Bette Davis and Joan Crawford’s feud lasted right up until their deaths and has since become part of Hollywood legend. Their rivalry is explored in tonight’s Talking Pictures episode on BBC Four.
The feud originated with personal resentment for each other, as Crawford entered the industry earlier than Davis and was a well-reputed star by the time Davis arrived on the scene.
The first clash between the leading ladies reportedly happened when Davis’ introduction to stardom was overshadowed by Crawford’s announcement of her divorce.
The news broke in 1933, with Davis’ breakout film being ignored in the papers in favour of the Crawfords news and Davis’ film would be dropped from theatres early due to poor sales.
52 years after this Davis told journalist Michael Thorton she had not forgiven Crawford for overshadowing her introduction to Hollywood and “never will”.
Overshadowing each other would become a recurrent theme in the pair’s battle, with each constantly trying to out-do the other even when they were acting in the same film.
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Their relationship would only get worse after their first clash as both women fell for the same man, Franchot Tone, a battle Crawford would win.
Verbal blows started being thrown at this point, with Davis claiming it was Crawford’s fame that won Tone’s attention whilst Crawford retaliated saying he “thought Bette was a good actress, but he never thought of her as a woman”.
One of Davis’ most devastating digs at Crawford would emerge from around this time as well and would be cemented in history through the 1989 biography Bette And Joan: The Divine Feud.
Davis reportedly said of Crawford: “She has slept with every male star at MGM except Lassie.”
In the same book, Davis allegedly claimed: “Joan always cries a lot. Her tear ducts must be very close to her bladder.”
Despite the women’s warring ways, directors were incredibly keen to have the pair co-star on screen.
Ultimately the two gave in to requests and co-starred in psychological horror What Ever Happened To Baby Jane? in 1962.
The horror involved some physically demanding shots, and the stars used this to gain the upper hand in their feud, with Davis allegedly hitting Davis hard enough to require stitches according to Harper’s Bazaar.
Davis reportedly said: “The best time I ever had with Joan Crawford was when I pushed her down the stairs in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?”
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One particular scene required Davis to drag Crawford across a room, which spread rumours that Crawford had lined her pockets with rocks or even wore a weightlifter’s belt to make the task harder for her co-star.
Crawford denied these claims saying “it simply didn’t happen” but noted she did not make the scene as easy for her co-star as she could have.
The film was a resounding success and sparked the commission of a sequel called Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte, with the two stars filming together once again.
Both actresses required a lot of convincing to take part, with Davis allegedly telling the director when he suggested filming with Crawford: “I wouldn’t p**s on her if she was on fire.”
Crawford dropped out of the film after a week and a half and was replaced with Olivia de Havilland.
According to KQED Arts Crawford offered a scathing remark: “I resent her. I don’t see how she built a career out of mannerisms instead of real acting ability. She’s a phony, but I guess the public likes that.”
In an interview with Life Magazine in 1971, Crawford declared she had “discipline” which Davis lacked, saying: “She has a cult, and what the hell is a cult except a gang of rebels without a cause. I have fans. There’s a big difference.”
Ultimately the feud would come to a conclusion with Crawford’s death in 1977, and Davis has been widely quoted as having the last word with: “You should never say bad things about the dead, you should only say good… Joan Crawford is dead. Good.” although the legitimacy of this quote has been debated.
Talking Pictures: Bette and Joan airs tonight at 8:30pm on BBC Four.
Bette And Joan: The Divine Feud is available here.