Possessed (56 page)

Terry, Phillip, 162–64, 169, 173, 180–81, 231, 235, 244

Terry, Phillip, II.
See
Crawford, Christopher (a.k.a. Phillip Terry II) (adopted son)

Thalberg, Irving G.: assignment of pictures by, 55; and Crawford contracts with MGM, 20; Crawford’s relationship with, 55, 106; death of, 124; and film assignments for Crawford, 99; and
The Girl from Missouri,
113–14; and
Grand Hotel,
93; and
Great
Day,
70, 71; as head of MGM film production, 4; MGM building named for, 134; and
Paid,
74; and
Possessed,
86; and public image of contract players, 23; reputation of, 4; and Shearer, 22, 23, 41, 74; and
Today We Live,
103–4

They All Kissed the Bride
(film), 161–62

This Modern Age
(film), 83–84, 130

This Woman Is Dangerous
(film), 206, 213–14, 217

Three Comrades
(film), 141

The Three Musketeers
(film), 51

Three Stooges, 109

Tierney, Gene, 183

Time
magazine, 45, 57–58, 75, 120, 143, 147, 165, 216, 220, 241–42

To Catch a Thief
(film), 220

Today We Live
(film), 103–5, 106, 109, 112, 130, 140

Tone, Franchot: and abuse of Crawford, 134; Academy Award nomination for, 122; in
The Bride Wore Red,
127, 129, 130; comments about Crawford by, 127; Crawford’s divorce from, 135; Crawford’s films with, 104–5, 107, 109, 112, 113, 119, 123–24, 127, 129, 130; Crawford’s marriage to, 121; and Crawford’s miscarriages, 125, 149; Crawford’s relationship with, 109, 111, 112–13, 122–23, 125, 127, 130, 134, 144, 158, 244, 272; Crawford’s views about, 111, 113, 134–35; in
Dancing Lady,
107, 109, 112, 130; death of, 111, 272; diamond ring present for Crawford from, 111; dislike for Hollywood of, 122, 134; education of, 112; in
Exclusive Story,
121; and Fairbanks- Crawford divorce, 113; Fairbanks Jr. compared with, 111; family background of, 111–12; financial affairs of, 272; and formal dinner parties, 117; in
The Girl from
Missouri,
113–14; in
The Gorgeous
Hussy,
123, 130; and
I Live My Life,
120–21; illness of, 272; in©uence on Crawford of, 117; as loan-out to other studios, 115, 121; in
Love on
the Run,
123–24, 130; marriages and divorces of, 272; in
Mutiny on
the Bounty,
121, 122; in
No More
Ladies,
119, 130; personality of, 125; promiscuity of, 127, 134; on radio, 132; in
Sadie McKee,
113, 130; Steele compared with, 235; and Steele-Crawford marriage, 246; and Steele’s death, 244; and
Susan
and God,
144; theatrical experience of, 111–12; in
Today We Live,
104, 105, 112; and type of men Crawford was attracted to, 163

Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
(TV show), 256

Torch Song
(film), 81, 218–22, 224, 228, 247, 276, 285; See also
Laughing
Sinners

Torch Song
(play), 81

Torrent
(film), 38

tour requirements, Crawford’s, 264–67

Town Hall (New York City): Springer interview of Crawford in, 283

Tracy, Spencer, 130, 131, 132, 134

Tramp, Tramp, Tramp
(film), 41–42

triangle films, 129–30, 131, 136.
See also
specific film

Trog
(film), 269, 273–75, 276

The Trouble with Harry
(film), 220

“Turn About” (Faulkner), 103

Turner, Lana, 154, 169, 180, 190, 219

Twelve Miles Out
(film), 47, 130

Twentieth Century-Fox Studio, 50, 137, 190, 245, 247

The Understanding Heart
(film), 45

United Artists, 51, 97

United States
, SS, 232

Universal Studios, 227, 228, 268, 275

University of California, Los Angeles: Crawford festival at, 152

The Unknown
(film), 46–47

Untamed
(film), 65–67

Valentino, Rudolf, 5, 128

The Valley of Decision
(film), 183

Variety
magazine, 56, 116, 143, 211, 260

Varney, Carleton, 269–70

Veidt, Conrad, 155, 166

Venice, California, 3

Viertel, Peter, 38

Viertel, Salka, 38

Vine Street Theater (Los Angeles), 65

Wald, Jerry, 174, 181, 188, 200, 202, 228, 240, 245, 247, 249

Waldorf-Astoria Hotel (New York City), 132

Walters, Barbara, 256

Walters, Charles, 219, 221, 285

The Waltons
(TV show), 291

WAMPAS Baby Star, Crawford as, 40

Warner Bros. Pictures/Studios:
42nd
Street
release by, 106; Crawford leaves, 215; Crawford’s contracts with, 171, 172, 190, 199; Crawford’s early months at, 171–73; Crawford’s views about, 282; and Crawford’s visit to psychiatric wards, 188; crime thrillers of, 80; and
The Jazz
Singer
screening, 50; loaning-out of Crawford by, 190, 206; MGM as rival of, 106, 108; sound system at, 50; Tone as loan-out to, 121.
See also
specific film

