Hello Darlings, welcome back to Cognac’s Corner Magazine.
 
 Joan Crawford in Mildred Pierce in 1945
 In honor of The Late Screen Legend, perhaps of all time I am writing this tribute to Movie Star Joan Crawford. Joan Crawford is famous for many reasons. She was voted the 47th Greatest Movie Star of all time by Entertainment Weekly. Her performance as Mildred Pierce Beragon in Mildred Pierce (1945) is ranked #93 on Premiere Magazine’s 100 Greatest Performances of All Time (2006). She is also famous for quoting “If you’ve earned a position, be proud of it. Don’t hide it. I want to be recognized. When I hear people say, Joan Crawford !’ I turn around and say, ‘Hi! How are you!’”"If you’re going to be a star, you have to look like a star, and I never go out unless I look like Joan Crawford the movie star. If you want to see the girl next door, go next door.”
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Joan was a Star in the true sense of what real Hollywood Glamour is all about.  Today was Joan’s birthday and in memory of her fabulous life I visited her final resting place at at Ferncliff Cemetery, Hartsdale, New York along with my press photographer Shane Gritzinger.
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Cornac Wellerlane at Joan Crawford Crypt at Fernclif Cementary New York-Photography by Shane Gritzoinger
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On March 23, 1906 Joan Crawford was born Lucille Fay LeSueur in SanAntonio, Texas. Unfortunately Joan came from a broken home and her mother was quite unsuccessful staying married to the same man. It appears her mother was married three times. As a youngster Joan was playing with other children in the front yard of her home in Texas when she accidentally injured herself by stepping on a large piece of glass that remained lodged in her foot. Doctors told her she would likely never walk again without a limp after removing and treating the foot. Because of her strong will she was determined to overcome this obstacle and decided to become a dancer. For over six months she practiced walking and dancing every day until she was able to walk without pain. She not only made a full recovery but was able to fulfill her dream of becoming a dancer. She had entered several dance contests and decided she wanted a career in show business because it was so much more glamorous than the menial jobs that she was employed doing. One dance contest that she entered landed her dancing role in the chorus line. Not long after she was dancing her little tootsies in all the big cities along the Atlantic coast and the Mid-West.
In 1925 MGM spotted her in the chorus line and offered her a screen test. At first she turned down the test because of her love of dancing. A colleague of hers quickly changed her mind and she decided to test which led to her being put under contract.
It was the roaring twenties and Joan was cast in several bit parts in silent films of the era. Her first role was a showgirl in Pretty Ladies in 1925.  She was not a star yet but continued on making three more films. Joan continued to work hard at her craft although the roles weren’t much to speak of.  Finally she was cast in the role of Diana Medford in Our Dancing Daughters (1928). Which gave her the break she needed to star status.
In 1929 there was a new invention in Hollywood, it was called the “talkie” She was suddenly faced with a new dilemma. Many stars of that era were concerned about their Hollywood careers in show business. It didn’t matter what kind of voice you had in a silent movie but with sound pictures it made an enormous difference. Many stars careers began and ended abruptly with this change. Joan was lucky her strong voice enabled her to thrive. Her first “speakie” was untamed (1929). The film was a success and Joan’s career was still in top form. As she entered the 1930s, Joan became one of the top stars in the MGM stable. Films such as Grand Hotel (1932), Sadie McKee (1934), No More Ladies (1935), and Love on the Run (1936), kept movie patrons and studio executives happy and rich. Joan was at the height of her career and glamour!
It was the 1940’s and Joan was not getting the glamour roles she was use to. She was getting older and new stars were on the horizon. She decided to leave MGM and went to Warner Brothers that landed her the role that changed her life forever. In 1945 she was cast in Mildred Pierce that won her an Oscar for Best Actress.
Joan continued her quest in picking fabulous roles she wanted to appear in. 1952 saw Joan nominated for a third time for her role of Myra Hudson in Sudden Fear (1952). This time the coveted Oscar went to Shirley Booth in Come Back, Little Sheba (1952). In the 1960’s Her career stalled. Many of her films became cult films that were popular such as 1962’s What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) with her arch-rival, Bette Davis. Both actresses despised each other. The feud, between the two was well-known. No one is sure exactly how it began, but one time Miss Davis replied of Joan, “She’s slept with every male star at MGM except Lassie.” In return Joan said, “I don’t hate Bette Davis even though the press wants me to. I resent her. I don’t see how she built a career out of a set of mannerisms, instead of real acting ability. Take away the pop eyes, the cigarette, and those funny clipped words and what have you got? She’s phony, but I guess the public really likes that”.
Upon glancing at a bad photo taken of her in 1974, she decided to retire and completely devote all of her time to Christian Science. 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”.
Christina her adopted daughter wrote a tell-all book that scandalized Joan called, “Mommie Dearest” when she was cut out of the will. Her final appearance on the silver screen was a 1970 flop called Trog (1970).
In the latter part of her life she gave up her Hollywood home in Brentwood and married Alfred Steele the Pepsi Cola King and moved to a penthouse apartment in Manhattan. Steele died in 1959 and Joan decided to remain in New York City
On May 10, 1977, Joan died of pancreatic cancer in New York City. She was 72 years old.
I wrote this tribute today in dedication of fans worldwide. She was so dedicated to her fans that she always personally responded to her fan mail by typing them responses on blue paper and autographing it. A great deal of her spare time and weekends were spent doing this.
I like to think that Joan was a gift to us as a great star and Hollywood Legend that will live on forever in our fondest memories!
Rest in peace Joan.
Until my next celebrity story,
Pink Champagne Kisses
Cognac Wellerlane
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