The one and only Mr Larry King. I always loved watching any interview he conducted no matter the subject. Anyone that was on his show had great respect for him as an interviewer. That seemed to put his subjects at ease and they divulged more than if they were with any other media personality. Mr King never had an intimidating bone in his personality and that was another factor that put his subjects at great ease. All hail the King!
Cristina is so jealous of Joan that during this interview she hated the fact that the producers turned toconcentrate on Joan rather than her as a child. But what does she expect? Joan's got star quality and Cristina isnt.
At the 11:32 mark, she mentions being hit with objects like "the famous hangers" yet, in the book itself, there's no mention of her being hit with hangers. "Shaking me by the hair of my head she screamed in my ear "No wire hangers! No wire hangers!" With one hand she pulled me by the hair and with the other she pounded my ears until they rang and I could hardly hear her screaming" I also remember another interview she gave where she said she was upset about the movie because the wire hanger scene did not happen the way they portrayed it and said she had not been beaten with hangers. This, among other things, is why I don't believe her. She changes her story far too often.
I only wrote the book for my family, I never intended it to be published, so I sent it to my famous writer friends in New York. - wtf??? that makes no sense
And she admitted she was very stubborn and obstreperous (her words) and the twins weren’t . And the twins said she was extremely loving and a great mother. So I’ve always wondered if Christina knew how to push her mom’s buttons, and knew how her mother was, why? Why push your mom’s buttons all the time to bring out the worst in her. That never made sense to me
JC may not have been the best parent but she APPRECIATED HER FANS!! Seeing her on a NYC street 35 years ago, with my polite request ; she stopped and walked to me to sign an autograph and she signed THANK YOU with her name. She was older but still breathtaking and magnificently groomed. She would stand out in a crowd of thousands.
@@leroymccoy9008 I saw the interviews with the other children (girls) and they both said they never were abused at all by their mother. They were expected to clean up their rooms, help in the kitchen with cleaning, and other household chores but never beaten or abused as Christina says she and her brother were....neither one of them ever saw any such thing. And neither of them felt close to Christina or the brother.
Christina tried to sue the twins saying they weren't even twins (wtf, ho?!). They showed their birth certificates and it proved Christina was lying. So it makes me think she's lied about it all.
I’m three minutes into this and I’m already having a hard time believing her. She says she “didn’t intend for it to become a book or a success” but sent the diary off to her friends who were writers in New York? Why do that when you’re saying you were keeping the diary for personal reasons.
She sells it well, but I recently re-read MOMMIE DEAREST for the first time in years and I stumbled across something I had never noticed before. Christina claims that one evening she was playing bartender for one of her mother's dates, and when she opened the front door and saw a half-naked gypsy man with an earring and a bald head, she slammed the door and ran to her mother's room. Joan told her the man's name was Yul Brynner and he was filming THE KING AND I and must have come from the studio in his costume. One word: IMPOSSIBLE. She makes it very clear later in the book that she was shipped off to Chadwick school at age ten. Which would have been in 1949. THE KING AND I didn't even hit BROADWAY until 1951 and aside from his vacation Yul Brynner played every night for three years. So the very earliest he could have been in Hollywood filming the movie would have been maybe 1954 or 1955, by which time Christina claimed she never went home again except for a trip to Europe after Crawford married Al Steele in 1955. There is NO WAY she could have been at home on the day she claims that Brynner showed up for a date with her mother and at any rate her mother was just on the verge of marrying another man.
She says Al Steele died from falling down the steps. Didn't he have a heart attack which caused him to fall down the steps? She's trying to make her mother a look like a killer. If this is a lie, wonder what else is?
He didn't even fall down steps. He collapsed on his own bedroom floor. He had kids of his own, so I'm sure they wouldn't have just glossed over the cause of death for the sake of protecting their stepmother.
I don't know whether these allegations against JC are true or not, but the problem with ' Tell-All ' books that are published only AFTER the subjects are dead, is that the dead cannot defend themselves...Or file suit for liable/slander...
She states in this twice that Joan beat her with the wire hangers but told Joy Bayhar years later that that was exaggerated in the film and that Joan actually didn't beat her with the hanger.
That’s why multiple multiple people filmed years later that were around when she was a kid said she was a liar even back then… it’s hard to keep lies straight but she spent her entire adult life trashing Joan Crawford and making money off her cold dead shoulders…
I've always seen it reported that Alfred Steele died of a heart attack. I think Joan Crawford may very well have been troubled and she likely was hard on the children. Some of what Christina says rings true. But not all of it, and nowhere have I ever seen it suggested that Joan Crawford pushed her husband down the stairs. It was irresponsible to let that stand. Her acting at first as if she didn't know she had younger siblings was ludicrous, too.
In 1979 I met Joan Crawford's personal helper who worked for Crawford for many years. I video taped a 35 minute interview with her. She had a much different perspective on "Mommy dearest". I would like to publish this. I wrote Access Hollywood, but have not heard back. Many people would be interested.
Question ? why did she take a drag queen dressed as joan around with her to publicize the book. to me this is suspicious and detracts from the gravity of her claims.
Some people that worked for Joan, shunned Christina after the books release. They stated she exaggerated, and all out lied about Joan, saying that Christina wrote the book because she was angry at Joan for leaving her nothing in the will.
It has always amazed me that, for someone who hates her mother so much, Christina Crawford sure has no problem keeping the last name Crawford, even after marrying twice. You would think that she would want to have no connection with her mother at all. Something about her seems very off to me. In this interview, she admits that she never loved her mother. I wonder if she is a sociopath. Not being funny, I'm serious. She certainly comes off that way in this interview, and it would explain a lot. Even Myrna Loy, in her autobiography, ripped Christina Crawford after working with her on Broadway. And if Myrna Loy doesn't like you, something isn't right!
I have a feeling she cashed in on the fame and notoriety. She seems disingenuous. I am a trauma and abuse survivor; she seems bitter about being disinherited and this was her revenge. And Joan's voice was already silenced.
“I liked her, and I miss her, and I think her daughter's stories are pure bunk. Even if they were true, if ever there was a girl who needed a good whack it was spoiled, horrible Christina [Christina Crawford]. Believe me, there were many times I wanted to smack her myself”.
On utube there is a 1960 audio of a radio interview of Christina. It is VERY revealing. After hearing it I thought, 'If only this interview had been re-released when the book and film came out.'
I wish someone would ask Christina two questions: why did you keep talking to your mom after you turned 18, and why did you wait until after she died to write the book? why not write the book when you're 30?
Interesting that Christina still uses the last name Crawford, which was Joan's stage name. Her real last name was LaSuer, but MGM insisted on Crawford because they felt LaSuer sounded too much like "sewer." You'd think Christina would distance herself from the stage name, yet here she is using it for recognition decades after Joan's death.
THANK YOU! This lady is lying her ass off. She says she wrote the book for family, which makes zero sense. But if that was the case, why was she sending it out to people?
Is that really a fair assessment considering it's the surname she was "known" as ALL of her life, seeing as Joan Crawford herself didn't go by her given surname "LeSuer"? I can understand what you mean about her having such a tumultuous relationship w/her mother why keep the same last name, but it's the name she's been known as & addressed as for decades, thus I'm sure it had to be a difficult decision for her & I think that's quite understandable🤷🏿♀️.
@@storiking650 That's what I thought too at first, until I remembered that Christina Crawford is divorced, and LaSuer is her birth last name. I'm almost 100% positive that Joan Crawford never legally changed her name. It's just hypocritical for her to publicly use a last name that's not really hers simply for fame based on her mother's stage name.
