Miss J as in Joan, Joan Crawford. She was a trip, pure and simple. Her attitude and temper were legendary. One of my favorite quotes about Joan from Bette Davis was, "I wouldn’t sit on her toilet." In another, she described Joan as "Hollywood’s first case of syphilis," and that her eyebrows looked like "African caterpillars." On the other hand, Joan was a great movie star, and did some pretty spectacular things: Mildred Pierce being the best, quickly followed by Trog, and an appearance on Night Gallery, (Steven Spielberg’s first professional directing job). Remember she played the bitchy blind woman, who purchased Tom Bosley’s eyes (he had gambling debts), so she could see for an hour, or some such nonsense? As soon as she ripped off the bandages, there was a blackout in New York, and she flipped and went out the window of her high rise! Fantastic! Joan was also obsessed with note writing, and politeness. She would write a thank you note to thank someone for a thank you note. Here’s a note, donated by my buddy Roger Sinclair. Thanks Roger.

When Joan adopted her kids and allegedly beat the crap out of them on a regular basis, she was living in Brentwood, on Bristol Avenue. Their house was located at 426. I’m not absolutely positive about this, but I do think that this was the front door she stood at, upon hearing the news about winning her Oscar for Mildred Pierce. I also heard a rumor that in recent years, Jim Carrey was living in the house. It is only a stone’s throw from the Rockingham home of you-know-who.

Joan moved to New York when she married the Pepsi guy, Alfred Steele, in 1955. Al died in 1959. She stayed on with Pepsi as a spokesperson, until they decided to "retire" her, some years later.

Towards the end of her life, she became a Christian Scientist. She was not keen on medical treatment. She was getting older, and the acting parts she wanted were no longer being offered to her. One of her last public appearances was at a party for Rosalind Russell, in 1974. She became a recluse. Joan got cancer. The details are almost non existent. I do know that just before she died, she gave her precious Shih Tzu away, because she could no longer care for it.

I know that when she died, she lived in an apartment located at 158 E. 68^th Street. Findadeath.com friend Marta Dawes sent some lovely pictures that she found of Joan’s home. Check out the sassy living room. And then there is the very cool dining room. Of course, what house is complete without the huge self-portrait? You wanna know the real horror? The apartment building has been torn down. Findadeath.com sleuths Stacey Weinstein and Joanne Melito found the location for us - and its now a park!

According to Christina Crawford, the death went like this:

On the morning of Tuesday May 10, 1977 – Joan was at the end. Two women (probably fans) were looking her after. They weren’t nurses. She had been bedridden for months. One of the women arrived at 8am, to take over watching Joan. When the woman realized that Joan was dying, she began praying softly, then a bit louder. Joan heard the words, and said, "Dammit, don’t you dare ask God to help me." She died shortly after that.

Other reports state that Joan was about to have her usual tea and graham crackers morning meal, when she passed away. Another theory is that she knew it was coming, and asked that her lawyer be informed. Whatever. She died.

Got this email from a friend of Findadeath.com - check it out.  "Did you watch "Mysteries and Scandals" on E! last week? There was a show on Joan Crawford. They said she hated the name "Crawford" because it sounded like "crawfish". Also, some of her friends think she committed suicide, by taking pills."  Interesting theory, eh?

A lot of people wondered why an autopsy was not performed, causing the medical examiner to issue a statement saying, "I didn’t think the circumstances called for one. There was nothing in my evaluation to lead me to suspect in any way… I do know the location of the body, in her own bed, and she appeared to be well looked after. There was no disarray or disorder. The replies to all the questions I asked made me feel the cause of death was natural."

I don't know this to be fact, but I would like to think that this is Joan's death bed.

Whatever the truth is, the official cause of death is cancer (pancreas) and acute coronary occlusion. She was 71 to 73 years old. I wish I had her death certificate, but the jerks in New York don’t let the public have access to them. Does anyone know anybody who can help?

Her funeral was on Friday the 13th, at the Frank Campbell Funeral Home (funeral home to the stars!). I didn’t know this, but Joan was embalmed and then cremated. The urn was on a pedestal in the chapel, and a Christian Scientist practitioner read the service, which consisted of Bible readings, and some passages by Mary Baker Eddy. Myrna Loy, Van Johnson, and Andy Warhol attended it. Afterwards, they put Joan’s urn in with her last husband’s, at Ferncliff Cemetery.

The next Tuesday, there was a public memorial service thrown by Pepsi, at the All Souls Unitarian Church, located at 1157 Lexington Avenue, in New York (Thanks Beca). Along with Joan’s children, those attending included Anita Loos, Geraldine Brooks, Cliff Robertson and Pearl Bailey (who sang.).  

ADDED SEPTEMBER 2000

Here is the program for the service, thanks to bq.

On June 24^th, there was a bigger memorial service in Los Angeles. It was held at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. John Wayne, Robert Young, George Cukor, Myrna Loy, and Stephen Spielberg attended.

