Joan Crawford had a lengthy career that evolved just as the movies did. From the Silent Era and on to the Sound Era, Crawford’s image and performances were carefully cultivated to cater to audience interests of the day.

Appearing in films like Our Dancing Daughters (1928) early on, to films like Grand Hotel (1932), The Women (1939), and Mildred Pierce (1945), Crawford demonstrated a broad range of skills as an actress. From the more wholesome to the shrewish, Crawford took on variety of roles that challenged her to portray many complex personalities.

Though much has been written about Crawford–and, unfortunately, quite a bit of that is not positive–Lawrence J. Quirk and William Schoell bring readers Joan Crawford: The Essential Biography to delve into her life and legacy and to also separate fact from fiction. The authors interviewed individuals who knew her, conducted much analysis and research on Crawford, and evaluated each of her films and roles to gain an effective portrayal of Crawford.

An intriguing read, Joan Crawford: The Essential Biography offers a fine portray of Crawford’s life and career, highlighting key moments both on and off-screen in her life.

Joan Crawford: The Essential Biography is available for purchase from the University Press of Kentucky.