Bette and Joan: The Divine Feud by Shaun Considine

Author:Shaun Considine [Considine, Shaun]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Hollywood, Memoir
ISBN: 0747406693
Publisher: Sphere Books Ltd.
Published: 1990-11-17T23:00:00+00:00

Question - „Do you ever spank your children?’1

Answer - „Yes Ma’-am - with a capital S. I spank them almost daily. Spare the rod and you have brats, I believe.“

Motion Picture, 12/44

Christopher as a child could also be willful and devious, said Joan. He frequently baited and irritated her in public. In her autobiography, Child Star, Shirley Temple told of the time she invited Joan, her husband, Phil Terry, and the two children to her home. In the bedroom, Christina headed straight for Shirley’s closets, and, goggle-eyed, she gasped: „Look at all those clothes,“ said Christina. „Those aren’t clothes. They’re costumes,“ Shirley corrected, closing the door to the covetous child. Then Christopher wanted attention. „Without warning,“ said Shirley, „he drew back his fist and punched her [Joan] in the thigh. Reaching down she slapped him on the cheek. ‘He struck me,’ she wailed in defense to husband Terry.“

When Christopher was five, he began to request autographed photographs of his movie-star mother, to give to his schoolmates. „After the fifth or sixth request, I got suspicious,“ said Joan, who investigated and learned the boy was selling them at school for a quarter apiece. Nor was she happy when forewarned the boy insisted on helping himself to an extra piece of candy from an open box on Joan’s coffee table. By way of punishment, she made him sit down and eat the whole box, „then she watched as the boy became violently ill.“

Greg Bautzer told writer Barry Norman of the Sunday dinner at Joan’s house when Christopher, left-handed, used the wrong hand to cut his meat. „Crawford immediately leaned across the table, knocked the food out of his hand and hit him across the face. He started to cry. So I immediately went over and put my arms around him. As I was holding him - we were having a roast leg of lamb - I got it right in my face.“

„I intend that my children grow up to be ladies and gentlemen,“ said Joan when anyone questioned her harsh methods. „Success only comes with order and discipline.“ Christmas 1947, when she invited Hollywood writer, Norbert Lusk to her home, she told him that Christina would play the piano while Christopher sang „Silent Night“.

Then Christina balked.

„I’ve forgotten,“ said the little girl.

„Play it!“ Joan commanded.

„I can’t.“

„Don’t say you can’t,“ the star ordered. „Don’t say you can’t do anything. Try!“

Christina was stubborn and Joan’s temper was rising, said Lusk.

„Let’s go to the piano and try,“ said Crawford.

„But Mother, I tell you, I’ve forgotten,“ the girl whispered.

„You haven’t forgotten this,“ said Joan, hitting a note. „Nor this,“ sounding another.

By now Christina had her hand on the keyboard and slowly, tentatively, played „Silent Night“.

„Be afraid of nothing, Christina,“ said Joan, pushing her son forward, and lighting the candles for a Yuletide finish.

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