So by mistake she sent her memoir to NY publishers?! Really. A memoir that supported to be privet then suddenly is written as a book. I’m not saying that she is lying but this story is bs.
Im hearing inconsitancies in her story. First in another older interview she said she viewed her moms body to say goodbye and she loved her. Here she said it was to make sure she was dead. Also in that interview she said the hangers she was suppose to hang the clothes on were wooden. Here she says crocheted. Also in that interview she said they had good times.
Christina: "I moved out when I was 18 years old and never went back." Also Christina: I was shocked that I was disinherited in her will. I very much had a relationship with her as an adult. I was a caretaker for her.
@@adrianahalmi3337 right, if she was telling the truth her story would not change and it does. It's very suspicious she waited until her mom was gone and she was broke then said she wrote it as a diary , yet she sent to to people who where publishers to read. Makes no sense
I'm an adoptive mother with bios as well. I don't know Crawford movies, or her daughter, never seen the movie or read the book. It came up on my feed. All i know is that raising a child from adoption, even though I got( 2) from birth, they have serious issues. It is hard. I'm not saying abuse is at all right, AT ALL... but I also know my adoptive daughter is very manipulative and lies VERY easily for attention. It has been a long and extremely stressful path, until school staff experienced the same, there was SO MUCH judgement. That's my perspective for what it's worth. Not taking either side.
She’s so giddy and so flippant about what is portrayed to be horrific abuse. I went through horrible abuse as a child, and I am unable to talk about it with almost anybody. I certainly wouldn’t go on national television with such levity, giggling, jokes, etc. I don’t like to make anybody out to be untruthful about such a grave accusation as child abuse, but there’s just something not right about this woman.
Bios indicate Steele died of a heart attack and was found next to his bed. NOTHING was ever stated about falling down stairs, suspicious circumstances, or bruises/breaks from a fall. So, what OTHER lies is she telling?
Wait a minute..in one interview she says she saw her mother's dead body because she loved her..in another because she wanted to see that she was really gone..in another she says the book was written when she was sick but still alive..now says she wrote after her death..then she also says the movie was completely wrong especially the wire hanger scene and nothing like her mom and she got no money..in this one the wire hanger scene was pretty accurate...im confused..the interviews r all on utube so...yeah. " if celebs did this today it would be front page news" r u kidding me? Hellywood is filled with all sorts of debauchery most don't know anything about!
She's a liar. It is well know he died from a heart attack. And why would she even imply something like that. She has no proof or reason to even say that!
you know, I saw an interview with an actress that said Christina was ALWAYS a liar and a problem. She had accused some guy of sexual assault (rape) and come to find out she was STILL a virgin. The storys went on and on like that. Even the wire hanger thing was just an argument
Trying to keep an open mind, especially coming from an abusive childhood, but to accuse her mother of murdering her husband with no basis whatsoever is strange. Plus it’s documented that he suffered a heart attack.
Coming from an alcoholic and abusive home myself I can say that I don't know how much of this is true. Seems like there are some contradictions such as Christina Crawford saying that Joan Crawford rarely left the house. That is not true as Joan Crawford traveled extensively, even in her later years.
She keeps contradicting herself through the whole interview. She says she supposes the twin girls were adopted, then says with absolute certainty they were all bought. She says she doesn’t have a first memory then says but my very first memory is being on set. She said nobody paid for her boarding school, then said her step father did. It’s like she says stuff for drama then immediately thinks the truth sounds more dramatic than the lie and changes it. I can’t believe people backed her during this. I find it really hard to believe anything she’s saying.
And now she's making a musical of Mommie Dearest I hear. How does one make a musical of child abuse? This woman is a couple french fries off from a Happy Meal!
I was abused by my teachers aide and it was difficult for me to talk about it I'm a real survivor of abuse this woman is not telling the truth this is a money grab I don't brag about my abuse I don't joke about it its sad how some people go to such lengths to get money I don't like the fact that I was abused as a child it was back in the 2000s in that decade abuse was not taken seriously in that time I agree Joan was not the perfect mom but I know that Tina is a spiteful vindictive person. Nuff said.
Before, Christina mentioned that Joan never laid a finger on the twins. But in this video she mentions that the twins did had physical discipline done on them by Joan.
I'm not convinced, She contradicts herself a fair few times.... also the accusation of Joan killing her husband? You wanna have some pretty solid proof before going on Larry king and saying something like that... She really wants people to purchase her book.
We find it difficult to believe anything Christina says about her mother. How unfortunate that Joan is not around to defend herself. Daniele Amfitheatrof, the Hollywood film composer who scored a couple of Joan's films, spoke well of her as a person and as an actress.
Hang on (pardon the pun)..Christina says she was appalled by the movie because she is intimating it was 'overly dramatised'...but in the next breath she describes, almost exactly, what happened with the hangers, rose bush and hauling her out of bed etc as in the movie...so what was different?...There does seem to be a slight underlying jealousy of a sort from Christina about Joan. She never amounted to anything as an actress, and sent journals of her writings of her childhood to her writer/publisher friends but says she didn't intend for them to be published?...Come on....I'm not saying Joan was perfect and probably drank a bit too much at times etc, I'm not saying she scolded the children at times, and although I don't know as I wasn't there, I feel Christina is maybe over milking this cash cow of a story. Of course child abuse is wrong, however, the other children (the twins) do not recall Joan being violent with them so it is hard to know what is the total truth.....Larry asks her what did she like about Joan....only mentioning one thing and then goes on to attack Joan again about her not being educated, only to let us all know how smart she is and that Joan was envious of it...eish...Joan was so 'harsh' and 'cold' that when she was drying and knew of it...she made provisions for her beloved dog to be taken care of. Christina doesn't even know that Joan had cancer...I know that and I wasn't her daughter....
Exactly! And who paid for Christina's education? And Joan was jealous of her daughter's education? Then why would she send her daughter to a very good boarding school? Does that make sense to you?
I am so confused, I'm beginning to think about it & wonder if she had got oodles of money from the Will, would she still have written the book. Also, did the other adoptees, get anything from their Mothers Will?
Christina and her brother were specifically written out of the will, while the two younger adopted daughters did inherit. Joan also left a great deal to charity.
Supposedly at the time the movie came out, instead of being taken seriously and as a drama people in theaters were busting -up laughing at the violent outbursts portrayed.
I’m conflicted...I can see this happening but you can sense the venom in her and she continues to use the Crawford name...she’s intelligent...why not completely break from her and give up her name
I feel so sorry for Joan Crawford. She was a pioneer for women the Hollywood's golden age, and with her later rolls proved women were still relevent after hitting a certain age. She clawed her way to the top, became successful, rich, then when she couldn't have children took matters in her own hands and adopted. She seems to have done the best she could despite the fact she was under intense pressure from Hollywood. It's such a sad thing to me she is most remembered for "Mommy Dearest" and not her contributions to cinema...
The other daughter of Joan Crawford said that their mother was strict, but very loving and mommie dearest was a big lie. Christina wanted to become an actress, but failed. She always envied and hated Joan. Happens with many adopted kids who grew up with complex vengeance feelings towards the person who had it all
For a brief moment, Joe Esposito dated Christina Crawford. The story goes......Elvis had ben puffing on a cigar and Christina continued to tickle him in an attempt to get more direct attention. When Elvis didn't respond how she wanted she threw a drink in his face (at close range). His drink and cigar went all over his face. He proceeded to throw her out of his house. He apologized to the others in his home and said "Man, I'm sorry, I wasn't raised to treat a woman like that. She's crazy.....I don't know what's wrong with her." Also, in 1978, Christina was disinherited by Joan. She then wrote "Mommy Dearest".