Everyone knows that Joan cut Christina and Christopher out of her will, "For reasons which are well known to them." They contested the will, and got a settlement for $55,000. Christina obviously didn’t think that satisfactory, so she penned the book, Mommie Dearest, in 1978. It was eventually made into a film starring Faye Dunaway, who deserved an Oscar for the performance of her life. Joan’s other adopted children came out publicly and said that Christina was full of shit. I wonder if she was. Still, what a great story. I remember when Christina was doing the talk show circuit back then. Some woman in the audience stood up and said (basically), "I’ve been a fan of Joan Crawford’s for years, and I do not believe her being capable of such evil things, blah blah blah blah." Christina’s reply was, "Lady, I was there." I love it. Christina’s brother Christopher says of his sister, "Tina cared about that bitch. She still does."

Also in 1978 – there was an auction in New York, of Joan’s personal belongings. Hats, sheets, pillowcases etc, were all sold. Andy Warhol bought Joan’s false eyelashes and some costume jewellery. The auction raised $43,000.

Trivia: Joan was born Lucille Le Sueur. MGM bosses decided her name sounded too much like "sewer," so they had a nationwide contest to rename her. A woman from Albany, New York won $500 for renaming her Joan Crawford – a much nicer sounding name.

More: Joan was quite outspoken about her dislike of Marilyn Monroe. Upon hearing the news of Marilyn’s death, Joan was quite upset. She was having dinner at George Cukor’s house, when he called her on it. "What is this? You never liked Marilyn." Joan answered, "Yes, you’re right. She was cheap, and an exhibitionist. She was never professional, and that irritated the hell out of people. But, for God’s sake, she needed help. She had all these people on her payroll. Where they hell were they when she needed them? Why in the hell did she have to die alone?"

Even More: Christina owns a bed and breakfast in Tensed, Idaho. Somebody go and get pictures, please! In November of 1998 – the book Mommie Dearest was being re-released. Christina hired a drag queen that looked like her mother to accompany her to the book signing.  Funny, huh?  And I don't mean funny ha ha.

March 2002: From Findadeath.com friend Robert Rechter in Melbourne Australia:  Have been reading through your fabulous site and would like to add this to Joan Crawford section concerning 'drag queen' performing as Joan Crawford at launch of new version of 'Mommie Dearest' book. The drag performer that imitated Joan Crawford was actually the incredible Lypsinka who I met in Sydney while she was there for Mardi Gras. Lypsinka is best known for her legendary stage shows where she lip-synchs the voices of great Hollywood actresses in rapid succession like gunfire. She appeared in the film 'Wigstock' and has been a Thierry Mugler model, appearing in the George Michael clip 'Too Funky'. She is an extremely gifted performer who never stops working. For a photo of her as Joan Crawford go to www.lypsinka.com Click onto 'My favorite things', at the bottom of 'The Valley of the Dolls' article click 'Joan Crawford'. She is pictured as Joan with Christina Crawford who asked her to recreate and lip-synch the famous L.P 'Joan Crawford Live at Town Hall', for her new version of 'Mommie Dearest' book launch. 

You heard the man, check it out!

UPDATE March 2001 - findadeath.com friend Heather Anne (what is your damage?) sends this info on Christina:

I just wanted to give you some extra Christina Crawford information. The name and address of her B&B in Idaho is
Seven Springs Farm Bed & Breakfast and Bistro    
Sanders Rd, 2 mi E of Hwy 95
Tensed, ID 83870
1-208-274-2470

She hasn't moved that far from Hollywood either. She is a location manager and rents her hotel for film shooting purposes.

And another tidbit from People magazine in an interview with Christina Crawford regarding the twins Joan adopted.
"For one thing, they were never twins. They were raised as twins, she called them twins. Her career needed a boost, and one child alone wasn't going to get her the publicity she wanted, so she got two girls who both had brown hair and brown eyes. That was the extent of their "twin-ness."    

Thanks Heather!

Last: Wanna see her footprints at the Chinese Theatre?

This was sent in by Findadeath.com friend Gregory in Montreal:  Her last phone # was: 734-6969. Joan's own autograph book sold at NYC auction at Plaza Galleries in Feb 1978 for only $2,800. Imagine today!

Findadeath.com friend Dominic Druce sends this information:

Christmas 1976 - a friend noticed how thin she was.  "I'm getting down to picture weight, darling."  He thought she was disintegrating.

A Christmas card she sent in 76 said, "I am so at peace with the world, that I'm even having good thoughts about Bette Davis."

January 1977 - Mamie Van Doren says she had the room next door to Joan at the Ambassador East, in Chicago.  Joan seldom left, but paced around at night watching television.

Joan's secretary states that Joan did not leave New York in 1977.

Not being able to pick up the dog was the clincher as far as its fate was concerned.

Late March 1977 - Joan made a point of not watching the AFI tribute to Bette Davis.

May 1977 - Joan's weight dropped to 90 pounds.

Tuesday May 10th (at odds with Christina's account, she made breakfast for her housekeeper and fan, went to the bedroom while they ate, and died.

New York secretary Florence Walsh, "She died of a heart attack."

Los Angeles secretary Betty Barker, "It was cancer."

The two are not mutually exclusive.  She could have had a heart attack while dying of cancer.  Also, if you weigh less than 90 pounds and can't pick up a small dog, can you make breakfast for two?

Debbie Reynolds and others thought it was suicide.  Others say it wasn't her style.

Thanks for the thought food, Dominic.

UPDATE January 2003, from Findadeath friend Mike Pare: