​​The Joan Crawford Chronicle

1966​​​



​​​
January: It's reported that Joan is planning to produce several film projects.

January 3: Joan travels from Palm Springs, California to Los Angeles, California.​

​January 20:
Joan serves as chairwoman of the 16th annual "Animal Kingdom Ball" at the Sheraton-East. The event is to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty To Animals.

January 24: Joan is elected to the board of directors of Frito-Lay. Frito-Lay and Pepsi-Cola merged together in June 1965 to form PepsiCo.
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January 25: Joan arrives in Mexico City, Mexico for a Pepsi-Cola Bottlers Convention at the Hotel Maria Isabel.

Late-January: Joan is scheduled to film an episode of Hope Picture's television show "Chrysler Theater," titled "Every Day Is Mother's Day." The episode is ultimately canceled.​​

February 11: Joan arrives in Palm Beach, Florida with maid, Mamacita at 4:00 pm on National Airlines flight #51. During Joan's visit, she stays with friend Frances Spingold at her house on Wells Road.
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February 13: Joan serves as the honorary chairwoman of the 1966 Palm Beach "Heart Ball," and attends the "Friends of Brandeis" dinner in the Regency Room of Palm Beach Towers, where Joan is the guest of honor. More than 600 guests attend the benefit.

February 20: Joan attends a party, given in her honor, by friend Frances Spingold in Palm Beach, Florida.​​

February 25: Joan arrives in Miami, Florida in preparation to attend the dedication ceremony of a new Pepsi-Cola bottling plant on February 26th. During her visit in Miami, Joan stays at the Fontainebleau Hotel.​​


February 26: The governor of Florida announces February 26th as "Joan Crawford Day" in the state of Florida.
​     Along with PepsiCo president, Donald Kendall, Joan attends the dedication ceremony of a new $2 million dollar Pepsi-Cola bottling plant in Miami, Florida.
The dedication takes place from 10:30 am - 4:00 pm.

March: Joan travels to Mexico on a Pepsi-Cola business trip.​​

March 3: Joan appears on "The Merv Griffin Show" during Griffin's presentation of Photoplay's 44th annual "Gold Medal" awards. Also appearing on this episode is: Robert Vaughn, John Wayne, Arthur Treacher, Patricia Morrow, Christopher Connelly, Steve Rossi and Marty Allen.​​

March 8:​ Joan attends the 60th anniversary convention of National American Wholesale Grocers Association (NAWGA). The convention is held at the Palmer House in Chicago, Illinois. During the convention, Joan is given a standing ovation following her address to the 900 attendees at the convention. The subject of Joan's speech is "The Pursuit of Excellence In Planning." NAWGA's president, Morris Lewis Jr., later described Joan's speech as "the highlight of our entire 60th anniversary meeting."

March 23: Joan attends a surprise birthday party for actor Marty Allen at the Gold Coin restaurant in New York City. ​The party is organized and hosted by Allen's wife, Frenchy. ​Among the other guests are; Soupy Sales​​, Joe Levine, Durwood Kirby and Steve Rossi.

Early April: Joan attends the dedication ceremony of a new Pepsi-Cola bottling plant in Belgium.​​

April 14: Joan travels to London, England for the 39th annual Variety Clubs International fie-day convention, which begins on April 18th. While in London, rumors emerge of a romance between Joan and Earl Mountbatten of Burma.

April 16: Joan hosts the Variety Clubs convention's opening luncheon in London, England. American Ambassador David Bruce is the luncheon's guest of honor.​​

April 16-17: ​​Joan and Earl Mountbatten co-host supper dances at the Grosvenor House in London, England.

April 18: Joan attends a press conference at the Savoy Hotel in London, England.

April 20: On behalf of Variety Clubs International, Joan visits 10 Downing Street and has tea with British Prime Minister ​​Harold Wilson and his wife, Mary.

April 21:  Joan hosts ​​two parties for Variety Clubs International. One of the parties is held at the Hilton Hotel, and sponsored by Pepsi-Cola in honor of Earl Mountbatten of Burma.

