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Joan Crawford Letters:

1940s

 

1940    1941   1942   1943   1944   1945   1946   1947   1948   1949

 


Unknown (war years), to "Sarah"

 


 

1940

 

January 29, 1940, to "Mr. O'Connor"

From the personal collection of Stephen Bledsoe. May not be reproduced without permission.

 

 

February 18, 1940, to "Elizabeth"

 

July 5, 1940, to "C. Joseph"

 

August 30, 1940, to "Margaret"

 

September 14, 1940, to Avalon Benson

 

October 8, 1940, to publicist Dore Freeman

 

1940 generic reply letter with accompanying photo

(Despite the same text, note the unique signatures, indicating that Joan still signed them individually.)

    

 


 

1941

 

1941 generic fan letter re When Ladies Meet

 

May 8, 1941, to "Le Nore"

 

June 5, 1941, to "Margaret"

 

September 18, 1941, to "Sally"

 

October 1, 1941, to singer/actress Helen Morgan on her deathbed

(Morgan died on October 9, of cirrhosis of the liver.)

 

October 14, 1941, from Joan-secretary E. Johnson to Chaw Mank

 

October 20, 1941, to Avalon Benson

 


 

1942

1942 generic fan letter and accompanying photo re They All Kissed the Bride

 

January 19, 1942, to Avalon Benson

 

February 18, 1942, to "Florence"

 

March 15, 1942, to "Margaret"

March 15, 1942

 

April 11, 1942, to Pearl Pezoldt

 

June 20, 1942, to Pearl Pezoldt

 

July 29, 1942, to Pearl Pezoldt

 

September 16, 1942, to "Sarah"

 

 

 

December 30, 1942, to MGM's Edgar Mannix

 

 

 


 

1943

February 1, 1943, to serviceman William Seay

 

February 8, 1943, to Pearl Pezoldt

 

June 10, 1943, to Ada P. Snow

 

June 22, 1943, to Avalon Benson

 

September 1, 1943, to actress Lotte Palfi

 

December 14, 1943, to Pearl Pezoldt

 


 

1944

May 27, 1944, to actress Lotte Palfi

 

September 29, 1944, to Bob Thorell

 

December 12, 1944, to Clifton Webb

 


 

1945

May 21, 1945, to Private Bill Seay

 

July 29, 1945, to Corporal Lawrence Cressy

 

November 8, 1945, to Joseph Sokol

 


 

1946

 

December 4, 1946, to Joseph Sokol

 


 

1947

September 4, 1947, to H.N. Swanson

 

September 15, 1947, to Leslie Powell

 


 

1948

December 10, 1948, to NY Post columnist Leonard Lyons

 

Dear Lennie,

Thank you so much for your encouraging letter about Frazier.

The thing that disturbs me most, Lennie, is that George keeps telling people I have lied to him, when I have not. He says I have lied about my age, and has indicated to Billy Haines in a letter to him that I was born in 1903, which is a lie and I'll take an oath on my four children's heads that it is.

Also, he claims I was married before I came into pictures. Someone called me and said "Who is Colisimo?" I said "What do you mean – who is Colisimo? You must mean what is Colisimo – that's where they have the football games." Then they read me a paragraph from one of the local columns saying that George Frazier was out here to prove that I had once been married to someone by the name of Colisimo. That, too, I will take an oath on that I have never been married before Douglas or that I have ever heard of Mr. Colisimo – whoever he might be.

George also said in his letter to Billy Haines, "What does she take me for, a complete idiot? Doesn't she know that I would have talked to Colisimo's friends?"

Honestly, Lennie, I really don't know what to do with a guy who seems to believe he is right. I have not lied about any one of those items, and I cannot understand why anybody would ever say I have been married to this gentleman or how his friends think they might be able to contribute something. It is unbelievable that he is gullible enough to believe their stories.

I have grown up publicly and made all my mistakes publicly. Everything I have ever done has certainly been recorded and there is no possible reason why I should lie about anything, but apparently George will not be convinced that I am not lying.

Would you please be an angel and clear him up on these two items? I really don't know how I can do it since he does not seem to believe me. By the way, who the hell is Colisimo and when was I supposed to have been married to him?

If Frazier would only pick up the phone, reverse the charges, and ask me these questions, rather than to ask people all over New York and to send letters to various and sundry people all over California, it would be so nice and in keeping with my opinion of him when I saw him. But suddenly to have all hell break loose when he leaves California and to have my name thrust about in a very unflattering manner, is anything but what I thought George Frazier would do.

George has contacted everyone except me which, I think, is a little unfair. If he has any accusations to make, they should certainly be made to the person involved – me.

Bless you for all your valuable time I taken up. My love to you and Sylvia.

Gratefully,
Joan Crawford

 


 

1949

January 5, 1949, to Norman Stuart

 

January 10, 1949, to Bill Seay

 

January 13, 1949, to Louise Hazuka

 

January 19, 1949, to Lilyan Miller

 

August 29, 1949, to Katherine Le Blanc

 


Letters 1930s      Letters 1940s      Letters 1950 to 1954