Joan Crawford: The Best of Everything

"Arrive early to delight your eyes and ears with our interactive Joan Crawford Exhibit, showcasing genuine vintage Joan Crawford items, famous caricatures, reproductions of Joan’s letters to fans, fun trivia, and more! All patrons receive a full-color booklet program. Our in-theatre bar welcomes you to buy drinks before and after the show!"

TIME FOR A MEET-UP!

The last time I was in SF for a meet-up with other Joan fans was way back in July 2006 (19 years ago!) to see a showing of Mildred Pierce that featured Ann Blyth in person!

It's about time for another meet-up!

I've already booked my flight/hotel and reserved my ticket for the 7:30pm show on Saturday, May 10 (the date that Joan passed). Anybody else interested in hanging out with me on that night?!

I'll probably also spend the earlier part of Saturday the 10th walking over to a couple of locations where Sudden Fear was shot---particularly the location of the apartment where Joan was so tormented at the end of the movie (1201 Greenwich @ Hyde). You're also welcome to join me for the walk!

Theatre 33, where the play will be presented, is at 533 Sutter St, and the Fear locations are within 1 to 2.5 miles of that. For other sightseeing purposes, the theater and surrounding hotels are also close to Chinatown, North Beach (home of the Beats and City Lights Books), and Union Square. I was able to find a decent hotel around the corner from the theater for about $125 a night (via the usual online booking places). For younger folks on a budget, there are also various student hostels in the vicinity.

Looking forward to seeing some old Joan-friends and meeting some new ones! As the date nears, feel free to contact me for specific meet-up plans, or else I'll just see you at the show on May 10 to toast Joan!

4/18/25

PHOTOS:

1953: Torch Song -- A film still with Marjorie Rambeau.

1959: Publicity for Life magazine shot by Eve Arnold, one and two.

LETTERS: 1950 to a fan---an aspiring model at the time, who later became a Dem political activist.

TOBACCIANA: British cards -- Abdulla (1939 Screen Stars), and Carreras Turf (uncut: 1948 Film Favourites and 1949 Famous Film Stars).

4/14/25

PHOTOS:

1940: Strange Cargo -- Film still with Ian Hunter (includes press caption).

1942: Above Suspicion -- On the set with Fred MacMurray and MGM vocal coach (includes partial press caption).

1947: Daisy Kenyon -- Smaller publicity shot.

1949: Candid with Frank Capra on the Paramount set of his Riding High (includes press caption).

4/08/25

PHOTOS:

1933: A film still from Today We Live.

1934:

Chained -- A Ross Verlag publicity postcard.

Forsaking All Others -- A film still with Robert Montgomery and Frances Drake.

Candid on NBC radio (with Franchot Tone, et al) to promote Sadie McKee.

1937: The Last of Mrs. Cheyney -- Publicity with Montgomery and William Powell.

FILMS:

A German poster for Letty Lynton.

A US lobby card for Love on the Run.

4/06/25

PHOTOS:

1927: The Taxi Dancer -- A film still with Douglas Gilmore.

1928: Our Dancing Daughters -- A film still with Nils Asther.

1930: Great Day! (unreleased) -- A film still with John Miljan.

1931:

Dance, Fools, Dance -- A film still with Lester Vail.

Possessed -- A film still.

TOBACCIANA: 1925 BAT (British American Tobacco) card, front and back.

4/04/25

LETTERS: 14 letters to Psycho / Strait-Jacket writer Robert Bloch:

1969.

1973.

1974.

1975: January and May.

1976: March, April (funny handwritten p.s.), June, August, September, and December.

1977: January 12, January 21, and March.

BOOKS: In the My Way of Life section, added info on Joan's recording of MWOL for the blind: Two record-label photos, and a quote from her March 1976 letter above re what she learned from the recording experience.

3/31/25

PHOTOS:

1953: Torch Song -- Blackface candid by Sanford Roth.

1959: The Best of Everything -- Small color film still with Hope Lange and Suzy Parker.

1963:

At the Berlin Film Festival; shot by Manfred Schowineh.

Columbia publicity.

1964: At the Pepsi Pavilion of the World's Fair in Queens (includes partial press caption).

1967: Publicity shot.

FILMS: Australian pressbook pages for I Saw What You Did.

3/24/25

PHOTOS:

1953: Torch Song -- A film still with Gig Young (includes press caption).

1954: Johnny Guitar -- Screen shots one and two.

FILMS: Johnny Guitar

Updated links to reviews/essays, and added artwork by Tony Stella from the Bright Wall/Dark Room site (2019 article).

Also added 2 set photos from time of shooting.

March 23

Happy Birthday, Joan!

3/22/25

LETTERS:

1950:

March and July to Mrs. Chadwick re Christina problems!

August to a young man from Puerto Rico: "I am very touched that you would consider my adopting you..."

3/20/25

PHOTOS:

1939: A screen shot from The Women.

1941:

Publicity for When Ladies Meet with Greer Garson and Robert Taylor (shot by Eric Carpenter).

Publicity shot by Hurrell.

1945: A film still from Mildred Pierce.

1946: Warners publicity: Color by Eugene Robert Richee, and b/w at bookshelf.

The Best of Everything

Established March 23, 2004