Joan Crawford (born Lucille Fay LeSueur; March 23, 1904 (?) – 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.
Series | ABC's Nightlife | Unknown | 2025 |
Movie | The Shirley Eder Tapes | Lucille Fay LeSueur | 2025 |
Movie | Bette and Joan | Self (archive footage) | 2017-01-01 |
Movie | Johnny Guitar: A Feminist Western? | Self (archive footage) | 2016-09-20 |
Movie | Tell Us She Was One of You: The Hollywood Blacklist and 'Johnny Guitar' | Self (archive footage) | 2016-09-20 |
Movie | Johnny Guitar: A Western Like No Other | Self (archive footage) | 2016-09-20 |
Movie | And the Oscar Goes To... | Self (archive footage) | 2014-02-01 |
Movie | Possessed | (archive footage) | 2011-07-22 |
Movie | 1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year | Self (archive footage) | 2009-07-02 |
Movie | Thou Shalt Not: Sex, Sin and Censorship in Pre-Code Hollywood | Various Roles (archive footage) | 2008-03-03 |
Movie | Tim Conway: Timeless Comedy | Self | 2007-01-30 |
Movie | Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema | Self (archive footage) | 2007-05-23 |
Movie | Girl 27 | Self (archive footage) | 2007-07-27 |
Movie | Bette and Joan: Blind Ambition | Self (archive footage) | 2006-01-01 |
Movie | 42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage | Self (archive footage) | 2006-03-21 |
Movie | Checking Out: Grand Hotel | Self / Flaemmchen (archive footage) | 2004-02-03 |
Movie | Complicated Women | Self (archive footage) | 2003-05-06 |
Movie | Joan Crawford: The Ultimate Movie Star | Self (archive footage) | 2002-08-01 |
Movie | Battle-Axe: the Making of 'Strait-Jacket' | Self (archive footage) | 2002-04-02 |
Movie | Lon Chaney: A Thousand Faces | Self (archive footage / uncredited) | 2000-10-24 |
Movie | The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender | Self (archive footage) | 1997-11-01 |
Movie | Joan Crawford: Always the Star | Self (archive footage) | 1996-09-30 |
Movie | The Casting Couch | (archive footage) | 1995-01-01 |
Movie | That's Entertainment! III | (archive footage) | 1994-07-01 |
Movie | Broadway's Dreamers: The Legacy of the Group Theatre | Self | 1989-06-26 |
Movie | Terror in the Aisles | Blanche Hudson (archive footage) (uncredited) | 1984-10-26 |
Movie | Going Hollywood: The '30s | (archive footage) | 1984-01-01 |
Movie | Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage | Self (archive footage) (uncredited) | 1983-02-25 |
Movie | Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers! | Self (archive footage) | 1982-01-01 |
Movie | Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid | (in "Humoresque") (archive footage) | 1982-05-21 |
Movie | That's Entertainment, Part II | (archive footage) | 1976-05-16 |
Movie | Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? | Self (archive footage) | 1975-08-06 |
Movie | That's Entertainment! | (archive footage) | 1974-06-21 |
Movie | Dear Joan: We're Going to Scare You to Death | Joan Fairchild | 1972-09-30 |
Movie | Hollywood: The Dream Factory | Self (archive footage) | 1972-01-10 |
Series | The Sixth Sense | Joan Fairchild | 1972-01-15 |
Movie | LA 2017 | Committee Member (uncredited) | 1971-01-15 |
Series | Great Performances | Self | 1971-01-28 |
Movie | Trog | Dr. Brockton | 1970-10-24 |
Series | Night Gallery | Miss Claudia Menlo | 1970-12-16 |
Movie | The Big Rock Candy Mountain | Self | 1969-01-01 |
Movie | Journey to the Unknown | Self - Host | 1969-06-15 |
Movie | Garbo | Narrator | 1969-11-06 |
Movie | Night Gallery | Miss Menlo | 1969-11-08 |
Series | The Name of the Game | Committee Member (uncredited) | 1968-09-20 |
Movie | Berserk | Monica Rivers | 1967-11-01 |
