Joan Crawford (1904-1977), born Lucille LeSueur, was an icon and one of Hollywood's most enduring stars. Emerging from the silent era at MGM, she established herself in talkies by portraying determined and ambitious women, often with a streak of vulnerability.

She gained fame with films like *Grand Hotel* (1932) and *The Women* (1939), embodying the "self-made woman." After a period of decline, her career experienced a triumphant resurgence with *Mildred Pierce* (1945), which earned her an Academy Award, cementing her image as a resilient woman battling adversity.

In subsequent years, she explored darker and more psychological roles, notably in *What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?* (1962). Her intense and dramatic style and magnetic screen presence made her a cinematic legend.