Acting · San Antonio, Texas, USA · Born March 23, 1906
Joan Crawford (born Lucille Fay LeSueur; March 23, 1906 – 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.
MovieJaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story
2025
as Self (archive footage)
MovieThe Green Fog
2018
MovieBette and Joan
2017
as Self (archive footage)
MovieJohnny Guitar: A Western Like No Other
2016
as Self (archive footage)
MovieTell Us She Was One of You: The Hollywood Blacklist and 'Johnny Guitar'
2016
as Self (archive footage)
MovieJohnny Guitar: A Feminist Western?
2016
as Self (archive footage)
The Shirley Eder Tapes
2012
as Self
MovieFascination: Unauthorized Story of Marilyn Monroe
2012
as Self (archive footage)
Possessed
2011
as (archive footage)
MovieFlappers, Speakeasies, and the Birth of Modern Culture
2010
MovieBrigitte Bardot: The Icon of France
2009
Movie1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
2009
as Self (archive footage)
MovieThou Shalt Not: Sex, Sin and Censorship in Pre-Code Hollywood
2008
as Various Roles (archive footage)
MovieSpine Tingler! The William Castle Story
2007
as Self (archive)
MovieWhy Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema
2007
as Self (archive footage)
MovieTim Conway: Timeless Comedy
2007
as Self (archive footage)
MovieBette and Joan: Blind Ambition
2006
as Self (archive footage)
MovieStardust: The Bette Davis Story
2006
as Self (archive footage) (voice)
Movie42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage
2006
as Self (archive footage)
MovieThe Damned Don't Cry: The Crawford Formula - Real and Reel
2005
as Self (archive)
Checking Out: Grand Hotel
2004
as Self / Flaemmchen (archive footage)
MovieComplicated Women
2003
as Self (archive footage)
MovieJoan Crawford: The Ultimate Movie Star
2002
as Self (archive footage)
MovieBattle-Axe: the Making of 'Strait-Jacket'
2002
as Self (archive footage)
MovieLon Chaney: A Thousand Faces
2000
as Self (archive footage / uncredited)
MovieJoan Crawford: Always the Star
1996
as Self (archive footage)
MovieThe First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
1995
as Self (archive footage)
Legends in Light: The Photography of George Hurrell
1995
as Self (archive footage)
MovieThe Casting Couch
1995
MovieBiography: Bette Davis — If Looks Could Kill
1994
as Self (archive footage)
MovieThat's Entertainment! III
1994
as (archive footage)
MovieGay! Gay! Hollywood
1994
Broadway's Dreamers: The Legacy of the Group Theatre
1989
as Self
MovieGoing Hollywood: The '30s
1984
as (archive footage)
MovieHollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
1983
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
MovieDead Men Don't Wear Plaid
1982
as (in "Humoresque") (archive footage)
MovieShowbiz Ballyhoo
1982
as Self (archive footage)
MovieOops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!
1982
as Self (archive footage)
Bob Hope's World of Comedy
1976
as Self (archive footage)
MovieThat's Entertainment, Part II
1976
as (archive footage)
MovieBrother, Can You Spare a Dime?
1975
as Self (archive footage)
MovieThat's Entertainment!
1974
as (archive footage) (uncredited)
MovieDear Joan: We're Going to Scare You to Death
1972
as Joan Fairchild
TVThe Sixth Sense
1972
as Joan Fairchild
MovieHollywood: The Dream Factory
1972
as Self (archive footage)
TVGreat Performances
1971
as Self
MovieJourney to Murder
1971
as Host
MovieTrog
1970
as Dr. Brockton
MovieNight Gallery
1969
as Miss Menlo
MovieGarbo, by Joan Crawford
1969
as Self - Host / Narrator (voice)
MovieJourney to the Unknown
1969
as Self - Host
MovieThe Big Rock Candy Mountain
1969
as Self
TVThe Name of the Game
1968
as Committee Member (uncredited)
MovieThis was the MARY
1968
as Self/Narrator
MovieBerserk!
