Christina Crawford

After Joan Crawford died in 1977, Crawford and her brother, Christopher, discovered that their mother had disinherited them from her estate, her will citing "reasons which are well-known to them."[13] Though being estranged from (and no longer financially supported by) their famous mother for years, in October 1977, Crawford and her brother sued Joan Crawford's estate to invalidate their mother's will, which she signed on October 28, 1976.[13] Cathy LaLonde, another Crawford daughter, and her husband, Jerome, the complaint charged, "took deliberate advantage of decedent's seclusion and weakened and distorted mental and physical condition to insinuate themselves" into Joan's favor.[14] A settlement between the parties was reached on July 13, 1979, which provided Crawford and Christopher a combined $55,000 from their mother's estate.[15]

In November 1978, Crawford's book Mommie Dearest was released and described her mother as a career-obsessed overly strict mother. Joan Crawford's two other daughters, Cathy and Cindy, denounced the book, categorically denying any abuse. Cindy told reporters in 1979, "I can't understand how people believe this stupid stuff Tina has written."[16][17] Also, many of Crawford's friends and co-workers, including Van Johnson, Ann Blyth, Myrna Loy, Katharine Hepburn, Cesar Romero, Gary Gray, and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. (Crawford's first husband) denied the claims.

In her 1987 autobiography, Myrna Loy stated "She [Christina] wanted to be Joan Crawford. I think that's the basis of the book she wrote afterward and everything else. I saw what Christina's mind created, the fantasy world she lived in."[18] Christina's ex-husband, producer Harvey Medlinsky, said in response to Christina's memoir, "I have only good things to say about Joan Crawford. She was always nice to me and Christina."[19] The Secret Storm producer Gloria Monty, countered Christina's allegation that Joan "stole" Christina's role on the television show when she fell ill in 1968. According to Monty, Christina lied regarding this situation. Monty stated that she and CBS asked Joan to substitute for her daughter on the show, and that Joan agreed only in the interest of not allowing Christina to be permanently replaced by another actress until she could return to the show. Monty added, "I'll tell you that I saw Joan Crawford do everything she could to save that girl's life and job."[20] Helen Hayes,[21] June Allyson,[22] and Vincent Sherman[23] stated they had witnessed strict discipline. For example, Hayes and Sherman both stated in their autobiographies that they felt Joan was too strict a parent. Allyson stated in her autobiography that she witnessed Joan put Christina in "time-out", and did not let her go to a friend's birthday party as a punishment. However these people never stated they witnessed any outright abuse.

Mommie Dearest became a best-seller, and was made into the 1981 film Mommie Dearest, starring Faye Dunaway as Joan Crawford.[24]

Christina had no involvement with the making of the film, and has categorically denounced the film as "grotesque" and a work of fiction. Christina has repeatedly stated that the film is highly inaccurate, and that the portrayal of her mother in the film bears little resemblance to the real Joan Crawford, specifically citing that her mother never chopped down a tree with an axe, or beat her with a wire hanger as depicted in the film.[25]

Christina Crawford has published five subsequent books, including Survivor, Black Widow, No Safe Place, Daughters of the Inquisition and Scammed.[1]

After a stroke in 1981, she spent five years in rehabilitation before moving to the Northwest.[1] She ran a bed and breakfast called Seven Springs Farms in Tensed, Idaho, between 1994 and 1999.[1]

On July 20, 1998, one of Joan Crawford's other adopted children, Cathy Crawford LaLonde, filed a lawsuit against Christina Crawford for "defamation of character". LaLonde stated in her lawsuit that, during the 20th-anniversary book tour of Mommie Dearest, Christina publicly claimed to interviewers that LaLonde and her twin sister, Cynthia, were not biological sisters, and that their adoption was never legal. LaLonde stated neither claim by Christina was true, and attached copies of the twin girls' birth certificates and adoption documentation to the lawsuit.[26] The lawsuit was later settled out of court for $5,000 plus court costs.[27]

In 2000, Crawford began working as entertainment manager at the Coeur d'Alene Casino in Idaho, where she worked until 2007. She then wrote and produced a regional TV series, Northwest Entertainment. On November 22, 2009, she was appointed county commissioner in Benewah County, Idaho, by Governor Butch Otter,[28] but she lost her bid for election in November 2010.[29] In 2011, Crawford founded the non-profit Benewah Human Rights Coalition and served as the organization's first president.[30] In 2013, she made a documentary, Surviving Mommie Dearest.

On November 21, 2017, the e-book editions of Mommie Dearest, Survivor and Daughters of the Inquisition were published through Open Road Integrated Media. She is also currently working with composer David Nehls on a stage musical adaptation of Mommie Dearest, to be produced in regional theater.[31] Crawford is currently writing the third book in her memoir trilogy, following Mommie Dearest and Survivor.[32]