What is Joan Crawford Net Worth?

Joan Crawford Net Worth is US$ 8.5 Million as of 2022.

Net WorthUSD 8.5 Million
Born:March 23, 1906
Died:May 10, 1977
Cause of Death:Heart attack
Also known asBillie
GenderFemale
Height5’ 4”
HoroscopeAries
Country of OriginTexas, The US
Source of WealthActress
Marital StatusMarried four times
SpouseDouglas Fairbanks Jr. (1929), Franchot Tone (1935), Phillip Terry (1942), Alfred Steele (1955)
Famous ForWhat Ever Happened to Baby jane? (1962)


Biography

Joan was born on 23 March 1906. She was an American actress. She started her career dancing in traveling theatres. In the 1920s, she was nationally known as Flapper. In her acting career, she usually played hardworking women who found financial and romantic success. She became the highest-paid woman in the US. She won an award for Starring in Mildred Pierce in 1945. In 1955, she was elected a member of the Pepsi-Cola board of directors. Joan married four times in her life. But due to some reasons, she was divorced three times. The last husband died. Christina and Christopher were her two older children. After Joan’s death, Christina wrote a memoir, Mommie Dearest.

Timeline

1920s – Flapper

In the 1920s, she was nationally known as Flapper.

1922 – Stephens College

In 1922, she was admitted to Stephens College in Columbia.

1926’s – WAMPAS

Joan was named in 1926’s WAMPAS (Western Association of Motion Picture advertisers) Baby Stars.

1945 – Award winner

Joan won an award for Starring in Mildred Pierce in 1945.

1955 – a member of Pepsi-Cola

In 1955, Joan was elected a member of the Pepsi-Cola board of Directors. But got retired in 1973.

Early Life

Joan’s real name was Lucille Fay LeSueur. She had Irish, French, English, and Dutch ancestry. She was born in San Antonio, Texas. Joan was the 2nd child of the two children. Her father, Thomas LeSueur, worked as a construction worker. Joan’s mother, Anna Bell Johnson, was later married to Henry Cassin. Joan had one brother, Hal LeSueur, and one sister, Daisy. Her father dumped the family when she was just ten years old. They lived in Lawton, Oklahoma. Casin used to run the Ramsey Opera House. Billie was a nickname for Joan when she was a child. She used to enjoy watching Vaudeville acts on her stepfather’s theatre stage. She got to know about her biological father from her brother. She studied at a Catholic girls’ school, St. Agnes Academy.

From her childhood, she always aimed to become a dancer. But when she tried to escape the piano lessons, she got hurt on her foot. She had surgeries to repair the damage to her foot. Due to this, she was not able to continue her dancing lessons. Her father was accused of fraud and was found not guilty. After this incident, he was blacklisted in Lawton. In June 1917, Joan and her family shifted to Kansas City, Missouri. She used to work in school when her parents got separated. While working at Rockingham Academy, she began dating Ray Sterling, a trumpet player. He used to inspire her academically. In 1922, she was admitted to Stephens College in Columbia.

Career

Joan started to dance in the group of traveling shows. She was spotted in Detroit in the US, produced by Jacob Shubert. Jacob decided to involve her in a group of the 1924 play, Innocent Eyes. This show was conducted at Theatre Winter Garden in New York.

During the show, she met James Welton, a saxophonist. In 1924, she married James, and they were together for months. She never mentioned this marriage in her later life. She reached Loews Theatres, where Granlund offered a position with singer Harry Richman. In 1925 she starred in her 1st film Lady of the Night. In this film, she replaced Norma Shearer, a famous female star. In the same year, Joan appeared in “Pretty Ladies and The Circle.” The following year, Smith organized an event called “Name the Star” to select Joan’s new stage name. That day her surname was changed to Crawford. But Joan hated the surname because she thought it sounded like a crawfish.

Joan started dancing on afternoons and evenings at hotels and dance venues on the beach. She used to win competitions with her dance performances of the Black Bottom and the Charleston. In 1925, she cast in Sally, Irene, and Mary, produced by Edmund Goulding.

MGM’ Top Star

Joan was named in 1926’s WAMPAS (Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers) Baby Stars. After some years, Joan Became the lead actress with many of MGM’s top stars. In 1927, Joan appeared as a short-dressed young fair assistant in “The Unknown.” She mentioned she learned acting from Chaney rather than anyone else throughout her career.

In 1928, Joan starred with Ramon Novarro in the film “Across to Singapore.” On 3 June 1929, Joan married Douglas Fairbanks. He was a Junior at Saint Malachy’s Church in Manhattan. In 1935, Joan married Franchot Tone, a stage actor in New York. They built a theatre at Joan’s Brentwood home. The couple started the production of classic plays.

Film Appearance

In 1933, they first appeared in the film, “Today We Live.” On 8 January, Joan worked in the radio series “The Screen Guild Theater.” In the 1950s, she appeared in the episodes of anthology TV series. In 1925, she was nominated for Sudden Fear. Joan Crawford has a net worth of $8.5 million at the time of her death.

Highlights

Here are some of the best highlights of Joan Crawford’s career:

  • What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)
  • Johnny Guitar (1954)
  • Queen Bee (1955)
  • Autumn Leaves (1956)

Brand Endorsements

Joan appeared in advertisements for Chapman’s Fancy Ice Creams (1927), Lux Soap (1928), Seventeen Cosmetics (1931), and many more. In 1955, she married Pepsi-Cola company’s President Alfred Steele. She was elected as a member of the board of directors after his death. But she got retired in 1973.  

Favorite Quotes from Joan Crawford

Favorite Quote 1 from Joan Crawford

“The Democratic party is one that I’ve always observed. I have struggled greatly in life from the day I was born, and I am honored to be a part of something that focuses on working-class citizens and molds them into a proud specimen.”

Joan Crawford 
Favorite Quote 2 from Joan Crawford

“Love is a fire. But whether it is going to warm your hearth or burn down your house, you can never tell.”

Joan Crawford
Favorite Quote 3 from Joan Crawford

“I never go outside unless I look like Joan Crawford, the movie star. If you want to see the girl next door, go next door.”

Joan Crawford
Favorite Quote 4 from Joan Crawford

“Recently, I heard a ‘wise guy’ story that I had a party at my home for twenty-five men. It’s an interesting story, but I don’t know twenty-five men I’d want to invite ta a party.”

Joan Crawford
Favorite Quote 5 from Joan Crawford

“I think that the most important thing a woman can have – next to talent, of course – is her hairdresser.”

Joan Crawford

Frequently Asked Questions

What did Joan Crawford die of?

Joan Crawford, who became one of the great movie stars, died due to a heart attack in her apartment.

What was Joan Crawford’s net worth?

Joan’s net worth was US$ 8.5 Million at the time of her death in 1977.

How much did Joan Crawford make from Pepsi?

She used to earn US$ 60,000 per year from being a member of the board of directors.

How old was Joan Crawford in Johnny Guitar?

She was 49 years old in Johnny Guitar.

Summary

Joan was one of the most glamorous stars in Hollywood in the 1940s. She did filmography for 45 years that is from 1925 to 1970. Joan used to work in various jobs. She was a great dancer and decided to make a career out of it. She also performed in multiple shows. Joan’s final appearance was in Flop Trog in 1970. On 10 May 1977, she died due to a heart attack in New York City. She was only 71 years old.  

What do you think about Joan Crawford net worth? Leave a comment below.