BIOGRAPHY OF STARS

Chronicle (Levin), 27 April 1946, Page 7

BIOGRAPHY OF STARS

JOAN CRAWFORD Born in 1908 in San Antonio, Texas, Joan Crawford is 5 feet, 4 inches tall and weighs 110 lbs. She has blue eyes and red-brown hair. Lots of biographies can start 011 lines like this, but few cover such an interesting personality. Birth name is Lucille Le Sueur, but she became known later as Billie Cassin and used the two names interchangeably until, on starting work in Hollywood, she received her present professional name from a magazine contest held to decide it. She had her first taste of theatrical life watching performers in her stepfather's theatres in Oklahoma. A serious foot injury threatened to cripple her for life, but determination overcame the handicap and when quite young she won the first of many dancing trophies. Hard work as a waitress and shop assistant varied with occasional stage A cable message released a few days ago indicated briefly that Joan Crawford has won this year's Academy Award for the best feminine performance in "Mildred Pierce." To the avid picture-goer who closely follows all the film news and gossip, the announcement added one more triumph or heartache to the amazing collection of memories that, like followers of the turf, they accumulate over the years. After a screen absence of over ' two years (amounting to what many considered virtual retirement) Miss Crawford has now stepped boldly into the film-goers consciousness. To the few who have been privileged to preview "Mildred Pierce" in New Zealand the impression gathered strcngth that this intervening period had been a two years' wait for the right picture. The story is from the novel by James Cain. .author of "The Postman Always Rings Twice," "Serenade" and "Double Indemnity," and the picture has preserved the novel's tense, headlong fiow. The maturity of Miss Crawford's talent is vividly emphasised as the much-beset mother of a hateful slip of a daughter who threatens and eventually destroys the happincss that the mother had planned for both. This film will be eagerly awaited by the public, and Warner Bros. feel proud that this most important presentation from their studios vas the vehicle chosen by Miss Crawford for her dramatic re-entry to the screen. work follov/ed until sheer persistence and a little luck landed her on Broadway — still dancing. It was fipre that Hollywood first caught up with her, but for quite a time the pretty shapely girl was posed for still art studies. Her big first part in films came a5, the dancer in "Sally, Irene and Mary" and with a long term contract came her present name. Many successful pictures followed — "Our Dancing Daughters," "This Modern Age," "Raih," "The Women," "Susan and God" to name a few. She has been married three times, first to Douglas Fairbanks, Jnr., then to Franchot Tone, and now to Fhillip Terry. They have two adopted children.