SavenokGetty Images EntertainmentGetty Images By Dana Getz March 19, 2017 On Feud, Ryan Murphy chronicles the scandal that trailed Whatever Happened To Baby Jane, where a long-brewing rivalry between Joan Crawford and Bette Davis hit a fever pitch behind scenes.But some may remember that the film wasnt the only controversy that hung over Crawfords life.Following Crawfords death in 1977, her daughter, Christina, published Mommie Dearest, an explosive memoir alleging Crawford had been emotionally and physically abusive.At the time, the accusations sent shockwaves through Hollywood, but decades removed from the tumult, you may be wondering: What is Christina Crawford doing now First, a refresher.
![]() Christina was one of five children Crawford adopted, according to Charlotte Chandlers biography of Crawford, Not the Girl Next Door. She was the first, in 1940, followed by a boy, Christopher, in 1942, who was later reclaimed by his birth mother; a second boy, also named Christopher, in 1943; and twin girls, Catherine (Cathy) and Cynthia (Cindy), in 1947. Chandler writes that Crawford had allegedly known about Christinas book before she died, though she, of course, didnt live to read it. I think shes using my name strictly to make money, she told Chandler at the time. I suppose she doesnt think that Im going to leave her enough or that Im going to disappear soon enough. Paramount Pictures The response to Mommie Dearest thrust family violence and the Crawfords into the national spotlight. ![]() We lived in the same house as Christina, but we didnt live in the same home, because she had her own reality, Cathy told Chandler. Mommy Dearest Images Movie Starring FayeIn 1981, Mommie Dearest was adapted into a movie starring Faye Dunaway as Crawford. It was a critical flop, but later achieved cult status, and chatter surrounding Crawford and her children has since dwindled. Sadly, Chandlers book reveals that Christopher died in 2006 and Cynthia in 2007. Cathy appears to still be living, though her whereabouts have not been widely publicized. Christina, on the other hand, has managed to lead a well-documented but quiet life. Ilya S. SavenokGetty Images EntertainmentGetty Images Before Mommie Dearest, shed started a career in acting, but after its success she turned her focus to writing and penned four more books. Black Widow (1981) was fictional, Survivor (1988) drew from her personal experiences, and both No Safe Place (1994) and Daughters of the Inquisition (2003) were historical explorations. According to the Lewinston Tribune, she suffered a near-fatal stroke in 1981 and, after several years of physical therapy, moved to Idaho to start a bed and breakfast. In 2009, The Spokesman-Review reported she had been appointed to the Benewah County Commission, where she served for one year before losing her re-election bid. In 2011, she founded the Benewah Human Rights Coalition, a non-profit human rights organization formed with the goal of promoting better relations between members of Idahos Coeur dAlene Tribe and nontribal residents. Mommy Dearest Images Professional Triumphs ThatOne year later, she wrote and starred in Surviving Mommie Dearest, a documentary that again recounted her alleged abuse, as well as the personal and professional triumphs that followed. At the time of Not the Girl Next Doors publication in 2009, she had been married and divorced three times. Her most recent interview appears to be with America: The Jesuit Review in 2015, in which she reflected on life, spirituality, and healing. I am proud of the way I have lived my journey, with both the successes and mistakes, and grateful for the very hard lessons learned, she told the publication. I accept who I am. At the end of the day, thats really all you can ask.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
December 2020
Categories |