Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-06-08
HOLLYWOOD

Joan Crawford Is an amazing
woman. After 20 years In Holly
wood as a top star, Joan has just
signed a new straight 7-year con-
tract with Warner Brothers-to
make two pictures annually at
something like s25o,0O0 a picture!
Now, more than at any time dur
ing her fantastic career Joan can
have her pick of almost any leading
man she wants. To prove it, she
has snagged Dana Andrews, the
most sought-after leading man in
Hollywood, for her next picture,
DAISY Kenyon" Henry Fonda, who
will do til something better comes
along - and that's difficult - plays
the other leading man in Joan's
picture. To crown everything. Joan
has Just finished what those who
have seen it call her best picture to
date, Possessed
I thought, therefore, 1t was time
to have another tea party with Joan
at her 27-room house in Brentwood.
Joan was having the usual servant
trouble-it was the new buffers
first day, and she was exercising
tremendous will power and staying
away from the kitchen until the
man had found his way around.
Marriages Changed Her.
I had not yet arrived in Holly
wood when Joan first began here.
Yet I'm told that in those days she
was bundle of dynamite who spent
her evenings at the Cocoanut Grove,
ETC., startling everyone with her
terrific version of the Charleston.
Then she married Douglas Fair
banks jr., and she tried to live up
to his idea of what he thought
was a lady. In brief. she became
subdued. Then came her marriage
to Franchot Tone, and Franchot
considers himself an intellectual.
Joan, always an obliging, eager gal,
followed suit and took lessons In
everything she could think Of.
The Phillip Terry material episode
was sort of marking time for Joan.
Now that's over and Joan Is tree
girl again. She is relaxing for the
first time in all the 10 years I've
known her.
st don't get up at 8 o'clock in the
any more Joan told me.
II get up when I feel like it-When
I'm not working, of course. sud
denly said to myself, What am I
myself for?'" A Joan CraW-
ford who doesn't drive herself like
crack locomotive is something very
new in Hollywood.
Now She Relaxes.
She is still the Understanding
actress in Hollywood. But after 20
years of striving to be this or that
in her private life, she has decided
to stick to the current Crawford
model. This means that at last she
can relax and have fun.
On the evening of our tea. she has
a date with Gregory Bautzer. Shes
more interested in him than she'll
admit because Greg, unlike any OF
Joan's other suitors, is a bit indie
pendent himself. He knows how to
keep Joan guessing.
I'm never getting married again.
she tells me. I'll make a bet now
that Joan will be married again
within the next three years.
Apart from being one of the best
actresses in town, Joan is one OF the
best mothers. She is doing ter
rife job of bringing up Christina
and Christopher. She stands for no
nonsense from them, and already
makes them work as hard at their
own problems as she does with her
own.
Christina, who is now 8, has been
making her own bed since she was
5. When Joan heard her ordering
the servant to press her panties,
Joan gave Christina the iron and
ironing board and said, IF you want
clean parties every minute, you'll
have to wash and press them your