My grandfather told me this one time and I know it is true: " there are THREE sides to every story: yours, mine and the truth". Listening to Christina , it occurs to me how we are only getting one-third of the story !
Many of Crawford's friends and co-workers, including Van Johnson, Ann Blyth, Myrna Loy, Katharine Hepburn, Cesar Romero, Gary Gray, Douglas Fairbanks Jr. (Crawford's first husband), and Crawford's two other younger daughters, Cathy and Cindy, denounced the book, categorically denying any abuse. On July 20, 1998, one of Joan Crawford's other adopted children, Cathy Crawford LaLonde, filed a lawsuit against Christina Crawford for "defamation of character". LaLonde stated in her lawsuit that during the 20th-anniversary book tour of Mommie Dearest, Christina publicly claimed to interviewers that LaLonde and her twin sister, Cynthia, were not biological sisters, and that their adoption was never legal. LaLonde stated neither claim by Christina was true, and attached copies of the twin girls' birth certificates and adoption documentation to the lawsuit. The lawsuit was later settled out of court for $5,000 plus court costs.
My only problem is that Christina Crawford should have let people know in interviews that it wasn't Joan Crawford that beat her with a wire hanger. It was a lie in the movie. Joan Crawford on that, was done wrong. If you read Christina's book she says clearly that it was Joan Crawford's maid that beat her with the wire hanger.
You mean Anna Marie Brinke better known as Mamacita? or a different maid because if its Mamacita that Christina is talking about- i find that odd- I couldn't find anything negative or bad ever written about her- only how good of a help and support she was to Joan, plus from what we do know about her- she doesn't strike me as the type of person to do that, plus i don't think Joan Crawford was the type of person to allow someone else to beat her kid in the way shown in the movie, the claim just doesn't sit right or ring true. If there was ever any truth in all these being hit/abused claims from Christina- i still think they have been greatly exaggerated.
In October 1965, she appeared in Neil Simon's Barefoot in the Park, with Myrna Loy, a friend of her mother, *before being fired*. She was considered a capable actress, but difficult to work with in the industry, described as 'stubborn' by Loy who stated in her autobiography Becoming and Unbecoming that "We didn't have any problems in Barefoot in the Park until she appeared. "The idea of Joan's daughter playing the role delighted me until I discovered how recalcitrant this child was...I've never known anyone like her, ever. Her stubbornness is really unbelievable. She would not do a single thing anyone told her to do it and she was horrid."
Incidentally, Christina's then boyfriend & later first husband Harvey Medlinsky (1931-2008) was the director of this production. According to Loy, her repeated complaints regarding Crawford's unprofessional behavior fell on deaf ears. Once Loy went over his head to the producers, Crawford was ultimately replaced.
I have been an adoptive mother and had a child with reactive attachment disorder. They are very difficult, manipulative and usually do not bond with anyone. They also tend to claim they were abused. I have never taken much this woman says to heart, as I can see RAD in her a mile off after what I have been through.
Interesting how interviews with the twins, who lived in the same house, recall no abuse, only a loving, mother who believed in discipline but no abuse.
She claimed to love her mother very much in other interviews. And here she blatantly says she never loved her mother. So what is the truth? I believed Cristina for many years, but there is a discrepancy here.
What a waste of a life time, trying to convince the world of her exaggerated claims. We survivors are angry, carry fears, resentments, BUT there is human compassion and love towards those who abused us. Doesn't mean we'd accept abusive treatment again, it means you can love the individual but hate what they did to us. You don't have to convince others of anything.
She very much intended for this to be published . Her mother couldn’t defend herself . I believe Joan was very strict especially with Christina who was the oldest . In another interview with joy Behar ( who I don’t like ) she says that the twins were not twins but Joan passed them off as twins . What’s the truth ? Here she’s not saying that . I can’t tell if Christina tells the entire truth or if she elaborates stories for an emotional effect
She was sued by one of the twins (one was deceased) & won. That's one of the reasons I don't believe Christina.... AS others point out: Crawford was a perfectionist, perhaps a bit OCD & an alcoholic: I'm sure it wasn't all roses - but Christina is lying or simply disturbed enough to believe things happened that simply did not....
She didnt know whether her twin sisters were adopted or not???very strange i think there is some truth in what she is saying about Joan but she has milked it for all its worth,why did she wait until Joan died before she came out with the book.Did she get disinherited and decided to get her money this way,thats how it looks to me. Why didnt Joans other adopted children back her story up
Just read so many of the comments, and I am so glad!! I absolutely adore Joan Crawford. She is one of the most incredible, unrecognized actresses of all time. I didn't know what to think of her daughters book or accusations. Now I feel better because I just couldn't identify Joan as the way her daughter described her. Thank you all for sharing your wise comments.
Sounds too much like a couple recently intervewed by Okra. Recollections vary. She is so inconsistent and lies roll off her tongue too easily. Here's just one: she claimed the last time that she was hit by Joan, that she was 13y/o. Why did Joan get mad? Bc Christina kissed Mr Steele goodnight. Hmmm... Joan met Steele at a Hollywood party in 1954. Christina would have been 15y/o. At the beginning of the interview she said she was born in 1939. Just one inconsistency and lie. And Hollywood boarding schools in the 50s weren't taking pity on anyone without fees being paid. She was almost kicked out of one for inappropriate behavior with boys. I think Joan had her hands full with her and was at her wit's end. Yet she still tried to help her with rent,, jobs,, cash,, etc.. Until that book Christina was a failure. So was I, until my 30s . But, I didn't trash my mom to make money So many lies, like last years famous interview with a victimized couple, too many lies to count. At least, Larry King tried to get the truth and questioned some of her story. But he could have done a better job, frankly. That book made Bette Davis write an autobiography. She said she didn't want her children to write a pack of lies about her, after she died without having her side heard. AND JFC who doesn't have a first memory? If you have 10, you have a first one. If you have 1000 memories, you have a first one. And memories ARE what you REMEMBER! So good do you NOT REMEMBER a MEMORY? LOL I call BS!
In one version of MD, Christina includes a letter Joan sent to her at boarding school, where Mommie Dearest asked her to list all the artworks that Joan had donated to the school. By including that letter, Christina actually gave Joan Crawford a chance to defend herself about "not paying school fees". Whether she was paying them or not, she was donating expensive artworks to the school! She was an actress, maybe she went through long stretches of not being paid, and she gave the school valuable artworks instead, until she remarried and her husband helped out financially.
Christina Crawford was offered a free College Education from her mother and she dropped out, Joan Crawford helped Christina with her acting career.... Christina looked very happy with her Mother when she was an adult. Now she is living off her famous mother. Its very easy to write a book about your Mother when she is not around to defend herself.
I don't like to watch this interview. Simply because our beloved Joan Crawford had no opportunity to defend herself. I always like to believe there are three sides to a story. Christina's side, Joan's side and the truth. Unfortunately we'll never know the whole truth. May Joan Crawford rest in peace.
Bette Davis's daughter wrote a book about her, and Groucho Marx's son Arthur wrote a book about him too 🤔 Christina reminds me a bit of Megan Markle's sister.
I’m sure I am the only one that believes she should have come out with all of this while Joan Crawford was alive. I think she should have been allowed to defend herself. I watched the movie years ago and it was just graphic and terrifying. I just don’t think it is all true.
