In our local newspaper there was a special insert last evening where a guy writes in for the "Celebrity Extra" question and answer section.

He writes:

Q: I recently watched "Mommie Earest" and was wondering who ended up with Joan Crawford's estate, since it didn't go to her oldest children (Christopher & Christina).
Mark A., Lyman, S.C.

A: As stated in her will, which was drawn on Oct. 28, 1976, Crawford divided her estate failry evenly, with adopted daughters Cathy and Cynthia the main benefactors, as well as any children that Cathy and Cynthia might have in the future. Crawford bequeathed sums of money to longtime personal secretary Betty Barker and makeup artist Monty Westmore, among others, as well as various charities. But it was Item 10 that struck me the most: "It is my intention to make no provision herein for my son Christopher or my daughter Christina for reasons which are well known to them."

All these years, and I had no idea or ever heard of Cathy and Cynthia?! Anyone else?!

This is news to me!


Source:
Elavsky, Cindy. 2006. Celebrity Extra. American Life & Traditions, September 6.

I read a bio on her and did know she had two other daughters. I always thought it was weird that only her one daughter came foward with alleged abuse stories, Im not sure if that means the others weren't willing to speak, or, that the others weren't treated the same. I believe the other 2 girls were 'acquired' later in life, and her degree of 'maturity' might've been different then. From what I've read, I don't think the other 2 girls were ever mistreated. I think she didn't like Christina b/c Christina didn't like her, and wouldn't kiss her a** if you know what i mean. I think Joan didn't understand, in her egotistical/alcoholic mind, why the public adored her but her own daughter hated her. I think she expected adoration from her daughter as well, and when she didn't get it, she became highly abusive towards the child.

C'est ça.

Then I must be out of the loop! She might as well hanger-whip my bottom as well for not being such an informed "fan."

What's odd, is my mother pointed this article out to me (go mom, go mom!) and I had to read it twice to make sure what I was reading was ACTUALLY true.

Guess I've been spending too much time moving the potted trees when scrubbing the floors that I didn't have time to read up on her other children.

Maybe Barbara, from "Redbook," can do a story on this? <grin>

LOL Jeffery!!! hahahhahahahaaaa

Christina has said that even though Joan called them "twins", the two younger girls were, in fact, not twins at all...

One of these two girls inhereted all of Joan's personal property at the time of Joan's death.

Click to view attachment'Yes, I adopted four children. I had seven miscarriages, too. Anything wrong, with that?'

Armanis, JC actually adopted five children but one son was reclaimed by the birth mother.

Here's an interview from 1968 where she first mentions four children then changes it to five.


Interview link


The interviewer is a piece of work.

Click to view attachment Oh, my goodness!! Thanks, Tommaso . . . and forgive me, Miss C!

Ok, if I ever wear foundation too pale for me I must tell my daughter to shoot me!

I didn't know that she had two other children, but it makes sense that the makers of Mommie Dearest would leave out all mention of them in the movie -- it would have muddied up the plot line.

Click to view attachmentMeantime, the video whose link Tommaso provided, is WILD. One of nubka's favorites, as I recall . . .

Joan is hopped up, probably on pain killers. The interviewer, as Tommaso states . . . is a real, piece of work. Irksome, and idiotic. The veiled venom does spew during one moment: Crawford reveals that Christina [earns her own money, now . . . ] in a tone of voice that's chilling to the ear. All that, aside . . . Crawford was a great, great star. And, she had guts.

I think Irinadax hit the nail on the head. Also we haven't heard from the two girls beacuse they got the $$!! No need to write a nasty tell-all. Not that that is the ONLY reason Christina wrote her book, of course.

OH WHY MUST EVERYTHING BE A CONTEST!?

Does anyone have a pretty sure bet on what the "reasons" are why Christopher & Christina were cut out of the will? In the movie, the two are incredulous at the verdict... but my guess is, they do INDEED know to what she refers in that clause of the will.... My hunch is that it was not an accumulation of things; I'm thinking there had to have been one spectacular disagreement between them, indeed, one not depicted in the film...

Click to view attachmentWow, rasputin . . . GREAT question. A Byzantine plethora of disagreements, potenial for disagreements, tension, misunderstandings, lack of patience, intoxication, resentment, etc., etc., etc., is clearly depicted in Christina's MOMMIE DEAREST. I figured that was enough. But, you may be right . . . perhaps it was ONE, huge explosion that finally 'broke the camel's back.'

Having lived with a father to whom I felt no closeness, I can tell you that life can become ONE, huge, pressure cooker.

The reason was probably when Christina couldn't take it anymore and finally told Mommie where to shove the Comet cleanser.

As for Christopher, he eventually learned how to keep some slack in the straps when being put to bed at night, started to break free during the night and secretly put several of Joan's items on wire hangers.