Joan Crawford: the name has an enduring fascination. Forty-five years after her death, Crawford remains a familiar icon in pop culture and the entertainment world. Certainly the camp bathos of Mommie Dearest has played a part in her continued relevance. But it is ultimately her work and career themselves that account for her remarkable longevity in the culture. From her first film in 1925, to her rise to stardom in 1928, and on to the hit films she appeared in through the 1960s, she continually molded and remolded herself, crafting an indelible image and ensuring her place in the American pantheon. STARRING JOAN CRAWFORD is a rollicking exploration of the powerful women Joan Crawford vividly brought to life in her films—and the lasting, ever-evolving impact she has had on popular culture.Having carved out a revolutionary path through the entertainment industry while relying on men as little as possible—whether her studio bosses or her many husbands—she created a gallery of strong, assertive women who outsmarted men and refused to conform to gender expectations. In movies like Mildred Pierce, The Damned Don't Cry, Johnny Guitar, and What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, among many others, she played to win, becoming a lodestar to LGBT audiences, a model of feminist self-determination for women, and an unforgettable icon for everyone.

Joan Crawford's contribution to film noir during the 1940s and 1950s, though rarely discussed in its totality, is one of her most impressive and far-reaching career achievements. Several of her noir and noir-tinged efforts contain arguably her best acting work, and all bear her personal stamp. These aren't conventional film noirs, they are Joan Crawford noirs: highly distinctive films that extended the boundaries of noir content and brought added depth and dimension to the noir style. Unlike most actors who routinely adapted to the needs of particular film projects and directors, she approached each film, first and foremost, as a Joan Crawford vehicle, often exerting great control over multiple production functions and at times operating as a de facto producer. Examining these films as a collective and relatively cohesive body of work, this book highlights what Crawford aspired to achieve in her art, how--when the circumstances were right--she could deliver superb results, how she helped expand the possibilities for noir, and why the best of her efforts speak across the decades with such intensity and authority.

" Joan Crawford: The Essential Biography explores the life and career of one of Hollywood's great dames. She was a leading film personality for more than fifty years, from her beginnings as a dancer in silent films of the 1920s, to her portrayals of working-class shop girls in the Depression thirties, to her Oscar-winning performances in classic films such as Mildred Pierce. Crawford's legacy has become somewhat tarnished in the wake of her daughter Christina's memoir, Mommie Dearest, which turned her into a national joke. Today, many picture Crawford only as a wire hanger-wielding shrew rather than the personification of Hollywood glamour. This new biography of Crawford sets the record straight, going beyond the gossip to find the truth about the legendary actress. The authors knew Crawford well and conducted scores of interviews with her and many of her friends and co-stars, including Frank Capra, George Cukor, Nicholas Ray, and Sidney Greenstreet. Far from a whitewash -- Crawford was indeed a colorful and difficult character -- Joan Crawford corrects many lies and tells the story of one of Hollywood's most influential stars, complete with on-set anecdotes and other movie lore. Through extensive interviews, in-depth analysis, and evaluation of her films and performances -- both successes and failures -- Lawrence J. Quirk and William Schoell present Crawford's story as both an appreciation and a reevaluation of her extraordinary life and career. Filled with new interviews, Joan Crawford tells the behind-the-scenes story of the Hollywood icon. Lawrence J. Quirk is the author of many books on film, including Bob Hope: The Road Well-Traveled. William Schoell is the author of several entertainment-related books, including Martini Man: The Life of Dean Martin.

Meticulously researched, Joan Crawford: The Last Word deals in full with her long movie career and explores in detail her turbulent private life. Respected biographer Fred Lawrence Guiles uses newly discovered sources and recent interviews with many who knew her, and some who loved her, to establish the person behind the carefully crafted screen icon. For most of her adult life she was a Star who dedicated herself entirely to her career. But since her death her luster has been tarnished. Here, at last, is a biography that sets the record straight. In her heyday Joan Crawford was probably the most imitated woman in the world. Magazine covers featured her face, and high school and college girls copied her makeup and clothing. Born Lucille LeSuer in Kansas City, she spent her childhood on the edge of poverty. But an iron will developed in adolescence drove her to New York City and eventual work in a chorus line. Spotted by a Hollywood talent scout, she was soon on her way to the film capital. Four times married (to actors Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Franchot Tone, Philip Terry, and Pepsi-Cola executive Alfred Steele) and driven by a powerful sexuality, Joan Crawford lived her life on the razor’s edge. Yet she was a woman of great generosity who cared deeply for her four adopted children, although her ideas of discipline were colored by her own harsh upbringing. Her professional career spanned more than forty years and included such classics as Grand Hotel, Mildred Pierce, and Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? Her remarkable progression from silent films to talkies to television exemplified her ability to adapt, chameleonlike, to the ever-changing demands of the industry that in many senses invented her.