I believe it’s true Joan treated her badly, but I also believe Christina is very spiteful, jealous and vindictive. I also believe she was an incredibly difficult child to deal with, which of course is no excuse for abuse. I did read once though that Joan had to pay Christina’s rent for quite some time because her acting career wasn’t doing the greatest as an adult, and that’s why she didn’t get in the will. Which seems entitled behavior to me. Honestly, why would anyone want a single dime from someone who abused them so badly??? I know I wouldn’t!. Not a cent!!!
Mostly, this evil “daughter “was jealous of Joan’ s fame and career. She hated Joan for not helping her to become as famous, as Joan was. So , she decided to get notoriety by becoming a traitor. She wrote this book to get money and fame. I wish someone would reinstate Joan Crawford good name . And evil adopted daughter to be shamed . It is so unfair,that this evil carries this beautiful last name .
It's sad to watch this. I've seen many interviews of hers over the decades and each of her stories change. Pretty pathetic to make a living off getting to do paid interviews, getting paid to write a book and now a musical about a parent who simply wanted to give a child a better life. She did not even know how old Joan was when she died. Doesn't know her own siblings. Joan was right to cut her off. She knew Christina was writing a vindictive book.
It seems Christina has well rehearsed answers to questions in which she was briefed prior to this interview. Can't help but think her book was written strictly to make money due to her dis-inheritance. Christina admits no love for Joan. I don't doubt Joan was a complicated person. But, Christina's younger siblings, as well as Joan's friends and colleagues disagree with the abuse. No parent is perfect and death brings out the worst in people. Congrats, Christina your book takes the cake & as well as this interview.... on spewing on "sour Grapes." Her vindictive answers & dramatic response during this interview is nauseating.
Why would the police officer who spoke to her after her mother supposedly tried to strangle her say that she needed to grow up fast and if it happened again, SHE would go to juvenile hall? Half of that story is missing. The half where Christina did something that supposedly could put her in juvenile hall. That the incidents basically stopped after that says something. And I suspect it wasn't because her mother was afraid of her own rage. Other sources who knew both state that Christina was stunningly stubborn and would refuse to do anything anyone asked her to do. That and other comments make it appear that she harbored hostility and jealousy toward her mother, wanting a great deal of attention while she herself treated her mother with disdain. It seems Christina has a no-fault attitude toward her own behavior, which comes across as a power play. One supposedly bad thing her mother did that I remember from the movie was that they both swam as fast as they could across the pool, apparently in a race. Her mother, being much older, was faster. Christina felt this was an example of how her mother was self-centered; she should have instead purposely lost the race. I was quite young when I saw that movie and was puzzled by the attitude as I wouldn't have had any such notion myself. The question to me was what was up with Christina that she would adopt such a notion. Joan was probably somewhat abusive, but by her twin daughters' recollection, Christina lived in her own world that didn't quite match reality. And her other daughters also state that Joan didn't spend everything on herself; they present a long list of people she helped and organizations she donated to, usually asking that her name not be attached.
Myrna Loy & Joan met as chorus girls in 1925, were stars together @ MGM a decade later, remained neighbours & friends for life decades later in Manhattan. One of the highlights of Myrna's wonderful memoirs is her absolute takedown of Christina. Myrna turned to the stage in the '60's, travelled in a touring company of Barefoot in the Park. Christina was in the company. Despite marrying her director, she still managed to get fired from the production - Myrna said she was impossible to work with & already displaying her resentment of her mother. By the time Joan died, Myrna refused to acknowledge Christina @ her mother's memorial. Sadly, Christina established celebrity parental abuse as an industry, many have followed in her footsteps - Bette Davis had to deal with it during her lifetime. Bing Crosby, Lex Barker, Joan were all posthumously accused so no defense was possible. Christina won the lotto when Joan adopted her, since she could not sustain a career of her own.
Do you visit your mother's grave? NO, NEVER, WHY WOULD I ? Is she buried next to you're step dad ? YES, UNFORTUNATELY. Wow, even after all these years she is still FUMING WITH HATRED FOR HER MOM. So sad.
Here on RUclips there is a wonderful tribute to Joan Crawford from actress Ann Blyth ( still alive at age 96) where Ann Blyth pays tribute to her friend and co-star from Mildred Pierce.
If only Larry had been able to have a fact checker. The bits about no one paid for the school until Joan married, juvenile hall, left at 18 but was her caretaker, the husbands heart attack/fall. Surely some one tried to verify these stories because that's what I think they are, stories. I saw a video where it commented on the twins taking her to court as Christina stated they weren't twins. The twins won the case.
She's all of a sudden very considerate not wanting to cause trouble trying to find her birth mother, not wanting to disrupt their lives however she doesn't mind writing Mommy Dearest. Where was her consideration for the Mother who raised her?
Thanks for posting this.. always wanted to see it.
The one and only Mr Larry King. I always loved watching any interview he conducted no matter the subject. Anyone that was on his show had great respect for him as an interviewer. That seemed to put his subjects at ease and they divulged more than if they were with any other media personality. Mr King never had an intimidating bone in his personality and that was another factor that put his subjects at great ease. All hail the King!
Cristina is so jealous of Joan that during this interview she hated the fact that the producers turned toconcentrate on Joan rather than her as a child. But what does she expect? Joan's got star quality and Cristina isnt.
Larry King is a much better interviewer than Piers Morgan
Totally agree with you. NO one comes close to him
At the 11:32 mark, she mentions being hit with objects like "the famous hangers" yet, in the book itself, there's no mention of her being hit with hangers.
"Shaking me by the hair of my head she screamed in my ear "No wire hangers! No wire hangers!" With one hand she pulled me by the hair and with the other she pounded my ears until they rang and I could hardly hear her screaming"
I also remember another interview she gave where she said she was upset about the movie because the wire hanger scene did not happen the way they portrayed it and said she had not been beaten with hangers.
This, among other things, is why I don't believe her. She changes her story far too often.
I only wrote the book for my family, I never intended it to be published, so I sent it to my famous writer friends in New York. - wtf??? that makes no sense
Exactly: maybe she thinks the whole world is as simple-minded as she is?
Totally agree!
So many of these star's kids and stars say this type of thing. They think exaggerating is not lying.
And she admitted she was very stubborn and obstreperous (her words) and the twins weren’t . And the twins said she was extremely loving and a great mother. So I’ve always wondered if Christina knew how to push her mom’s buttons, and knew how her mother was, why? Why push your mom’s buttons all the time to bring out the worst in her. That never made sense to me
💯
JC may not have been the best parent but she APPRECIATED HER FANS!! Seeing her on a NYC street 35 years ago, with my polite request ; she stopped and walked to me to sign an autograph and she signed THANK YOU with her name. She was older but still breathtaking and magnificently groomed. She would stand out in a crowd of thousands.
Wow! Keep the videos coming. Muchas gracias :-)
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Would love to see the twins interviewed.
The last surviving twin died earlier this year. But both twins had given interviews and statements during their lives.
@@leroymccoy9008 I saw the interviews with the other children (girls) and they both said they never were abused at all by their mother. They were expected to clean up their rooms, help in the kitchen with cleaning, and other household chores but
never beaten or abused as Christina says she and her brother were....neither one of them ever saw any such thing. And neither of them felt close to Christina or the brother.
Their interview is out. Look it up. Tina lied.
Christina tried to sue the twins saying they weren't even twins (wtf, ho?!). They showed their birth certificates and it proved Christina was lying. So it makes me think she's lied about it all.
