W is for When She Dances: Joan Got Groove

Dancing was the only area of my life in which I was superior.

– Joan Crawford

Most Old Hollywood fans already know that Joan was a recognized dancer during her time.

Aside from being a legendary actress, she also became famous for her tap dancing, Charleston, jitterbugging, and other dancing skills.

And she had lots of trophies to prove it.

Joan actually started her career as a dancer, not as an actress. She was a chorus girl for J.J. Shubert’s plays before she became the star of the screen.

To those saying she can’t dance, I suggest having your eyes fixed. Lol. A better option is to watch this video and see for yourself:

(Gotta thank the genius who made this super awesome video!!!)

Happy blogging (and fangirling!)

(Photos from Joan Crawford Best and Parachutes Away, video from Youtube, gifs from Pinterest and Fuck Yeah Joan Crawford)

S is for Silents: Joan Before The Talkies

Before she was the Dancing Lady of the 30s, Mildred Pierce of the 40s, Queen Bee of the 50s, and Della of the 60s, Joan Crawford was The Taxi Dancer of the 20s.

People sometimes forget that Joan was a flapper and a silent actress before anything else. Some people only know her for her roles in the 40s, 50s and 60s, but what they usually miss out on is the fact that Joan was one of those few who successfully transitioned from silents to talkies.

In fact, Joan was one of 1920’s most bankable stars. In the last parts of the decade, she even surpassed the ranks of Norma Shearer, Anita Page, Greta Garbo, Gloria Swanson and Marion Davies— who were considered as the silent era’s big stars.

She made a total of 29 silent pictures from 1925-1929, including one where she played Norma’s double (Lady of the Night), five uncredited parts (Proud Flesh, A Slave of Fashion, The Merry Widow, The Midshipman, and The Only Thing), and one where she was credited as Lucille Le Sueur (Pretty Ladies). These mentioned films were all released in 1925.

She made three silent pictures in 1926 (Tramp, Tramp, Tramp, The Boob, and Paris), seven in 1927 (Winners of the Wildreness, The Taxi Dancer, The Understanding Heart, The Unknown, Twelve Miles Out, Spring Fever, and West Point), six in 1928 (The Law of the Range, Rose-Marie, Across to Singapore, Four Walls, Our Dancing Daughters, and Dream of Love), and two in 1929 (The Duke Steps Out, and Our Modern Maidens).

After talkies fully dominated Hollywood, Joan continued working on the screen— thanks to her undeniable talent, sound-worthy voice, and unbreakable determination to succeed. Fortunately, she wasn’t forgotten in the years that came, unlike most of her colleagues in the silent era. In fact, Joan’s star shone brighter in the 30s and 40s.

Here are some of Joan’s early videos… if you want to see her act without sound. 😉

(Joan’s first screen appearance as Norma Shearer’s double in Lady of the Night)

(The Taxi Dancer (1927))

(With Billy Haines in West Point (1927))

(Joan and Ramon Novarro in Across to Singapore (1928))

(In her smash-hit, Our Dancing Daughters (1928))

Happy blogging (and fangirling!)

(Photos and videos from Joan Crawford Best and Youtube)

M is for Memorable Roles: Joan’s Unforgettable Characters

I used my body, my face, my walk, my mannerisms to project what the character is.

– Joan Crawford

Joan’s career, which spanned almost half a century, spawned over 83 films— from silents to talkies to technicolor. With these pictures, she was given a wide variety of roles: extra, chorine, flapper, shopgirl, the other woman, scarred lady, trucking magnate, restaurant owner, dancer, stenographer, playwright, Western boss, crippled lady, psychotic woman, circus owner, doctor… all the possible roles you could imagine!

But out of all the characters she portrayed, there are few which definitely stand out until now. These roles have cemented her name in the motion picture industry and made her beyond famous. These characters have made their way into our hearts, as well. Sometimes, we even associate Joan with the roles she played. That’s how big the impact of her roles are.