On melodrama.

The Trouper-Royale Orpheum Galaxie Theatre is a jewel in the entertainment crown of Niagara Falls. At least, that’s what the marquee out front says. To the Fabulous Trouper Quintuplets their family’s old theatre is a thorn in the crown of their adolescent memories. Under their famous-child-actor-turned-director father’s overbearing, and narcissistic eye, the quintuplets are raised on a strict diet of Golden Age entertainment and homeschooling to mold them into the best actors of their generation. But through a series of hilarious and tragic events, the siblings begin to develop their own personalities and ambitions, rebelling against their father’s aspirations for them. The tension rising from the quintuplets’ newfound individualism sparks an onstage brawl during a performance on their 18th birthday that changes the trajectory of all their lives. Twenty years later, the quintuplets reunite for the reading of their father’s will and his demand for one last performance.

In the first biography of Joan Crawford to give the full, uncensored story, bestselling author David Bret tells Crawford's rags to riches climb, from working in a Kansas City laundry to collecting an Oscar for her defining role in Mildred Pierce, and on to her devotion to Christian Science and reliance on vodka. He discusses the star's legendary relationship with Clark Gable, her countless love affairs, her marriages -- three of them to gay men -- and her obsession with rough sex. Bret divulges what really happened that led her to disinherit two of her four children, earning her the nickname "Mommie Dearest," as well as how her loathed mother forced Crawford to work as a prostitute, appear in pornographic films, and sleep her way to the top. Bret analyzes Crawford's films, many of which were constructed purely as vehicles where actress and character were often indistinguishable. Overtly generous towards her coterie of gay friends, she was heartless towards her enemies, particularly Bette Davis, her co-star in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane, with whom she shared a lifelong feud. Drawing on a wealth of unpublished material and interviews, David Bret presents a unique, fascinating portrait of a single-minded, uncompromising woman.

Broderick Crawford Starring In Highway Patrol is the only complete volume on the history of this blockbuster television series. This book contains fascinating interviews with Highway Patrol writers, directors, producers and cast members highlighting many inside, behind-the-scenes stories. With the author's unprecedented rare access to the archives of ZIV Television Productions, Inc., Broderick Crawford Starring In Highway Patrol is profusely illustrated with hundreds of rare, and never before seen photographs and documents. It includes a complete episode guide with plot summaries for the entire four seasons of one hundred fifty-six episodes of Highway Patrol, and several original pages reproduced from the script of the series' pilot episode. Highway Patrol was often imitated but never duplicated and this book documents the series' many imitators, parodies, and merchandise.

🌟 Explore the Legendary Journey of Joan Crawford in "Joan Crawford: From Rags to Riches" 🎥 Brought to you by the ChatStick Team, this compelling biography unfolds the dramatic rise of Joan Crawford from her challenging early days to her reign as a Hollywood legend. Discover the true grit and glamour behind one of the most iconic actresses of the Golden Age of Cinema. 🌟 📚 Inside This Book, You'll Discover: Early Struggles: How Joan's challenging upbringing shaped her indomitable character. Rise to Stardom: The breakthrough roles and defining moments that made her a household name. Iconic Roles: Dive into her most memorable performances and their impact on film and culture. Personal Battles: Joan's resilience in her personal life and battles away from the limelight. Enduring Legacy: Reflect on how she influenced the entertainment industry and beyond. 🌈 A Must-Read For: Fans of classic Hollywood films and true stories of cinematic legends. Readers interested in powerful narratives of resilience and triumph. Anyone who loves a deep dive into the lives of influential women in history. 🎬 Grab Your Copy Today! Be inspired by the story of a woman who turned every setback into a stepping stone towards her colossal success. #JoanCrawford #HollywoodLegend #Biography

Covering the years 1945-2018, this alphabetical listing provides details about 2,923 unaired television series pilots, including those that never went into production, and those that became series but with a different cast, such as The Green Hornet, The Middle and Superman. Rarities include proposed shows starring Bela Lugosi, Doris Day, Humphrey Bogart, Barbara Stanwyck, Orson Welles, Claudette Colbert and Mae West, along with such casting curiosities as Mona Freeman, not Gale Storm, as Margie in My Little Margie, and John Larkin as Perry Mason long before Raymond Burr played the role.