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Book Description
Joan Crawford: An Illustrated Guide to Her Appearances in Film, Radio and Television
Michelle Vogel & Neil Maciejewski
Foreword by Casey LaLonde
120 photographs, filmography, bibliography, index hardcover (7 x 10) 2007
Description
Born March 23, 1904, in San Antonio, Texas, Joan Crawford began life as Lucille Fay LeSueur. Abandoned by her father and
mistreated by her mother, Crawford was determined from an early age to succeed in the world of acting. While her early attempts
did little to make her a star, her determination and perseverance paid off as she became one of Hollywood's legends.
Focusing on a career which spanned six decades and more than 80 movies, this volume is the definitive reference guide
to Joan Crawford's life and show business career. It explores her introduction to show business through her step-father's
opera house, her initial work as a dancer under stage name Billie Cassin and her eventual 1925 entry on to the silver screen.
It follows Crawford through her marriages to Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Franchot Tone, Phillip Terry and Alfred Steele. Crawford's
work with a number of big-name actors including Clark Gable, Fred Astaire, Spencer Tracy and Henry Fonda as well as her relationship
with studio giants MGM and Warner Bros. are also discussed. A complete filmography provides details starting with Lady of
the Night in 1925 through Trog, released in 1970. Never-before-seen photographs including rare candids and behind-the-scene
shots accompany Joan Crawford's amazing story.
About the Authors
Film historian Michelle Vogel is the author of Olive Thomas (2007), Marjorie Main (2006), Children of Hollywood (2005) and
Gene Tierney (2005). She lives in Brooklyn, New York. Joan Crawford Film historian Neil Maciejewski lives in San Francisco,
California. Casey LaLonde is Joan Crawford's grandson and lives in Pennsylvania.
Author's Notes
February 9th 2006
As most of you already know, the Joan Crawford book: Joan Crawford: An Illustrated Guide to Her Appearances on Film, Television
and Radio, will not be published this spring. Creative differences with the publisher caused us to part ways, but this is
all for the best. Here are some reasons why this is good news:
1. The title of the book was too damn long and I was getting sick of typing it!:-)
2. The book will include more rare and never before seen photos!
3. Casey LaLonde will be more involved with the book and it's getting the family blessing.
4. There will be more interesting content in the book and some surprises as well.
5. The book will most likely be released at the end of the year or early 2008 and this will coincide with a HUGE project
that Casey, Michelle and I have underway!!
Stay tuned for more details and more updates on the Joan book and other related projects.
January 25 2007
Michelle and I were asked to do an interview for The Midnight Palace Website. It's a fantastic website that revisits old
movies - both classics and obscure films. Gary, the Webmaster, asked Michelle and I some really great in depth questions about
the book and Joan Crawford in general. The full interview is now posted to this impressive website. The interview can be viewed
by clicking the link or the photo below.
Click on the above photo to view the full interview
January 24 2007
I am so excited over the upcoming book Joan Crawford: An Illustrated Guide to Her Appearances on Film, Radio and Television.
Michelle, Casey and I really worked hard on this book and soon everyone will see all the hard work! This book will essentially
be the "Joan Crawford bible." It will have all of her films described in detail with interesting facts and trivia
about each of her 80+movies. Some of the movies also have comments and notes from Joan Crawford's grandson, Casey LaLonde.
Casey also provides a very thoughtful foreward to the book. Also, this book will have all of Joan's television and radio performances
featured as well. An accurate and direct biography on Joan is leads off the book. The icing on the cake are the 120 photographs
that are included. The photographs in this book will not be your typical Joan Crawford glamour shots. The pictures are of
Joan as Joan. On the set of her movies are what the majority of these photos are. Many of these photos have never been in
print and some have never even been seen. The fans are in for a real treat.
I was really worried about how the cover was going to turn out for the upcoming book. I think I drove Michelle crazy with
asking her a million times, "Do you think they will pick one of the covers I suggested?" When the cover was announced
last month, I couldn't have been happier with it. It actually was not one of the covers that I had suggested. The final cover
shot for the book was lifted off of the promo card that was designed to promote the book in 2006. Below are three of the cover
options that didn't get chosen for the cover of the book. I love these three options below, but it would have been a very
dark cover and very "cookie-cutter" to what most of the other covers have been for other Joan Crawford books. The
cover for Joan Crawford: An Illustrated Guide to Her Appearances on Film, Radio and Television, is very bright and it catches
your eye.
Posters will become available soon of the book cover and there are some other great "ideas" currently in the
works. This is going to be a great year for Joan Crawford fans!
Above: This cover option was my least favorite, but I love the photo of Joan.
Above: An amazing close-up of Joan. Although I love this photograph, it does project a sense of sadness.
Above: This was my recommneded option for the cover.
Websites Featuring the Book
Click on the above image to see the book featured on the Barnes & Noble Website
Click on the above image to see the book featured on Turner Classic Movies Website
Click on the above image to see the book featured on The Midnight Palace Website
Click on the above image to see the book featured on amazon.com
Click on the above image to see the book featured on Kinokuniya Book Club
Reviews
Coming Soon.....
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