April 22: Joan attends the last day of the Variety Clubs International convention. ​Prince Phillip is awarded the Humanitarian Award for 1965, which is a solid-gold, heart-shaped emblem and a check in the amount of $280,000 for charitable causes in Great Britain.

April 22 (#2): Joan conducts a filmed interview for the British show "Cinema."

Mid-May: Joan travels to Belgium, Brussels and Antwerp to promote Pepsi-Cola.​​

Mid-May: Joan promotes Pepsi-Cola in Brussels, and visits the Sarma supermarket.​​​

May 16: Joan's daughter, Christina, obtains a marriage license in New York City to wed theater director Harvey Medlinsky.​

Mid-May: Joan travels from Europe to New York City.​

May 20: Joan acts as matron of honor at daughter Christina's wedding to theater director, Harvey Medlinsky. The ceremony is performed by New York Supreme Court Justice Irwin E. Davidson in New York's Criminal Courts building. At the service, Pepsi-Cola executive Herbert L. Barnet gives Christina away to the groom. Following the service, Joan hosts a wedding party at 21. Christina and Medlinsky later Honeymoon for ten days on Cape Cod.

May 21: Joan has dinner with ex-husband Franchot Tone at Voison in New York City.​​

May 29: Joan receives an Honorary Associates In Arts Degree from Vernon Court Junior College in Newport, Rhode Island. This is the first honorary degree the school has given. Additionally, Joan's daughters, Cathy and Cindy, graduate on this day from Vernon Court.​​

June: Joan attends a fashion show at Hadden Hall in Atlantic City. The fashion show is presented during the Pennsylvania Bankers' Convention, and is sponsored by Strawbridge & Clothier's department store in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

June 1: Vernon Court Junior College in Newport, Rhode Island dedicates the new Joan Crawford Audio-Visual Center.
     ​ Joan receives an honorary Associate in Arts degree from the school. ​Joan's twin daughters, Cathy and Cindy, both recently graduated from Vernon Court.
​​​
June 4: Joan attends a luncheon at the General Federation of Women's Clubs Convention in Chicago, Illinois.​​ Also attending the convention, is Vincent Price.

June 7: Joan arrives in Dallas, Texas for a four-day stay, and to attend the Frito-Lay Inc. board of directors meeting.

June 8:​​ Joan is the guest of honor at the Rotary Club of Dallas luncheon, which is held in the Crystal Ballroom in the Baker Hotel.​​

June 18: Joan attends the dedication ceremony of a new Pepsi-Cola bottling plant in San Antonio, Texas.​​ Also attending the ceremony is Pepsi-Cola president James B. Somerall. 

June 30: Joan's daughter, Christina, appears on the Connecticut-based radio show "Point of View," hosted by Ethel Kweskin. On the program, Christina promotes her play "The Midnight Ride of Alvin Blum," which debuts July 4th at the Westport Country Playhouse in Westport, Connecticut. 

July: Joan is approached by producer Cy Chermak in regard to a guest spot on an upcoming episode of the television show "The Virginian." However, Joan declines due to scheduling conflicts.​

July: Joan's daughter, Cindy, has surgery for two herniated discs. Joan cancels all appointments until Cindy recovers.​​

Early July: Joan travels to Bermuda on a business trip for Pepsi-Cola.​

July 3: Joan appears as a mystery contestant on the television game show "What's My Line?" Joan's appearance was previously recorded at the CBS Studio, located at 254 West 54th Street in New York City.

July 4-9: Joan's daughter, Christina, performs in the play "The Midnight Ride of Alvin Blum" at the Westport Country Playhouse in Westport, Connecticut. ​

July 15: The estate of Alfred Steele is closed. Steele passed away on April 19th, 1959, and his estate was open for a period of seven years.​

August: Joan negotiates with Murray J. King Productions to star in the film "You'll Hang, My Love," which is slated to be filmed in Spain.​​

Early August: Joan signs her contract to star in the film "Circus of Terror." The film is later re-titled "Circus of Blood," then re-titled "Berserk."