They have been interviewed and they both refuted what Christina said.
I’m three minutes into this and I’m already having a hard time believing her. She says she “didn’t intend for it to become a book or a success” but sent the diary off to her friends who were writers in New York? Why do that when you’re saying you were keeping the diary for personal reasons.
She sells it well, but I recently re-read MOMMIE DEAREST for the first time in years and I stumbled across something I had never noticed before. Christina claims that one evening she was playing bartender for one of her mother's dates, and when she opened the front door and saw a half-naked gypsy man with an earring and a bald head, she slammed the door and ran to her mother's room.
Joan told her the man's name was Yul Brynner and he was filming THE KING AND I and must have come from the studio in his costume.
One word: IMPOSSIBLE.
She makes it very clear later in the book that she was shipped off to Chadwick school at age ten. Which would have been in 1949. THE KING AND I didn't even hit BROADWAY until 1951 and aside from his vacation Yul Brynner played every night for three years. So the very earliest he could have been in Hollywood filming the movie would have been maybe 1954 or 1955, by which time Christina claimed she never went home again except for a trip to Europe after Crawford married Al Steele in 1955.
There is NO WAY she could have been at home on the day she claims that Brynner showed up for a date with her mother and at any rate her mother was just on the verge of marrying another man.
She says Al Steele died from falling down the steps. Didn't he have a heart attack which caused him to fall down the steps? She's trying to make her mother a look like a killer. If this is a lie, wonder what else is?
He didn't even fall down steps. He collapsed on his own bedroom floor. He had kids of his own, so I'm sure they wouldn't have just glossed over the cause of death for the sake of protecting their stepmother.
Everyrhing out of her mouth is a lie; Elvis had to throw her out of house because didn't pay back the attention she threw a drink in his face
I don't know whether these allegations against JC are true or not, but the problem with ' Tell-All ' books that are published only AFTER the subjects are dead, is that the dead cannot defend themselves...Or file suit for liable/slander...
She states in this twice that Joan beat her with the wire hangers but told Joy Bayhar years later that that was exaggerated in the film and that Joan actually didn't beat her with the hanger.
her stories about so many things changed so much with each interview she gave. She could not keep track of all her lies.
That’s why multiple multiple people filmed years later that were around when she was a kid said she was a liar even back then… it’s hard to keep lies straight but she spent her entire adult life trashing Joan Crawford and making money off her cold dead shoulders…
Tina is a despicable liar!! She makes me ill.
I've always seen it reported that Alfred Steele died of a heart attack. I think Joan Crawford may very well have been troubled and she likely was hard on the children. Some of what Christina says rings true. But not all of it, and nowhere have I ever seen it suggested that Joan Crawford pushed her husband down the stairs. It was irresponsible to let that stand. Her acting at first as if she didn't know she had younger siblings was ludicrous, too.
Christina liedabout her mother and everything!
The twins said Christina is full of crap.
Larry King was absolutely the best at interviewing.
I’ve never been a Joan Crawford fan,but I’ve picked up enough,about her,over the years,to believe that she adopted a viper.
Well I suppose I am one of the very few that love the movie Trog.. I actually have the dvd.🤗
Same!
Yep 👍
She sold the rights with no say in the movie?!
She sold the rights because she wanted money.
In 1979 I met Joan Crawford's personal helper who worked for Crawford for many years. I video taped a 35 minute interview with her. She had a much different perspective on "Mommy dearest". I would like to publish this. I wrote Access Hollywood, but have not heard back. Many people would be interested.
Please email me through my website. I would like to speak with you regarding this.
Question ? why did she take a drag queen dressed as joan around with her to publicize the book. to me this is suspicious and detracts from the gravity of her claims.
Some people that worked for Joan, shunned Christina after the books release. They stated she exaggerated, and all out lied about Joan, saying that Christina wrote the book because she was angry at Joan for leaving her nothing in the will.
She's said two different story's
Her brother wasn't hit as much as her and now she says her brother was treated worse
Alfred Steele did not fall down any stairs. He died of a heart attack.
It has always amazed me that, for someone who hates her mother so much, Christina Crawford sure has no problem keeping the last name Crawford, even after marrying twice. You would think that she would want to have no connection with her mother at all. Something about her seems very off to me. In this interview, she admits that she never loved her mother. I wonder if she is a sociopath. Not being funny, I'm serious. She certainly comes off that way in this interview, and it would explain a lot. Even Myrna Loy, in her autobiography, ripped Christina Crawford after working with her on Broadway. And if Myrna Loy doesn't like you, something isn't right!
I have a feeling she cashed in on the fame and notoriety. She seems disingenuous. I am a trauma and abuse survivor; she seems bitter about being disinherited and this was her revenge. And Joan's voice was already silenced.
“I liked her, and I miss her, and I think her daughter's stories are pure bunk. Even if they were true, if ever there was a girl who needed a good whack it was spoiled, horrible Christina [Christina Crawford]. Believe me, there were many times I wanted to smack her myself”.
On utube there is a 1960 audio of a radio interview of Christina. It is VERY revealing. After hearing it I thought, 'If only this interview had been re-released when the book and film came out.'
I wish someone would ask Christina two questions: why did you keep talking to your mom after you turned 18, and why did you wait until after she died to write the book? why not write the book when you're 30?
I truly don’t know what to think about this.
Same.
Interesting that Christina still uses the last name Crawford, which was Joan's stage name. Her real last name was LaSuer, but MGM insisted on Crawford because they felt LaSuer sounded too much like "sewer." You'd think Christina would distance herself from the stage name, yet here she is using it for recognition decades after Joan's death.
THANK YOU! This lady is lying her ass off. She says she wrote the book for family, which makes zero sense. But if that was the case, why was she sending it out to people?
Is that really a fair assessment considering it's the surname she was "known" as ALL of her life, seeing as Joan Crawford herself didn't go by her given surname "LeSuer"? I can understand what you mean about her having such a tumultuous relationship w/her mother why keep the same last name, but it's the name she's been known as & addressed as for decades, thus I'm sure it had to be a difficult decision for her & I think that's quite understandable🤷🏿♀️.
@@storiking650 That's what I thought too at first, until I remembered that Christina Crawford is divorced, and LaSuer is her birth last name. I'm almost 100% positive that Joan Crawford never legally changed her name. It's just hypocritical for her to publicly use a last name that's not really hers simply for fame based on her mother's stage name.
Interesting point.
So by mistake she sent her memoir to NY publishers?! Really. A memoir that supported to be privet then suddenly is written as a book. I’m not saying that she is lying but this story is bs.
She is a liar. 100%
Im hearing inconsitancies in her story. First in another older interview she said she viewed her moms body to say goodbye and she loved her. Here she said it was to make sure she was dead. Also in that interview she said the hangers she was suppose to hang the clothes on were wooden. Here she says crocheted. Also in that interview she said they had good times.
Christina: "I moved out when I was 18 years old and never went back."
Also Christina: I was shocked that I was disinherited in her will. I very much had a relationship with her as an adult. I was a caretaker for her.
So? You can move out and distance yourself while also taking care of a parent in their later age
She’s just lying and lying…
@@adrianahalmi3337 right, if she was telling the truth her story would not change and it does. It's very suspicious she waited until her mom was gone and she was broke then said she wrote it as a diary , yet she sent to to people who where publishers to read. Makes no sense
Sounds like 1 was jealous of 1s sisters
I'm an adoptive mother with bios as well. I don't know Crawford movies, or her daughter, never seen the movie or read the book. It came up on my feed. All i know is that raising a child from adoption, even though I got( 2) from birth, they have serious issues. It is hard. I'm not saying abuse is at all right, AT ALL... but I also know my adoptive daughter is very manipulative and lies VERY easily for attention. It has been a long and extremely stressful path, until school staff experienced the same, there was SO MUCH judgement. That's my perspective for what it's worth. Not taking either side.