Warner, Jack, 172, 178, 181, 210

Washington Hotel (Culver City), 3–4, 31, 40

Wasserman, Lew, 171, 172, 174

Wayne, John, 163, 164, 210

Weil, “Yellow Kid,” 16

West Point
(film), 48–50

Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers (WAMPAS), 40

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
(film), 252–56, 257, 260, 262

When Ladies Meet
(film), 159–61, 162, 167, 179

White House: Crawford visit to, 259

Whiting, Jack, 63, 64

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
(film), 221

“Why Should I Cry” (short story). See
Torch Song

Wilder, Billy, 182

Wilder, Robert, 199–200

Wilding, Michael, 220

William Morris Agency, 285, 291

Williams, Kay, 250

Winners of the Wilderness
(film), 44

Winter Garden Theater (New York City), 17–18

Within the Law
(play), 74

The Wizard of Oz
(film), 154

A Woman’s Face
(film), 154–58, 162, 179, 184, 270

women: as Crawford fans, 126–27; Crawford’s portrayal of working, 179; as directors, 215; as walking out on home and husband, 204.
See
also specific film

The Women
(film), 90, 126, 138–39, 140, 142, 145, 155, 221, 229

Wood, James Madison, 13–14, 33, 41

World War I, 1, 2, 15, 24

World War II, 161, 163–64, 165–66, 169, 171–72, 182, 184, 269

Wray, Fay, 40

Wyler, William, 136

Wyman, Jane, 180

Youmans, Vincent, 70

Young, Loretta, 189

Young, Robert, 104, 105, 129, 130, 135, 136, 211, 212

Young Woodley
(film), 51, 52

The Youngest
(play), 64–65

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Over many months, the staff of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center provided expert and cheerful assistance as I made my way through the voluminous Joan Crawford Papers, Scrapbooks, Letters and Ephemera. Similarly, I am grateful to Stacey Behlmer and her colleagues for indicating important relevant collections at the Margaret Herrick Library of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Beverly Hills. Closer to my home turf, I have relied on the scholarship and generosity of Claus Kjaer, at the Danish Film Institute, Copenhagen.

An especially important part of my research was provided by friends who granted extended interviews over several years: Diane Baker, Olivia de Havilland, the late Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Judy Feiffer, Judy Geeson, the late Karl Malden, the late Joseph L. Mankiewicz, Marian Seldes and the late John Springer.

A trio of remarkable Joan Crawford admirers has organized Internet Web sites indispensable for researchers—Stephanie Jones (http://www.joancrawfordbest.com), Neil Maciejewski (http://www.legendaryjoancrawford.com) and Donna Nowak (http://www.filmsofcrawford.com). I salute their careful and thorough presentations of rich materials and their kind interest in this book. My research would not have been complete without their contributions.

I am also grateful to those who, over many years, spoke on the record about Joan Crawford—among them, Jeanine Basinger, Ann Blyth, Ben Cooper, Christina Crawford, Christopher Crawford, George Cukor, Melvyn Douglas, Sydney Guilaroff, Cynthia (Cindy) Crawford Jordan, Carla LaLonde, Casey LaLonde, Cathy Crawford LaLonde, Dick Moore, Anita Page, Betsy Palmer, Otto Preminger, Cliff Robertson and Vincent Sherman.

I owe very much indeed to precious friends: Thomas Cahill, John Canemaker, Mart Crowley, John Darretta, Olivia de Havilland, Paul Elliott, Mary Evans, Lewis Falb, Mike Farrell, Chuck Griffis, Tippi Hedren, Sue Jett, Joseph Kennedy, Irene Mahoney OSU, Patricia Milbourn, Gerald Pinciss and Greg Schreiner.

My wise agent, dear friend and invaluable confidante, Elaine Markson, has looked after my literary interests for four decades. Her associate, Gary Johnson, is equally a treasure and has an enormous claim on my thanks for (literally) daily assistance and counsel. Also at the Markson Thoma Agency, Julia Kenny smoothes the tangled paths of international and subsidiary rights.

David Highfill, at the William Morrow imprint of HarperCollins, New York, was enthusiastic from day one—a gifted editor and an unfailing champion of the book. In David’s office, Gabe Robinson efficiently dispatched the daily routine of important tasks.

Once again, I dedicate a book to my husband, Ole Flemming Larsen. A respected school administrator and a highly talented artist, he is at the very center of my life. Ole’s wisdom and his graceful intelligence enrich me; his humor and patience leaven every day; his unwavering support makes all my efforts possible; and the depth of his commitment to me, and to our life together in Denmark (my adopted country), brings me a wealth of blessings past counting.

DS

Sjalland, Denmark
April 2010

About the Author

DONALD SPOTO
has written two dozen bestselling biographies of film and theatre stars—among them Grace Kelly, Alfred Hitchcock, Laurence Olivier, Tennessee Williams, Ingrid Bergman, James Dean, Elizabeth Taylor, Marlene Dietrich, Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, and Alan Bates. Born in Westchester County, near New York City, he earned his Ph.D. from Fordham University. He lives in Denmark.

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Copyright

POSSESSED. Copyright © 2010 by Donald Spoto.

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