Movie | The Karate Killers | Amanda True | 1967-04-07 |
Movie | The Oscar | Joan Crawford | 1966-03-04 |
Movie | The Love Goddesses | (archive footage) | 1965-03-03 |
Movie | I Saw What You Did | Amy Nelson | 1965-07-21 |
Movie | Strait-Jacket | Lucy Harbin | 1964-01-19 |
Movie | How to Plan a Movie Murder | Self | 1964-01-01 |
Movie | Della | Della Chappell | 1964-08-08 |
Movie | The Big Parade of Comedy | (archive footage) | 1964-09-02 |
Series | The Man from U.N.C.L.E. | Amanda True | 1964-09-22 |
Movie | The Caretakers | Lucretia Terry | 1963-08-21 |
Series | The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | Self | 1962-10-01 |
Series | The Merv Griffin Show | Self | 1962-10-01 |
Series | The Lucy Show | Joan Crawford | 1962-10-01 |
Movie | What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? | Blanche Hudson | 1962-10-12 |
Movie | Hollywood: The Selznick Years | Janie Barlow (archive footage) (uncredited) | 1961-12-31 |
Series | Route 66 | Morgan Harper | 1960-10-07 |
Movie | Woman on the Run | Susan Conrad | 1959-05-15 |
Movie | The Best of Everything | Amanda Farrow | 1959-10-09 |
Movie | The Story of Esther Costello | Margaret Landi | 1957-11-06 |
Series | Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre | Sarah / Melanie Davidson Hobbs | 1956-10-05 |
Movie | Autumn Leaves | Millicent Wetherby | 1956-08-01 |
Movie | Queen Bee | Eva Phillips | 1955-11-07 |
Movie | Female on the Beach | Lynn Markham | 1955-08-19 |
Series | The Secret Storm | Joan Borman Kane | 1954-02-01 |
Movie | A Star Is Born World Premiere | Self | 1954-09-28 |
Movie | Johnny Guitar | Vienna | 1954-05-26 |
Series | Caesar's Hour | Unknown | 1954-09-27 |
Series | General Electric Theater | Mary Andrews | 1953-02-01 |
Movie | At Home with Joan Crawford | Self | 1953-04-20 |
Movie | Torch Song | Jenny Stewart | 1953-10-01 |
Series | The Oscars | Self | 1953-03-19 |
Movie | This Woman Is Dangerous | Elizabeth Austin | 1952-02-09 |
Movie | Sudden Fear | Myra Hudson Blaine | 1952-08-07 |
Movie | Goodbye, My Fancy | Agatha Reed | 1951-05-19 |
Series | What's My Line? | Self - Mystery Guest | 1950-02-02 |
Movie | Harriet Craig | Harriet Craig | 1950-11-02 |
Series | The Colgate Comedy Hour | Self | 1950-09-10 |
Movie | The Damned Don't Cry | Ethel Whitehead | 1950-05-13 |
Movie | Flamingo Road | Lane Bellamy | 1949-04-30 |
Movie | It's a Great Feeling | Joan Crawford (uncredited) | 1949-08-01 |
Series | The Ed Sullivan Show | Self (archive footage) | 1948-06-20 |
Movie | Humoresque | Helen Wright | 1947-01-25 |
Movie | Possessed | Louise Howell | 1947-05-29 |
Movie | Daisy Kenyon | Daisy Kenyon | 1947-12-25 |
Movie | Blow-Ups of 1946 | Self | 1946-12-31 |
Movie | Mildred Pierce | Mildred Pierce | 1945-10-20 |
Movie | Hollywood Canteen | Self | 1944-12-15 |
Movie | Above Suspicion | Frances Myles | 1943-05-31 |
Movie | Joan Crawford's Home Movies | Self | 1942-01-01 |
Movie | Reunion in France | Michele de la Becque | 1942-12-25 |
Movie | They All Kissed the Bride | Margaret Johanna 'M.J.' Drew | 1942-06-11 |
Movie | A Woman's Face | Anna Holm | 1941-05-09 |
Movie | When Ladies Meet | Mary 'Minnie' Howard | 1941-08-29 |
Movie | Strange Cargo | Julie | 1940-03-01 |
Movie | Hollywood: Style Center of the World | Self | 1940-05-29 |
Movie | Susan and God | Susan Trexel | 1940-06-07 |
Movie | A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound | Self | 1940-10-24 |
Movie | The Ice Follies of 1939 | Mary McKay | 1939-03-10 |
Movie | From the Ends of the Earth | Self | 1939-05-28 |
Movie | The Women | Crystal Allen | 1939-09-01 |
Movie | Screen Snapshots Series 18, No. 8 | Joan Crawford | 1939-04-08 |
Movie | The Shining Hour | Olivia Riley Linden | 1938-11-18 |
Movie | Mannequin | Jessie Cassidy | 1938-01-21 |
Movie | The Bride Wore Red | Anni Pavlovitch | 1937-10-08 |
Movie | The Last of Mrs. Cheyney | Mrs. Fay Cheyney | 1937-02-19 |
Movie | Screen Snapshots: Series 16, No. 12 | Self (uncredited) | 1937-08-13 |
Movie | The Romance of Celluloid | Self (archive footage) | 1937-08-27 |
Movie | Love on the Run | Sally Parker | 1936-11-20 |
Movie | The Gorgeous Hussy | Margaret "Peggy" O'Neal | 1936-08-28 |
Movie | No More Ladies | Marcia Townsend Warren | 1935-06-14 |
Movie | I Live My Life | Kay Bentley | 1935-10-04 |
Movie | Sadie McKee | Sadie McKee | 1934-05-09 |
Movie | Chained | Diane Lovering | 1934-08-31 |
Movie | Forsaking All Others | Mary Clay | 1934-12-23 |
Movie | Dancing Lady | Janie Barlow | 1933-11-24 |
Movie | Today We Live | Diana 'Ann' Boyce-Smith | 1933-03-03 |
Movie | Fast Workers | Ivy Stevens (Archive Footage) (Uncredited) | 1933-03-10 |
Movie | Letty Lynton | Letty Lynton | 1932-04-30 |
Movie | Grand Hotel | Flämmchen | 1932-05-25 |
Movie | Rain | Sadie Thompson | 1932-10-12 |
Movie | Dance, Fools, Dance | Bonnie Jordan | 1931-02-07 |
Movie | The Stolen Jools | Joan Crawford | 1931-04-04 |
Movie | This Modern Age | Valentine 'Val' Winters | 1931-08-29 |
Movie | Possessed | Marian Martin aka 'Mrs. Moreland' | 1931-11-21 |
Movie | Laughing Sinners | Ivy 'Bunny' Stevens | 1931-05-30 |
Movie | We're switching to Hollywood | Self | 1931-06-09 |
Movie | Montana Moon | Joan | 1930-03-20 |
Movie | Our Blushing Brides | Geraldine 'Gerry' March | 1930-07-19 |
Movie | Paid | Mary Turner | 1930-12-30 |
Movie | The Duke Steps Out | Susie | 1929-03-19 |
Movie | Untamed | Alice "Bingo" Dowling | 1929-11-23 |
Movie | Our Modern Maidens | Billie Brown | 1929-09-08 |
Movie | The Hollywood Revue of 1929 | Self | 1929-11-23 |
Movie | The Law of the Range | Betty Dallas | 1928-01-21 |
Movie | West Point | Betty Channing | 1928-01-07 |
Movie | Rose-Marie | Rose-Marie | 1928-02-11 |
Movie | Dream of Love | Adrienne Lecouvreur | 1928-12-01 |
Movie | Fashion News | Self (1929) | 1928-11-06 |
Movie | Across to Singapore | Priscilla Crowninshield | 1928-04-07 |
Movie | Our Dancing Daughters | Diana 'Di' Medford | 1928-09-01 |
Movie | Four Walls | Frieda | 1928-08-11 |
Movie | The Taxi Dancer | Joselyn Poe | 1927-02-05 |
Movie | Winners Of The Wilderness | René Contrecoeur | 1927-01-15 |
Movie | The Unknown | Nanon | 1927-05-29 |
Movie | Spring Fever | Allie Monte | 1927-10-22 |
Movie | The Understanding Heart | Monica Dale | 1927-02-26 |
Movie | Twelve Miles Out | Jane | 1927-07-08 |
Movie | The Boob | Jane | 1926-05-17 |
Movie | Tramp, Tramp, Tramp | Betty Burton | 1926-03-21 |
Movie | Bardelys the Magnificent | Court Gossip (uncredited) | 1926-09-30 |
Movie | Paris | The Girl | 1926-05-24 |
Movie | The Merry Widow | Ballroom Dancer (uncredited) | 1926-09-27 |
Movie | A Slave of Fashion | Mannequin (uncredited) | 1925-08-23 |
Movie | Proud Flesh | Party Guest (uncredited) | 1925-04-27 |
Movie | Lady of the Night | Body Double for Norma Shearer | 1925-02-23 |
Movie | Pretty Ladies | Bobby | 1925-09-06 |
Movie | 1925 Studio Tour | Self | 1925-04-09 |
Movie | The Only Thing | Party Guest (uncredited) | 1925-11-22 |
Movie | Sally, Irene and Mary | Irene O'Dare | 1925-12-27 |
Movie | Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ | Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited) | 1925-12-25 |
Movie | Old Clothes | Mary Riley | 1925-11-09 |
Movie | The Midshipman | Extra - Driver of Police Car (uncredited) | 1925-10-04 |
Movie | The Circle | Young Lady Catherine | 1925-09-22 |