I totally believe you. Had such an example of a pathologically lying adopted child in closer surrounding too. Its not always just Black and white.
Alfred Steele did NOT die from a fall down the stairs. He died of a heart attack.
She’s so giddy and so flippant about what is portrayed to be horrific abuse. I went through horrible abuse as a child, and I am unable to talk about it with almost anybody. I certainly wouldn’t go on national television with such levity, giggling, jokes, etc. I don’t like to make anybody out to be untruthful about such a grave accusation as child abuse, but there’s just something not right about this woman.
Bios indicate Steele died of a heart attack and was found next to his bed. NOTHING was ever stated about falling down stairs, suspicious circumstances, or bruises/breaks from a fall. So, what OTHER lies is she telling?
Wait a minute..in one interview she says she saw her mother's dead body because she loved her..in another because she wanted to see that she was really gone..in another she says the book was written when she was sick but still alive..now says she wrote after her death..then she also says the movie was completely wrong especially the wire hanger scene and nothing like her mom and she got no money..in this one the wire hanger scene was pretty accurate...im confused..the interviews r all on utube so...yeah. " if celebs did this today it would be front page news" r u kidding me? Hellywood is filled with all sorts of debauchery most don't know anything about!
Wow!!! She just implied her mother killed her last husband Alfred, smh
She was jealous of her mother, she never could become the star that her mother was. This was her only way to become known.
Especially crazy considering he died of a heart attack not a fall down the stairs
She's a liar. It is well know he died from a heart attack. And why would she even imply something like that. She has no proof or reason to even say that!
you know, I saw an interview with an actress that said Christina was ALWAYS a liar and a problem. She had accused some guy of sexual assault (rape) and come to find out she was STILL a virgin. The storys went on and on like that. Even the wire hanger thing was just an argument
And the fact she LIED and NO one believed her says something, too.
Trying to keep an open mind, especially coming from an abusive childhood, but to accuse her mother of murdering her husband with no basis whatsoever is strange.
Plus it’s documented that he suffered a heart attack.
Coming from an alcoholic and abusive home myself I can say that I don't know how much of this is true. Seems like there are some contradictions such as Christina Crawford saying that Joan Crawford rarely left the house. That is not true as Joan Crawford traveled extensively, even in her later years.
She keeps contradicting herself through the whole interview. She says she supposes the twin girls were adopted, then says with absolute certainty they were all bought. She says she doesn’t have a first memory then says but my very first memory is being on set. She said nobody paid for her boarding school, then said her step father did. It’s like she says stuff for drama then immediately thinks the truth sounds more dramatic than the lie and changes it. I can’t believe people backed her during this. I find it really hard to believe anything she’s saying.
And now she's making a musical of Mommie Dearest I hear. How does one make a musical of child abuse? This woman is a couple french fries off from a Happy Meal!
Big time. She felt entitled to what her mother worked hard to achieve. Christina Crawford is a sociopath.
I was abused by my teachers aide and it was difficult for me to talk about it I'm a real survivor of abuse this woman is not telling the truth this is a money grab I don't brag about my abuse I don't joke about it its sad how some people go to such lengths to get money I don't like the fact that I was abused as a child it was back in the 2000s in that decade abuse was not taken seriously in that time I agree Joan was not the perfect mom but I know that Tina is a spiteful vindictive person. Nuff said.
Before, Christina mentioned that Joan never laid a finger on the twins. But in this video she mentions that the twins did had physical discipline done on them by Joan.
Even Bette Davis took up for Joan Crawford when the book came out!
That says it all, my friend because it is a well known fact that they hated each other!🤣
Then, Bette's daughter turned around and wrote a book about her.
That says a lot!
@@triciajohansen3027 yep.
Christina started an industry, Lana Turner & Bing Crosby's kids have all made $ accusing the dead.
Cœur d'Alène is the name french gave to the tribe not how the tribe called themselves
I'm not convinced, She contradicts herself a fair few times.... also the accusation of Joan killing her husband? You wanna have some pretty solid proof before going on Larry king and saying something like that... She really wants people to purchase her book.
It's interesting how the further away Christine Crawford gets from this experience the meaner her memories become.
We find it difficult to believe anything Christina says about her mother. How unfortunate that Joan is not around to defend herself. Daniele Amfitheatrof, the Hollywood film composer who scored a couple of Joan's films, spoke well of her as a person and as an actress.
Wonder why Joan cut her out of her will? She pretends she doesn't know why, but she has to know.
Yeah, idk if i buy this.
People who are abused by parents find it very difficult to talk about it. This woman sounds so laid back about it all
Because she's a con.
Laughing about how she told her mom she did a movie with stuffed animals and got hung up on? Does not seem like an abuse victim.
Because she's horrible to everyone and a complete liar
Hang on (pardon the pun)..Christina says she was appalled by the movie because she is intimating it was 'overly dramatised'...but in the next breath she describes, almost exactly, what happened with the hangers, rose bush and hauling her out of bed etc as in the movie...so what was different?...There does seem to be a slight underlying jealousy of a sort from Christina about Joan. She never amounted to anything as an actress, and sent journals of her writings of her childhood to her writer/publisher friends but says she didn't intend for them to be published?...Come on....I'm not saying Joan was perfect and probably drank a bit too much at times etc, I'm not saying she scolded the children at times, and although I don't know as I wasn't there, I feel Christina is maybe over milking this cash cow of a story. Of course child abuse is wrong, however, the other children (the twins) do not recall Joan being violent with them so it is hard to know what is the total truth.....Larry asks her what did she like about Joan....only mentioning one thing and then goes on to attack Joan again about her not being educated, only to let us all know how smart she is and that Joan was envious of it...eish...Joan was so 'harsh' and 'cold' that when she was drying and knew of it...she made provisions for her beloved dog to be taken care of. Christina doesn't even know that Joan had cancer...I know that and I wasn't her daughter....
Exactly! And who paid for Christina's education? And Joan was jealous of her daughter's education? Then why would she send her daughter to a very good boarding school? Does that make sense to you?
This was the Era of the "tell all" 📚 books 😉
Until Prince Harry released SPARE last year.
That backfired.
I am so confused, I'm beginning to think about it & wonder if she had got oodles of money from the Will, would she still have written the book.
Also, did the other adoptees, get anything from their Mothers Will?
Christina and her brother were specifically written out of the will, while the two younger adopted daughters did inherit. Joan also left a great deal to charity.
Supposedly at the time the movie came out, instead of being taken seriously and as a drama people in theaters were busting -up laughing at the violent outbursts portrayed.
As with most cases of "two sides of a story," the truth is usually somewhere in the middle.
I’m conflicted...I can see this happening but you can sense the venom in her and she continues to use the Crawford name...she’s intelligent...why not completely break from her and give up her name
The Crawford name sells books.
$$$$$$$
I feel so sorry for Joan Crawford. She was a pioneer for women the Hollywood's golden age, and with her later rolls proved women were still relevent after hitting a certain age. She clawed her way to the top, became successful, rich, then when she couldn't have children took matters in her own hands and adopted. She seems to have done the best she could despite the fact she was under intense pressure from Hollywood. It's such a sad thing to me she is most remembered for "Mommy Dearest" and not her contributions to cinema...
