The Best of Everything
Joan Crawford Letters:
1940s
1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949
Unknown (war years), to "Sarah"
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"
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 generic fan letter re When Ladies Meet
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 generic fan letter and accompanying photo re They All Kissed the Bride
January 19, 1942, to Avalon Benson
February 18, 1942, to "Florence"
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
February 1, 1943, to serviceman William Seay
February 8, 1943, to Pearl Pezoldt
June 22, 1943, to Avalon Benson
September 1, 1943, to actress Lotte Palfi
December 14, 1943, to Pearl Pezoldt
May 27, 1944, to actress Lotte Palfi
September 29, 1944, to Bob Thorell
December 12, 1944, to Clifton Webb
May 21, 1945, to Private Bill Seay
July 29, 1945, to Corporal Lawrence Cressy
November 8, 1945, to Joseph Sokol
December 4, 1946, to Joseph Sokol
September 4, 1947, to H.N. Swanson
September 15, 1947, to Leslie Powell
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
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