This Day in History: American film and television actress Joan Crawford was born on this day (March 23) in 1904. In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked Crawford tenth on its list of the greatest female stars of Classic Hollywood Cinema and her film career spanned 6 decades.
A year after her death, her daughter Christina Crawford released a tell-all book entitled Mommie Dearest, which was later turned into a movie starring Faye Dunaway. If you've seen it you probably remember the No Wire Hangers scene. The book contains allegations that Joan Crawford was emotionally and physically abusive to Christina and her brother Christopher because she chose fame and her career over parenthood. Some actors, like Myrna Loy denounced the book and denied any abuse. However, even Myrna Loy is on record as saying: "....if ever there was a girl who needed a good whack it was spoiled, horrible Christina. Believe me, there were many times I wanted to smack her myself."
At any rate, she explicitly disinherited the two eldest, Christina and Christopher: "It is my intention to make no provision herein for my son, Christopher, or my daughter, Christina, for reasons which are well known to them." This probably had something to do with them using wire hangers :) Faye Dunaway did so much screaming during that one scene in the Mommie Dearest movie that she lost her voice for a while.
Mommie Dearest is available to watch on Amazon Prime.
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