Joan Crawford

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Joan Crawford and Bette Davis in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

Joan Crawford

American actress

Also known as: Lucille Lesueur

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Jun 10, 2025 • Article History

Quick Facts

Original name:: Lucille Fay LeSueur

Born:: March 23, 1904?, San Antonio, Texas, U.S.

Died:: May 10, 1977, New York, New York

Awards And Honors:: Academy Award (1946); Academy Award (1946): Actress in a Leading Role; Cecil B. DeMille Award (1970)

Notable Works:: “Humoresque”; “Sudden Fear”

Movies/Tv Shows (Acted In):: "Strange Cargo" (1940); "The Circle" (1925); "The Damned Don't Cry" (1950); "Untamed" (1929); "The Women" (1939); "Berserk" (1967); "The Hollywood Revue of 1929" (1929); "Possessed" (1931); "This Modern Age" (1931); "Forsaking All Others" (1934); "Flamingo Road" (1949); "Old Clothes" (1925); "Twelve Miles Out" (1927); "Our Modern Maidens" (1929); "Harriet Craig" (1950); "The Secret Storm" (1968); "Sadie McKee" (1934); "Queen Bee" (1955); "Our Blushing Brides" (1930); "Daisy Kenyon" (1947); "Mannequin" (1937); "Tramp, Tramp, Tramp" (1926); "Trog" (1970); "Pretty Ladies" (1925); "The Best of Everything" (1959); "Winners of the Wilderness" (1927); "Female on the Beach" (1955); "The Gorgeous Hussy" (1936); "The Revlon Mirror Theater" (1953); "Torch Song" (1953); "The Unknown" (1927); "Strait-Jacket" (1964); "They All Kissed the Bride" (1942); "Dance, Fools, Dance" (1931); "On Trial" (1959); "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" (1962); "Montana Moon" (1930); "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." (1967); "Sally, Irene and Mary" (1925); "West Point" (1927); "Today We Live" (1933); "Great Day" (1930); "Letty Lynton" (1932); "Love on the Run" (1936); "The Lucy Show" (1968); "Chained" (1934); "Zane Grey Theater" (1959–1961); "Laughing Sinners" (1931); "Above Suspicion" (1943); "Journey to Midnight" (1968); "Susan and God" (1940); "The Law of the Range" (1928); "General Electric Theater" (1954–1959); "No More Ladies" (1935); "The Understanding Heart" (1927); "Sudden Fear" (1952); "Possessed" (1947); "Dream of Love" (1928); "Dancing Lady" (1933); "This Woman Is Dangerous" (1952); "When Ladies Meet" (1941); "The Bride Wore Red" (1937); "The Virginian" (1970); "Paris" (1926); "Spring Fever" (1927); "The Shining Hour" (1938); "Across to Singapore" (1928); "Della" (1964); "Johnny Guitar" (1954); "The Last of Mrs. Cheyney" (1937); "Hollywood Canteen" (1944); "Reunion in France" (1942); "The Duke Steps Out" (1929); "The Taxi Dancer" (1927); "Paid" (1930); "Goodbye, My Fancy" (1951); "A Woman's Face" (1941); "I Live My Life" (1935); "Autumn Leaves" (1956); "The Ice Follies of 1939" (1939); "Humoresque" (1946); "Rose-Marie" (1928); "The Caretakers" (1963); "The Sixth Sense" (1972); "Grand Hotel" (1932); "Mildred Pierce" (1945); "I Saw What You Did" (1965); "Our Dancing Daughters" (1928); "The Boob" (1926); "Four Walls" (1928); "Night Gallery" (1969); "Rain" (1932); "The Story of Esther Costello" (1957); "Route 66" (1963)

Joan Crawford (born March 23, 1904?, San Antonio, Texas, U.S.—died May 10, 1977, New York, New York) was an American motion-picture actress who made her initial impact as a vivacious Jazz Age flapper but later matured into a star of psychological melodramas. She developed a glamorous screen image, appearing often as a sumptuously gowned, fur-draped, successful career woman.

Crawford danced in nightclubs under the name Billie Cassin, and by 1924 she was dancing in Broadway musicals. On the screen from 1925, she danced her way through such popular films as Our Dancing Daughters (1928), Dance, Fools, Dance (1931), and Dancing Lady (1933). Among her early successes as a dramatic actress were The Women (1939), Susan and God (1940), Strange Cargo (1940), and A Woman’s Face (1941).

A major turning point in Crawford’s career was her performance in Mildred Pierce (1945), for which she won an Academy Award. The story of an emotional and ambitious woman who rises from waitress to owner of a restaurant chain, it was followed by such high-quality pictures as Humoresque (1947), Sudden Fear (1952), and The Story of Esther Costello (1957). Later successful roles were in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) and The Caretakers (1963).

Empty movie theater and blank screen (theatre, motion pictures, cinema).

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Crawford was married to the actors Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. (1929–33), Franchot Tone (1935–39), and Phillip Terry (1942–46) and to Alfred Steele (1955–59), chairman of the Pepsi-Cola Company. After his death in 1959 she became a director of the company and in that role hired her friend Dorothy Arzner to film several Pepsi commercials. Crawford’s adopted daughter Christina published Mommie Dearest (1978), an account of the harsh childhood that Christina and an adopted brother had at their mother’s hands, and a film version was produced in 1981.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Encyclopaedia Britannica.