If I remember correctly, there were 2 other children growing up in that house, 1 of whom gave an interview, denying much of that book.
3 other children …a son & twin daughters.
The other daughter of Joan Crawford said that their mother was strict, but very loving and mommie dearest was a big lie. Christina wanted to become an actress, but failed. She always envied and hated Joan. Happens with many adopted kids who grew up with complex vengeance feelings towards the person who had it all
For a brief moment, Joe Esposito dated Christina Crawford. The story goes......Elvis had ben puffing on a cigar and Christina continued to tickle him in an attempt to get more direct attention. When Elvis didn't respond how she wanted she threw a drink in his face (at close range). His drink and cigar went all over his face. He proceeded to throw her out of his house. He apologized to the others in his home and said "Man, I'm sorry, I wasn't raised to treat a woman like that. She's crazy.....I don't know what's wrong with her." Also, in 1978, Christina was disinherited by Joan. She then wrote "Mommy Dearest".
She crazy rude and liar!
My grandfather told me this one time and I know it is true: " there are THREE sides to every story: yours, mine and the truth". Listening to Christina , it occurs to me how we are only getting one-third of the story !
We just gonna gloss over the fact that she said Joan murdered Al Steele?..
That's because she is lying.
Another one of Christina's lies. Gosh it's almost as if she's a pathological liar.
Larry is such a masterful interviewer
Many of Crawford's friends and co-workers, including Van Johnson, Ann Blyth, Myrna Loy, Katharine Hepburn, Cesar Romero, Gary Gray, Douglas Fairbanks Jr. (Crawford's first husband), and Crawford's two other younger daughters, Cathy and Cindy, denounced the book, categorically denying any abuse.
On July 20, 1998, one of Joan Crawford's other adopted children, Cathy Crawford LaLonde, filed a lawsuit against Christina Crawford for "defamation of character". LaLonde stated in her lawsuit that during the 20th-anniversary book tour of Mommie Dearest, Christina publicly claimed to interviewers that LaLonde and her twin sister, Cynthia, were not biological sisters, and that their adoption was never legal. LaLonde stated neither claim by Christina was true, and attached copies of the twin girls' birth certificates and adoption documentation to the lawsuit. The lawsuit was later settled out of court for $5,000 plus court costs.
I saw Christina on another program, she tends to change her story.
My only problem is that Christina Crawford should have let people know in interviews that it wasn't Joan Crawford that beat her with a wire hanger. It was a lie in the movie. Joan Crawford on that, was done wrong. If you read Christina's book she says clearly that it was Joan Crawford's maid that beat her with the wire hanger.
You mean Anna Marie Brinke better known as Mamacita? or a different maid because if its Mamacita that Christina is talking about- i find that odd- I couldn't find anything negative or bad ever written about her- only how good of a help and support she was to Joan, plus from what we do know about her- she doesn't strike me as the type of person to do that, plus i don't think Joan Crawford was the type of person to allow someone else to beat her kid in the way shown in the movie, the claim just doesn't sit right or ring true.
If there was ever any truth in all these being hit/abused claims from Christina- i still think they have been greatly exaggerated.
In October 1965, she appeared in Neil Simon's Barefoot in the Park, with Myrna Loy, a friend of her mother, *before being fired*. She was considered a capable actress, but difficult to work with in the industry, described as 'stubborn' by Loy who stated in her autobiography Becoming and Unbecoming that "We didn't have any problems in Barefoot in the Park until she appeared. "The idea of Joan's daughter playing the role delighted me until I discovered how recalcitrant this child was...I've never known anyone like her, ever. Her stubbornness is really unbelievable. She would not do a single thing anyone told her to do it and she was horrid."
I loved Myrna lot she was lovely in the thin man
Incidentally, Christina's then boyfriend & later first husband Harvey Medlinsky (1931-2008) was the director of this production. According to Loy, her repeated complaints regarding Crawford's unprofessional behavior fell on deaf ears. Once Loy went over his head to the producers, Crawford was ultimately replaced.
I have been an adoptive mother and had a child with reactive attachment disorder. They are very difficult, manipulative and usually do not bond with anyone. They also tend to claim they were abused. I have never taken much this woman says to heart, as I can see RAD in her a mile off after what I have been through.
I can totally see this. There are two sides to EVERY story!
It’s narcissism classic symptom
Interesting how interviews with the twins, who lived in the same house, recall no abuse, only a loving, mother who believed in discipline but no abuse.
People need to understand that just because a person disciplined their child, does not mean that they abused them. Just saying.
@@christy7698 I agree. Very well stated and the truth.
She claimed to love her mother very much in other interviews. And here she blatantly says she never loved her mother. So what is the truth? I believed Cristina for many years, but there is a discrepancy here.
What a waste of a life time, trying to convince the world of her exaggerated claims. We survivors are angry, carry fears, resentments, BUT there is human compassion and love towards those who abused us. Doesn't mean we'd accept abusive treatment again, it means you can love the individual but hate what they did to us. You don't have to convince others of anything.
Girl you had a good life wish i could been me , i had real abuse like seriously you was blessed ❤
This is the first, among other things, I have heard coming from Christina. She has suspicions about Steele's death? That's a pretty bold accusation.
Exactly. Her motivations are pretty obvious and truth telling ain't one of them.
Christina is a nut case😲😲😲😲😞😞😲😲
She very much intended for this to be published . Her mother couldn’t defend herself . I believe Joan was very strict especially with Christina who was the oldest . In another interview with joy Behar ( who I don’t like ) she says that the twins were not twins but Joan passed them off as twins . What’s the truth ? Here she’s not saying that . I can’t tell if Christina tells the entire truth or if she elaborates stories for an emotional effect
She was sued by one of the twins (one was deceased) & won. That's one of the reasons I don't believe Christina....
AS others point out: Crawford was a perfectionist, perhaps a bit OCD & an alcoholic: I'm sure it wasn't all roses - but Christina is lying or simply disturbed enough to believe things happened that simply did not....
She didnt know whether her twin sisters were adopted or not???very strange
i think there is some truth in what she is saying about Joan but she has milked it for all its worth,why did she wait until Joan died before she came out with the book.Did she get disinherited and decided to get her money this way,thats how it looks to me.
Why didnt Joans other adopted children back her story up
Just read so many of the comments, and I am so glad!! I absolutely adore Joan Crawford. She is one of the most incredible, unrecognized actresses of all time. I didn't know what to think of her daughters book or accusations. Now I feel better because I just couldn't identify Joan as the way her daughter described her. Thank you all for sharing your wise comments.
Sounds too much like a couple recently intervewed by Okra. Recollections vary. She is so inconsistent and lies roll off her tongue too easily.
Here's just one:
she claimed the last time that she was hit by Joan, that she was 13y/o. Why did Joan get mad? Bc Christina kissed Mr Steele goodnight. Hmmm... Joan met Steele at a Hollywood party in 1954. Christina would have been 15y/o. At the beginning of the interview she said she was born in 1939. Just one inconsistency and lie. And Hollywood boarding schools in the 50s weren't taking pity on anyone without fees being paid. She was almost kicked out of one for inappropriate behavior with boys. I think Joan had her hands full with her and was at her wit's end. Yet she still tried to help her with rent,, jobs,, cash,, etc.. Until that book Christina was a failure. So was I, until my 30s . But, I didn't trash my mom to make money
So many lies, like last years famous interview with a victimized couple, too many lies to count. At least, Larry King tried to get the truth and questioned some of her story. But he could have done a better job, frankly. That book made Bette Davis write an autobiography. She said she didn't want her children to write a pack of lies about her, after she died without having her side heard.