August 3: Joan attends a trade show in Chicago, Illinois.​​

September: British film company Hammer Films announces the film "Crescendo" as a new production, and scheduled to begin filming in April 1967. Joan is a top contender for a prominent role in the film.

September 1: Joan makes an appearance at 1:30 pm at the first annual Ladies World Series of Golf, held at the Springfield Country Club in Springfield, Ohio.


September 4: Joan appears on Jerry Lewis' Muscular Dystrophy Association annual Labor Day telethon. The telethon is broadcast from the Americana Hotel in New York City, and airs from 10:00 pm on September 4th to 5:00 pm on September 5th. Among those who appear are; Jack Dempsey, Leona Horne, Adam West, Burt Ward, Marty Allen, Steve Rossi, Ed Sullivan, Liza Minelli​, Chubby Checker, Jerry Vale, Sidney Blackmer, Woody Allen, Soupy Sails, Jane Russell, Angela Lansbury, The Skylarks and Joan Rivers.

Early September: Joan is interviewed by Gene Edwards for Panorama's "Man On The Go."​​

September 10: Joan serves as one of the eleven judges for the Miss America Beauty Pageant, which is held in Atlantic City, New Jersey. This is the first year the pageant is telecast in color on NBC.

October: A business deal, which had been spearheaded by Joan, between Pepsi-Cola and Columbia Pictures​​ ultimately doesn't come to fruition. ​


October 1: Joan travels to London, England to begin work on the film "Circus of Blood," later re-titled "Berserk."​

​​October 3: At the Mansion House in London, Joan presents a $2,800 check, on behalf of Pepsi-Cola, to Lord Mayor and Sir Lionel Denny for the benefit of the City of London's children charities. 

October 4: Joan holds a press reception at the Grosvenor House in London, England. The reception is to promote the upcoming filming of "Berserk."

October 10: Filming begins on the film "Circus of Blood" in London, England.

October 10 (#2): Joan's daughter, Christina, appears on Virginia Graham's television talk show "Girl Talk." On the show, Christina discusses being an adopted child of a famous mother. Also appearing on the episode is actress Lynn Redgrave and Kris Nelson, the wife of singer Ricky Nelson.​

October 20: Joan attends a performance of the Billy Smart Circus in Blackheath, London. Much of the circus footage shown in the film "Berserk" is filmed during this performance.

October 27: Joan travels from London, England on a 22-hour airline flight to Birmingham, Alabama.

October 28: Joan attends the Pepsi-Cola annual board of directors meeting, which is held in the Birmingham, Alabama office of Pepsi-Cola bottler James Lee​. This is only the second Pepsi-Cola board of directors meeting to be held outside of Manhattan, New York. 

October 29: Joan attends the dedication ceremony of a new Pepsi-Cola bottling plant in Birmingham, Alabama.​

Early November: Joan travels from the United States to London, England.​

November 26: Joan is displeased to work filming "Berserk" on Thanksgiving Day. ​Due to the film being filmed in England, the American holiday isn't observed.​​

November 27: Joan completes her work on the film "Berserk."​​

Early December: Joan signs her contract for "You'll Hang, My Love." The film is scheduled to begin principal filming with director Robert Gist in Spain in January 1967. In December, the film's production is delayed two days before production is to begin. After a series of delays, the film is ultimately canceled.

Mid-December: Joan suffers from a slight cold while in London, England.

December 13: Joan is the guest of honor at the Variety Club's Christmas luncheon, held in London, England.

December 14: Joan meets with Len Leech, Pepsi-Cola's vice-president for the Northern European Division, and hosts a Pepsi press conference at the Gresham Hotel in Dublin, Ireland. During the press conference, Pepsi-Cola announces the company's 1967 expansion plans in Ireland.

December 23: Joan arrives in New York City from Europe.


© All original Joan Crawford research and original text herein is property of Webmaster Bryan Johnson and is copyright protected by the United States Copyright Act of 1976. Copyright © Bryan Johnson
THE CONCLUDING CHAPTER OF CRAWFORD