Here are, in my opinion, Joan’s most memorable roles ever:

(Nanon Zanzi in The Unknown, 1927)

(Diana Medford in Our Dancing Daughters, 1928)

(Marian Martin in Possessed, 1931)

(Letty Lynton in Letty Lynton, 1932)

(Sadie Thompson in Rain, 1932)

(Janie Barlow in Dancing Lady, 1933)

(Sadie McKee in Sadie McKee, 1934)

(Crystal Allen in The Women, 1939)

(Anna Holm in A Woman’s Face, 1941)

(Mildred Pierce in Mildred Pierce, 1945)

(Helen Wright in Humoresque, 1946)

(Louise Howell in Possessed, 1947)

(Myra Hudson in Sudden Fear, 1952)

(Jenny Stewart in Torch Song, 1953)

(Vienna in Johnny Guitar, 1954)

(Eva Phillips in Queen Bee, 1955)

(Millicent Wetherby in Autumn Leaves, 1956)

(Blance Hudson in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?, 1962)

(Lucy Harbin in Strait Jacket, 1964)

Agree or disagree? Feel free to comment— just no bashing or irrational, violent reactions. 🙂 Thank you!

Happy blogging (and fangirling!)

(All photos from Joan Crawford Best)

J is for Jazz Baby: Flapper Joan

Most people associate Joan Crawford with her roles in the 40s, 50s and 60s, but what they usually forget is the fact that she was, originally, a true-blue 20s gal.

Yes, you read that right. Before the world saw her getting slapped by Ann Blyth (Mildred Pierce, 1945) or kicked in the head by Bette Davis (Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?, 1962), she was just like any flapper during the Roaring Twenties: young, wild and free.

Joan was the epitome of a real jazz baby in the 1920s. The period also had Clara Bow, Louise Brooks, Colleen Moore and many others, but Joan rose to the top when she portrayed Dangerous Diana in Our Dancing Daughters (1928). The role reflected her off-screen persona and showed the audience what real flappers are like— always dancing, always partying… but still decent.

(From the film Our Dancing Daughters, 1928)

She’s also remembered as the young flapper who’s always dancing in night clubs (one of them being the famous Cocoanut Grove), Charleston-ing her way to many, many trophies— proof that she is the one and only Charleston queen.

(With her Charleston trophies, 1926)

Even the famous F. Scott Fitzgerald took note of Joan’s embodiment of the free-spirited flapper. According to him:

Joan Crawford is doubtless the best example of the flapper, the girl you see in smart night clubs, gowned to the apex of sophistication, toying iced glasses with a remote, faintly bitter expression, dancing deliciously, laughing a great deal, with wide, hurt eyes. Young things with a talent for living.

Let’s not forget the young, vibrant, and energetic All-American dame that Joan was before. She truly is one of Hollywood’s (and America, in general) legendary flappers.

Happy blogging (and fangirling!)

(All photos from Joan Crawford Best. GIF by Theodora Fitzgerald)

C is for Costumes Galore: Joan’s Memorable Film Costumes

Costumes hold a very important role in movies, especially those made in Hollywood’s Golden Era. Whether it’s Bette Davis’ stunning (and sinful) red gown in Jezebel (1938), or Vivien Leigh’s outstanding Southern number in Gone With The Wind (1939), these costumes have stayed in people’s minds longer than expected.

As one of Hollywood’s legends, Joan also had her share of awesome and memorable costumes. She’s even credited for the invention (and fame) of the shoulder pads in the 40s.

Here’s a quick tour:

(As Bobby the showgirl in Pretty Ladies (1925), her first credited role)

(Nanon’s circus getup in The Unknown (1927))

(Dangerous Diana’s cute dress in Our Dancing Daughters (1928))

(Flaemmchen’s stenographer outfit in Grand Hotel (1932), also starring the Barrymore brothers (John and Lionel), Greta Garbo and Wallace Beery)

(Sadie Thompson in Rain (1932))

(This is probably her most famous costume. Ladies and gentlemen, the unforgettable gown with puffy shoulders in Letty Lynton (1932))

(Another well-known gown from Letty Lynton (1932))

(Elegant gown in Sadie McKee (1934)

(Her gown in The Bride Wore Red (1937), which still exists today. Hurrah!)

(As Crystal Allen in The Women (1939), also starring Norma Shearer and Rosalind Russell)

(Of course… Mildred’s “padded” fur coat in Mildred Pierce (1945))

(As Jenny Stewart in Torch Song (1953))

(Jenny’s blackface number in Torch Song (1953))

(Vienna’s cowgirl outfit in Johnny Guitar (1954))

(Eva’s stunning black gown in Queen Bee (1955))

(Lastly, Lucy Harbin’s floral ensemble in Strait Jacket (1964))

Cheers to you and your amazing costumes, Joan! ❤

Happy blogging (and fangirling!)

 

(Photos from Joan Crawford Best)