1967
as Monica Rivers
MovieThe Karate Killers
1967
as Amanda True
MovieThe Oscar
1966
as Joan Crawford
MovieI Saw What You Did
1965
as Amy Nelson
MovieHush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte
1964
as Miriam Deering in Car (uncredited)
TVThe Man from U.N.C.L.E.
1964
as Amanda True
MovieThe Big Parade of Comedy
1964
as Bobby (archive footage)
MovieDella
1964
as Della Chappell
MovieStrait-Jacket
1964
as Lucy Harbin
MovieHow to Plan a Movie Murder
1964
as Self
MovieThe Caretakers
1963
as Lucretia Terry
MovieWhat Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
1962
as Blanche Hudson
TVThe Lucy Show
1962
as Joan Crawford
TVThe Merv Griffin Show
1962
as Self
TVThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
as Self
TVThe Virginian
1962
as Stephanie White
MovieLykke og krone
1962
MovieHollywood: The Selznick Years
1961
as Self - Janie Barlow (archive footage) (uncredited)
MovieOne Must Die
1961
TVRoute 66
1960
as Morgan Harper
MovieThe Best of Everything
1959
as Amanda Farrow
TVStartime
1959
as Self
Woman on the Run
1959
as Susan Conrad
MovieZwischen Glück und Krone
1959
MovieStrange Witness
1958
as Ruth Marshall
MovieThe Story of Esther Costello
1957
as Margaret Landi
TVDick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
1956
as Stella Faring
MovieAutumn Leaves
1956
as Millicent Wetherby
MovieQueen Bee
1955
as Eva Phillips
MovieFemale on the Beach
1955
as Lynn Markham
MovieThe Road to Edinburgh
1954
as Mary Andrews
MovieA Star Is Born World Premiere
1954
as Self
MovieJohnny Guitar
1954
as Vienna
The Secret Storm
1954
as Joan Borman Kane
MovieTorch Song
1953
as Jenny Stewart
MovieAt Home with Joan Crawford
1953
as Self
TVThe Oscars
1953
as Self
TVGeneral Electric Theater
1953
as Ann Howard
MovieSudden Fear
1952
as Myra Hudson Blaine
MovieThis Woman Is Dangerous
1952
as Elizabeth Austin
MovieGoodbye, My Fancy
1951
as Agatha Reed
MovieHarriet Craig
1950
as Harriet Craig
TVThe Colgate Comedy Hour
1950
as Self
MovieThe Damned Don't Cry
1950
as Ethel Whitehead
TVWhat's My Line?
1950
as Self
MovieIt's a Great Feeling
1949
as Joan Crawford (uncredited)
MovieFlamingo Road
1949
as Lane Bellamy
MovieDaisy Kenyon
1947
as Daisy Kenyon
MovieThrough Many Windows
1947
as Self - Narrator
MoviePossessed
1947
as Louise Howell
MovieHumoresque
1947
as Helen Wright
MovieBlow-Ups of 1946
1946
as Self
MovieMildred Pierce
1945
as Mildred Pierce
MovieHollywood Canteen
1944
as Self
MovieAbove Suspicion
1943
as Frances Myles
MovieReunion in France
1942
as Michele de la Becque
MovieThey All Kissed the Bride
1942
as Margaret Johanna 'M.J.' Drew
MovieJoan Crawford's Home Movies
1942
as Self
MovieWhen Ladies Meet
1941
as Mary 'Minnie' Howard
MovieA Woman's Face
1941
as Anna Holm
MovieA New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound
1940
as Self
MovieSusan and God
1940
as Susan Trexel
MovieHollywood: Style Center of the World
1940
as Self
MovieStrange Cargo
1940
as Julie
MovieThe Women
1939
as Crystal Allen
MovieFrom the Ends of the Earth
1939
as Self
MovieScreen Snapshots Series 18, No. 8
1939
as Joan Crawford
MovieThe Ice Follies of 1939
1939
