JOAN CRAWFORD - CONTRACT SIGNED 05/20/1947 - HFSID 72841

JOAN CRAWFORD
Academy Award-winning actress Joan Crawford signed this contract with Warner Brothers in 1947, stating that she could "personally engage the services of a 'director of photography' or 'first cameraman'".
Contract signed "Joan Crawford" and by an assistant secretary at Warner Brothers Pictures, Inc., both in blue ink. 3 pages, 8½x11, on Warner Brothers letterhead. May 20, 1947. Addressed to Miss Joan Crawford, c/o Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc., Burbank, California. In part: "Concurrently herewith we are entering into a contract of employment with you under which we are entitled to have you render services for us in connection with the production of fourteen (14) motion pictures, as more particularly in said employment contract set forth. You have heretofore advised us that you propose to personally engage the services of a 'director of photography' or 'first cameraman'...and that you desire that we hire from you the services of said director of photography to render his services in connection with the production of motion pictures in which you appear for us under said employment contract...." Warner Bros. has "no objection". They will also furnish Crawford, at her expense, a 35mm print of each motion picture. Crawford (1904-1977, born Lucille Fay LeSueur in San Antonio, Texas) shot to stardom on the strength of 1928's Our Dancing Daughters, starring as Diana "Di" Medford, a role originally intended for Clara Bow. The film was hugely successful, and MGM soon doubled her salary and began featuring her name on marquees. Unlike so many stars of the period, Crawford successfully made the transformation from the silents to the sound era, although she preferred the silents. Crawford, originally a professional dancer, had made her film debut in 1925. She won a Best Actress Academy Award for Mildred Pierce (1945) and was nominated for Best Actress Oscars for Possessed (1947) and Sudden Fear (1952). A tell-all memoir, Mommie Dearest (1978, later made into a feature film), by her daughter Christina, portrayed Crawford as unfeeling and ruthlessly ambitious. However, Crawford was a faithful correspondent with her large fan base. Creased. Staple holes at upper corner.