Lucille Faye LeSueur, b. March 23, 1905Joan Crawford Fairbanks Tone Terry Steele, d. May 10, 1977
Over in his gorgeous corner of the Cybersphere, our dear TJB has written a far more eloquent tribute to the Great Lady than I could manage. All I can add is that I was lucky enough, in my New York salad days, to have known more than one person who knew JC, at various stages of her career, and they all agreed that she was marvelous fun and a great friend.
Most agreed, too, that she ought never to have tried family life, but there you go.
Here we see her as I imagine she would have liked to be remembered: the gala star of MGM, dancing with Fred Astaire in a picture she shared with Clark Gable, resplendent in ruffles by Adrian and fronting a dazzling set and a corps of dazzled extras. And on she dances, untouched by time or scandal, the Modern Maiden turned Queen Bee. Happy Birthday!
Oh, to have known someone who knew JC. One step from greatness. Aside from your decadent travels with sloe-eyed boys in robes murmuring, "At your service, sir," that's enough to make me cough up little clots of envy, darling.
ReplyDeleteBefore I even attempted a tribute to Our Star, I checked to see if you had posted one first -- because, although I appreciate your lovely compliment, I completely defer to you in the eloquence department, darling.
WV: "Hordise." What Mamacita said when she first saw Christina: "Hordise leetle brat?"