as Mary McKay
MovieThe Shining Hour
1938
as Olivia Riley Linden
MovieScreen Snapshots Series 17, No. 6
1938
as Self
MovieMannequin
1938
as Jessie Cassidy
MovieThe Bride Wore Red
1937
as Anni Pavlovitch
MovieThe Romance of Celluloid
1937
as Self (archive footage)
MovieScreen Snapshots: Series 16, No. 12
1937
as Self (uncredited)
MovieThe Last of Mrs. Cheyney
1937
as Mrs. Fay Cheyney
MovieLove on the Run
1936
as Sally Parker
MovieThe Gorgeous Hussy
1936
as Margaret "Peggy" O'Neal
MovieI Live My Life
1935
as Kay Bentley
MovieNo More Ladies
1935
as Marcia Townsend Warren
MovieForsaking All Others
1934
as Mary Clay
MovieChained
1934
as Diane Lovering
MovieSadie McKee
1934
as Sadie
MovieDancing Lady
1933
as Janie Barlow
MovieFast Workers
1933
as Ivy Stevens (Archive Footage) (Uncredited)
MovieToday We Live
1933
as Diana 'Ann' Boyce-Smith
MovieRain
1932
as Sadie Thompson
MovieGrand Hotel
1932
as Flämmchen
MovieLetty Lynton
1932
as Letty Lynton
MoviePossessed
1931
as Marian Martin aka 'Mrs. Moreland'
MovieThis Modern Age
1931
as Valentine 'Val' Winters
MovieWe’re Switching to Hollywood
1931
as Self
MovieLaughing Sinners
1931
as Ivy 'Bunny' Stevens
MovieThe Stolen Jools
1931
as Joan Crawford
MovieDance, Fools, Dance
1931
as Bonnie Jordan
MoviePaid
1930
as Mary Turner
MovieScreen Snapshots Series 10, No. 1
1930
as Self
MovieOur Blushing Brides
1930
as Geraldine 'Gerry' March
MovieMontana Moon
1930
as Joan
MovieThe Hollywood Revue of 1929
1929
as Self
MovieUntamed
1929
as Alice "Bingo" Dowling
MovieOur Modern Maidens
1929
as Billie Brown
MovieThe Duke Steps Out
1929
as Susie
MovieDream of Love
1928
as Adrienne Lecouvreur
MovieOur Dancing Daughters
1928
as Diana 'Di' Medford
MovieFour Walls
1928
as Frieda
MovieAcross to Singapore
1928
as Priscilla Crowninshield
MovieRose-Marie
1928
as Rose-Marie
MovieThe Law of the Range
1928
as Betty Dallas
MovieWest Point
1928
as Betty Channing
MovieSpring Fever
1927
as Allie Monte
MovieTwelve Miles Out
1927
as Jane
MovieThe Unknown
1927
as Nanon Zanzi
MovieThe Understanding Heart
1927
as Monica Dale
MovieThe Taxi Dancer
1927
as Joselyn Poe
MovieWinners Of The Wilderness
1927
as René Contrecoeur
MovieBardelys the Magnificent
1926
as Court Gossip (uncredited)
MovieThe Merry Widow
1926
as Ballroom Dancer (uncredited)
MovieParis
1926
as The Girl
MovieThe Boob
1926
as Jane
MovieTramp, Tramp, Tramp
1926
as Betty Burton
MovieSally, Irene and Mary
1925
as Irene O'Dare
MovieBen-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
1925
as Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
MovieThe Only Thing
1925
as Party Guest (uncredited)
MovieOld Clothes
1925
as Mary Riley
MovieTime, the Comedian
1925
as Art Student (as Lucille LeSueur)
MovieThe Midshipman
1925
as Extra - Driver of Police Car (uncredited)
MovieThe Circle
1925
as Young Lady Catherine
MoviePretty Ladies
1925
as Bobby
MovieA Slave of Fashion
1925
as Mannequin (uncredited)
MovieProud Flesh
1925
as Party Guest (uncredited)
Movie1925 Studio Tour
1925
as Self
MovieLady of the Night
1925
as Body Double for Norma Shearer
MovieAnd One Was Loyal
as Ann Howard
MovieRebel Range
as Stella Faring
