Joan Crawford
Acting
Joan Crawford (born Lucille Fay LeSueur; March 23, 1906 – May 10, 1977) was an American actress. She started her career as a dancer in traveling theatrical companies before debuting on Broadway. Crawford was signed to a motion picture contract by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1925. Initially frustrated by the size and quality of her parts, Crawford launched a publicity campaign and built an image as a nationally known flapper by the end of the 1920s. By the 1930s, Crawford's fame rivaled MGM colleagues Norma Shearer and Greta Garbo. Crawford often played hardworking young women who find romance and financial success. These "rags-to-riches" stories were well received by Depression-era audiences and were popular with women. Crawford became one of Hollywood's most prominent movie stars and one of the highest paid women in the United States, but her films began losing money. By the end of the 1930s, she was labeled "box office poison". After an absence of nearly two years from the screen, Crawford staged a comeback by starring in Mildred Pierce (1945), for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress. In 1955, she became involved with the Pepsi-Cola Company, through her marriage to company president Alfred Steele. After his death in 1959, Crawford was elected to fill his vacancy on the board of directors but was forcibly retired in 1973. She continued acting in film and television regularly through the 1960s, when her performances became fewer; after the release of the horror film Trog in 1970, Crawford retired from the screen. Following a public appearance in 1974, after which unflattering photographs were published, Crawford withdrew from public life. She became more and more reclusive until her death in 1977.
Known for
Acting189
movieJaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story
2025
Self (archive footage)
movieBette and Joan
2017
Self (archive footage)
movieJohnny Guitar: A Feminist Western?
2016
Self (archive footage)
movieTell Us She Was One of You: The Hollywood Blacklist and 'Johnny Guitar'
2016
Self (archive footage)
movieJohnny Guitar: A Western Like No Other
2016
Self (archive footage)
movieFascination: Unauthorized Story of Marilyn Monroe
2012
Self (archive footage)
Possessed
2011
(archive footage)
movie1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
2009
Self (archive footage)
movieThou Shalt Not: Sex, Sin and Censorship in Pre-Code Hollywood
2008
Various Roles (archive footage)
movieSpine Tingler! The William Castle Story
2007
Self (archive)
movieWhy Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema
2007
Self (archive footage)
movieTim Conway: Timeless Comedy
2007
Self (archive footage)
movieBette and Joan: Blind Ambition
2006
Self (archive footage)
movieStardust: The Bette Davis Story
2006
Self (archive footage) (voice)
movie42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage
2006
Self (archive footage)
Checking Out: Grand Hotel
2004
Self / Flaemmchen (archive footage)
movieComplicated Women
2003
Self (archive footage)
movieJoan Crawford: The Ultimate Movie Star
2002
Self (archive footage)
movieBattle-Axe: the Making of 'Strait-Jacket'
2002
Self (archive footage)
movieLon Chaney: A Thousand Faces
2000
Self (archive footage / uncredited)
movieJoan Crawford: Always the Star
1996
Self (archive footage)
movieThe First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
1995
Self (archive footage)
Legends in Light: The Photography of George Hurrell
1995
Self (archive footage)
movieBiography: Bette Davis — If Looks Could Kill
1994
Self (archive footage)
movieThat's Entertainment! III
1994
(archive footage)
movieGoing Hollywood: The '30s
1984
(archive footage)
movieHollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
1983
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
movieDead Men Don't Wear Plaid
1982
(in "Humoresque") (archive footage)
movieShowbiz Ballyhoo
1982
Self (archive footage)
movieOops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!
1982
Self (archive footage)
Bob Hope's World of Comedy
1976
Self (archive footage)
movieThat's Entertainment, Part II
1976
(archive footage)
movieBrother, Can You Spare a Dime?
1975
Self (archive footage)
movieThat's Entertainment!
1974
(archive footage) (uncredited)
movieDear Joan: We're Going to Scare You to Death
1972
Joan Fairchild
tvThe Sixth Sense
1972
Joan Fairchild
movieHollywood: The Dream Factory
1972
Self (archive footage)
movieTrog
1970
Dr. Brockton
movieNight Gallery
1969
Miss Menlo
movieGarbo, by Joan Crawford
1969
Self - Host / Narrator (voice)
movieJourney to the Unknown
1969
Self - Host
tvThe Name of the Game
1968
Committee Member (uncredited)
movieThis was the MARY
1968
Self/Narrator
movieBerserk!
1967
Monica Rivers
movieThe Karate Killers
1967
Amanda True
movieThe Oscar
1966
Joan Crawford
movieI Saw What You Did
1965
Amy Nelson
movieHush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte
1964
Miriam Deering in Car (uncredited)
tvThe Man from U.N.C.L.E.