AND JFC who doesn't have a first memory? If you have 10, you have a first one. If you have 1000 memories, you have a first one. And memories ARE what you REMEMBER! So good do you NOT REMEMBER a MEMORY? LOL I call BS!
In one version of MD, Christina includes a letter Joan sent to her at boarding school, where Mommie Dearest asked her to list all the artworks that Joan had donated to the school. By including that letter, Christina actually gave Joan Crawford a chance to defend herself about "not paying school fees". Whether she was paying them or not, she was donating expensive artworks to the school! She was an actress, maybe she went through long stretches of not being paid, and she gave the school valuable artworks instead, until she remarried and her husband helped out financially.
I just watched this. I get the feeling Larry isn’t ‘buying’ her story.
Would she have written the book if she had inherited? I'm not saying she's lying but...... it does make me think!
Christina Crawford was offered a free College Education from her mother and she dropped out, Joan Crawford helped Christina with her acting career.... Christina looked very happy with her Mother when she was an adult. Now she is living off her famous mother. Its very easy to write a book about your Mother when she is not around to defend herself.
The love of money is the root to all evil!
I hope this goes to Christina which describes her perfectly.
I don't like to watch this interview. Simply because our beloved Joan Crawford had no opportunity to defend herself. I always like to believe there are three sides to a story. Christina's side, Joan's side and the truth. Unfortunately we'll never know the whole truth. May Joan Crawford rest in peace.
Bette Davis's daughter wrote a book about her, and Groucho Marx's son Arthur wrote a book about him too 🤔 Christina reminds me a bit of Megan Markle's sister.
Wasn’t Christina mainly away at boarding school?
Yep
Joan's other kids state she was strict, but loving....
Wow!! Doesn't she look like she could pass for Glenn Close daughter?
I’m sure I am the only one that believes she should have come out with all of this while Joan Crawford was alive. I think she should have been allowed to defend herself. I watched the movie years ago and it was just graphic and terrifying. I just don’t think it is all true.
I believe it’s true Joan treated her badly, but I also believe Christina is very spiteful, jealous and vindictive. I also believe she was an incredibly difficult child to deal with, which of course is no excuse for abuse. I did read once though that Joan had to pay Christina’s rent for quite some time because her acting career wasn’t doing the greatest as an adult, and that’s why she didn’t get in the will. Which seems entitled behavior to me. Honestly, why would anyone want a single dime from someone who abused them so badly??? I know I wouldn’t!. Not a cent!!!
She was not abused. Quite the opposite.
Mostly, this evil “daughter “was jealous of Joan’ s fame and career.
She hated Joan for not helping her to become as famous, as Joan was.
So , she decided to get notoriety by becoming a traitor.
She wrote this book to get money and fame.
I wish someone would reinstate Joan Crawford good name .
And evil adopted daughter to be shamed .
It is so unfair,that this evil carries this beautiful last name .
How do you sell rights without say in the movie content? Does anyone know? Would she have signed a contract knowing she had no say in it?
When you sell something you no longer have any rights.
I want to hear from the other children
3 others say she lied.
Strange how history is about who writes it
It's sad to watch this. I've seen many interviews of hers over the decades and each of her stories change. Pretty pathetic to make a living off getting to do paid interviews, getting paid to write a book and now a musical about a parent who simply wanted to give a child a better life. She did not even know how old Joan was when she died. Doesn't know her own siblings. Joan was right to cut her off. She knew Christina was writing a vindictive book.
I guess she even speaks out of envy and resent: just look at her, completely graceless.
It seems Christina has well rehearsed answers to questions in which she was briefed prior to this interview. Can't help but think her book was written strictly to make money due to her dis-inheritance. Christina admits no love for Joan. I don't doubt Joan was a complicated person. But, Christina's younger siblings, as well as Joan's friends and colleagues disagree with the abuse. No parent is perfect and death brings out the worst in people. Congrats, Christina your book takes the cake & as well as this interview.... on spewing on "sour Grapes." Her vindictive answers & dramatic response during this interview is nauseating.
Why would the police officer who spoke to her after her mother supposedly tried to strangle her say that she needed to grow up fast and if it happened again, SHE would go to juvenile hall? Half of that story is missing. The half where Christina did something that supposedly could put her in juvenile hall. That the incidents basically stopped after that says something. And I suspect it wasn't because her mother was afraid of her own rage. Other sources who knew both state that Christina was stunningly stubborn and would refuse to do anything anyone asked her to do. That and other comments make it appear that she harbored hostility and jealousy toward her mother, wanting a great deal of attention while she herself treated her mother with disdain. It seems Christina has a no-fault attitude toward her own behavior, which comes across as a power play. One supposedly bad thing her mother did that I remember from the movie was that they both swam as fast as they could across the pool, apparently in a race. Her mother, being much older, was faster. Christina felt this was an example of how her mother was self-centered; she should have instead purposely lost the race. I was quite young when I saw that movie and was puzzled by the attitude as I wouldn't have had any such notion myself. The question to me was what was up with Christina that she would adopt such a notion. Joan was probably somewhat abusive, but by her twin daughters' recollection, Christina lived in her own world that didn't quite match reality. And her other daughters also state that Joan didn't spend everything on herself; they present a long list of people she helped and organizations she donated to, usually asking that her name not be attached.
Others talked about it. Truth is hard for many.
Myrna Loy & Joan met as chorus girls in 1925, were stars together @ MGM a decade later, remained neighbours & friends for life decades later in Manhattan. One of the highlights of Myrna's wonderful memoirs is her absolute takedown of Christina. Myrna turned to the stage in the '60's, travelled in a touring company of Barefoot in the Park. Christina was in the company. Despite marrying her director, she still managed to get fired from the production - Myrna said she was impossible to work with & already displaying her resentment of her mother. By the time Joan died, Myrna refused to acknowledge Christina @ her mother's memorial. Sadly, Christina established celebrity parental abuse as an industry, many have followed in her footsteps - Bette Davis had to deal with it during her lifetime. Bing Crosby, Lex Barker, Joan were all posthumously accused so no defense was possible. Christina won the lotto when Joan adopted her, since she could not sustain a career of her own.
Do you visit your mother's grave? NO, NEVER, WHY WOULD I ? Is she buried next to you're step dad ? YES, UNFORTUNATELY. Wow, even after all these years she is still FUMING WITH HATRED FOR HER MOM. So sad.
I just finished this book and it seems like this lady was angry because she didnt get everything she wanted from Joan as a teenager / young adult
Love Joan Crawford!
Incredible actress and beauty! 🥰
Stated in another interview on Mike Douglas she loved her mother. Also stated other sisters adopted after her, were not abused.
Here on RUclips there is a wonderful tribute to Joan Crawford from actress Ann Blyth ( still alive at age 96) where Ann Blyth pays tribute to her friend and co-star from Mildred Pierce.
If only Larry had been able to have a fact checker. The bits about no one paid for the school until Joan married, juvenile hall, left at 18 but was her caretaker, the husbands heart attack/fall. Surely some one tried to verify these stories because that's what I think they are, stories.
I saw a video where it commented on the twins taking her to court as Christina stated they weren't twins. The twins won the case.
She's all of a sudden very considerate not wanting to cause trouble trying to find her birth mother, not wanting to disrupt their lives however she doesn't mind writing Mommy Dearest. Where was her consideration for the Mother who raised her?