use his film salary to help support his theatre group. Tone and Crawford performed together in the film, Today We Live (1933). The couple built a small theatre at Crawford's Brentwood home and put on plays for their friends.

Crawford, gave wonderful performances in the films: The Women(1939), Strange Cargo (1940), her eighth and final film with Clark Gable, A Woman's Face (1941).

Crawford, made a cameo with many other stars in, Hollywood Canteen (1944). Crawford said one of the main reasons she signed with Warner Bros. was because she wanted to play the character "Mattie" in the 1944 film version of Edith Wharton's novel, Ethan Frome (1911). It turns out, Bette Davis wanted to play Mattie and told Jack Warner, "Joan's far too old, and besides, she can't act."

Crawford wanted to play the title role in the film, Mildred Pierce (1945). a story about a woman who spoils her daughters while husband Bert looks to another woman for affection. They soon divorce, leaving Mildred to raise the girls by herself. Realtor Wally Fay, who is love with her, introduces her to Monte Baragon who sells her the property that becomes the first of a chain of restaurants. Meanwhile, Veda pretends to be pregnant by wealthy Ted Forrester in order to get a large amount of money from his family. Mildred tears up the check, is slapped by Veda and orders her daughter out of the house. After time away, Mildred returns home to find Veda singing in a club. Mildred marries Monte, but.. it soon becomes clear that something is going on between her daughter and Monte, with tragic results...

Davis was first choice, but..did not want to play the mother of a seventeen year old daughter and she turned the role down. Curtiz demanded Crawford take a screen test.

From 1945 to 1952, Crawford, performed in the films: Humoresque (1946), Possessed (1947), for which she was nominated for a second Oscar for Best Actress, Daisy Kenyon(1947), It's a Great Feeling (1949), Flamingo Road (1949), The Damned Don't Cry (1950). After filming, This Woman Is Dangerous (1952), Crawford asked to be released from her Warner Bros. contract. She then went on to perform in the film, Sudden Fear (1952) at RKO, which was the movie that introduced, Jack Palance, to the screen and earned Crawford a third and final Oscar nomination for Best Actress.

After her success in RKO's Sudden Fear, Crawford performed in films, Johnny Guitar (1954), Autumn Leaves (1956), What Ever Happened To Baby Jane? (1962). A story about two faded actress sisters Blanche and 'Baby' Jane Hudson, who now live together. Jane was the most famous, but as they grew older, it was Blanche who became the better actress, which Jane resents. Blanche, is now confined to a wheelchair and Jane is now in control, keeping everyone away from her, while she torments her sister.



Joan Crawford's last films were: I Saw What You Did (1965) and Berserk! (1967).

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