1964
Amanda True
movieThe Big Parade of Comedy
1964
Bobby (archive footage)
movieDella
1964
Della Chappell
movieStrait-Jacket
1964
Lucy Harbin
movieThe Caretakers
1963
Lucretia Terry
movieWhat Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
1962
Blanche Hudson
tvThe Lucy Show
1962
Joan Crawford
tvThe Virginian
1962
Stephanie White
movieHollywood: The Selznick Years
1961
Self - Janie Barlow (archive footage) (uncredited)
tvRoute 66
1960
Morgan Harper
movieThe Best of Everything
1959
Amanda Farrow
tvStartime
1959
Self
Woman on the Run
1959
Susan Conrad
movieStrange Witness
1958
Ruth Marshall
movieThe Story of Esther Costello
1957
Margaret Landi
tvDick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
1956
Stella Faring / Sarah / Melanie Davidson Hobbs
movieAutumn Leaves
1956
Millicent Wetherby
movieQueen Bee
1955
Eva Phillips
movieFemale on the Beach
1955
Lynn Markham
movieThe Road to Edinburgh
1954
Mary Andrews
movieJohnny Guitar
1954
Vienna
The Secret Storm
1954
Joan Borman Kane
movieTorch Song
1953
Jenny Stewart
tvThe Oscars
1953
Self
tvGeneral Electric Theater
1953
Ann Howard / Ruth Marshall / Mary Andrews
movieSudden Fear
1952
Myra Hudson Blaine
movieThis Woman Is Dangerous
1952
Elizabeth Austin
movieGoodbye, My Fancy
1951
Agatha Reed
movieHarriet Craig
1950
Harriet Craig
movieThe Damned Don't Cry
1950
Ethel Whitehead
movieIt's a Great Feeling
1949
Joan Crawford (uncredited)
movieFlamingo Road
1949
Lane Bellamy
movieDaisy Kenyon
1947
Daisy Kenyon
movieThrough Many Windows
1947
Self - Narrator
moviePossessed
1947
Louise Howell
movieHumoresque
1947
Helen Wright
movieMildred Pierce
1945
Mildred Pierce
movieAbove Suspicion
1943
Frances Myles
movieReunion in France
1942
Michele de la Becque
movieThey All Kissed the Bride
1942
Margaret Johanna 'M.J.' Drew
movieWhen Ladies Meet
1941
Mary 'Minnie' Howard
movieA Woman's Face
1941
Anna Holm
movieSusan and God
1940
Susan Trexel
movieThe Women
1939
Crystal Allen
movieScreen Snapshots Series 18, No. 8
1939
Joan Crawford
movieThe Ice Follies of 1939
1939
Mary McKay
movieThe Shining Hour
1938
Olivia Riley Linden
movieMannequin
1938
Jessie Cassidy
movieThe Bride Wore Red
1937
Anni Pavlovitch
movieThe Romance of Celluloid
1937
Self (archive footage)
movieScreen Snapshots: Series 16, No. 12
1937
Self (uncredited)
movieThe Last of Mrs. Cheyney
1937
Mrs. Fay Cheyney
movieLove on the Run
1936
Sally Parker
movieThe Gorgeous Hussy
1936
Margaret "Peggy" O'Neal
movieI Live My Life
1935
Kay Bentley
movieNo More Ladies
1935
Marcia Townsend Warren
movieForsaking All Others
1934
Mary Clay
movieChained
1934
Diane Lovering
movieSadie McKee
1934
Sadie
movieDancing Lady
1933
Janie Barlow
movieFast Workers
1933
Ivy Stevens (Archive Footage) (Uncredited)
movieToday We Live
1933
Diana 'Ann' Boyce-Smith
movieRain
1932
Sadie Thompson
movieGrand Hotel
1932
Flämmchen
movieLetty Lynton
1932
Letty Lynton
moviePossessed
1931
Marian Martin aka 'Mrs. Moreland'
movieThis Modern Age
1931
Valentine 'Val' Winters
movieLaughing Sinners
1931
Ivy 'Bunny' Stevens
movieThe Stolen Jools
1931
Joan Crawford
movieDance, Fools, Dance
1931
Bonnie Jordan
moviePaid
1930
Mary Turner
movieOur Blushing Brides
1930
Geraldine 'Gerry' March
movieUntamed
1929
Alice "Bingo" Dowling
movieOur Modern Maidens
1929
Billie Brown
movieDream of Love
1928
Adrienne Lecouvreur
movieOur Dancing Daughters
1928
Diana 'Di' Medford
movieFour Walls
1928
Frieda
movieAcross to Singapore
1928
Priscilla Crowninshield
movieRose-Marie
1928
Rose-Marie
movieThe Law of the Range
1928
Betty Dallas
movieWest Point
1928
Betty Channing
movieSpring Fever
1927
Allie Monte
movieThe Unknown
1927
Nanon Zanzi
movieThe Understanding Heart
1927
Monica Dale
movieThe Taxi Dancer
1927
Joselyn Poe
movieWinners Of The Wilderness
1927
René Contrecoeur
movieBardelys the Magnificent
1926
Court Gossip (uncredited)
movieThe Merry Widow
1926
Ballroom Dancer (uncredited)
movieParis
1926
The Girl
movieTramp, Tramp, Tramp
1926
Betty Burton
movieSally, Irene and Mary
1925
Irene O'Dare
movieBen-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
1925
Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
movieThe Only Thing
1925
Party Guest (uncredited)
movieOld Clothes
1925
Mary Riley
movieTime, the Comedian
1925
Art Student (as Lucille LeSueur)
movieThe Midshipman
1925
Extra - Driver of Police Car (uncredited)
movieThe Circle
1925
Young Lady Catherine
movieA Slave of Fashion
1925
Mannequin (uncredited)
movieProud Flesh
1925
Party Guest (uncredited)
movieLady of the Night
1925
Body Double for Norma Shearer
movieAnd One Was Loyal
Ann Howard
movieRebel Range
Stella Faring
Crew2
movieThe Damned Don't Cry
1950
Additional Writing
movieJoan Crawford's Home Movies
1942
Cinematography
Production2
movieDella
1964
Producer
Costume & Make-Up1
movieThe Damned Don't Cry
1950
Costume Consultant