Show How howl I Broke Into The Movies L C lM by Hal 1 C C. Herman ermall 5 By JOAN C CRAWFORD A DANCING r was Will the avenue by which I t reached the screen I During childhood It was my loo Uon to carve for m myself elt a niche In Inthe Inthe inthe the theaters theater's hall of fa fame toe Mr My parents par par- lar- lar tnt however had different plans for tor forme forne torme me ne and Ind always discouraged my ml thoughts noughts In this direction Eventually I had bad to torun ran awa away awny from home to even ret get et a chance to demonstrate my 10 em em- talents nut But lets let's start at the be beginning I 1 II II I was born at San Antonio Tex and like most moet an any other child spent m my earl early teens mastering the mysteries mys mys- erles teries of the three Its ns nut But after school hours and during vacation periods periods pe pe- my thoughts always strayed to toa toa a secretly cherished dream of some someday someday da day becoming a great actress Although my 10 father owned a theater thea thea- ter er he refused to even think of permitting permitting per per- me to train for a theatrical career carter but his resistance merely served to whet my desire to seek fame fam on the stage This predilection became even ven more strongly attached to me while I was attending finishing school In Kansas Kansal City One day 1 I sat eat down and figured the he whole thing out I wanted to be bean bean bean an actress of this I was sure nut But father ather and mother thought otherwise So I decided upon a hold bold course a Joan Crawford daring step I ran away from home As I look back I can see that It was Indeed a foolhardy venture for a ayoung ayoung ayoung young girl untrained In the ways of the w world to alone seek her 11 liven liveli livelihood veIl hood In a strange city Good luck luc was with me from the outset and I landed my first Job with a revue In Chicago That was in IQ paring puring this engage engagement engage ment meat I acquired much mUth experience that was to prove Invaluable ble to me mt In Int later J years Diy My next Jump was to New York York where I appe appeared red In in the Shubert pro pro auction Innocent Innocent Eyes The theater then thea ter tel program listed me as Luclle Lucile Le Lc LeSueur Sueur It seemed too good to be true At lust I was really In the theater Next came a a part In The Passing Show at atthe atthe atthe the Winter Garden Garden- Little did 1 I suspect suspect suspect sus sus- that I was to dance my ray way right out of this show Into the movies But Dut that's Just exactly what happened when Harry of the Metro Gold wyn-Mayer wyn studios saw the show one evening and offered me the chance to enter motion pictures Was I thrilled Wh Why I was so excited excited ex ex- cited I could hardly talk I wondered what Hollywood was really like Would I be a star with my name In electric lights light or Just another girl among a legion of failures These thoughts ran through my mind as I I packed for tor the westward Jaunt I hoped for the best Upon my arrival In the movie elt city I was given six months of Intensive training in the art of screen acting and under the name of ot Joan Crawford chosen for me b by the public I made madem m my first appearance before the camera In a picture called Pretty Ladles I was extremely happy even though my part port was only that of an extra player I learned that extra work was Will the foundation upon which some o of our greatest artists have their careers Perhaps I too would be so 10 fortunate My optimism knew no bounds when I was picked for an Important par port part with Jackie Coogan In Old Clothes My ly work in Sn this production seemed to settle m my future as a featured player and I was tendered a long term contract contract contract con con- tract to which I happily and hurriedly hur bur a Died affixed m my signature Next Nelt I was cast for one of the leading roles In Sally Irene and Mary In 1925 1125 I 1 was chosen as a Wampas Baby Daby Star Wampas meanIng meaning mean mean- Ing the Western Association of Motion Motion Motion Mo Mo- tion Picture Advertisers There are two pictures to which I owe much In the matter of making my 10 name known to the film fans tans The They are The Boob Doob and Paris Parla Other vehicles which helped me In Inthe inthe the climb to celluloid prominence are The Understanding Heart The Th Taxi Tarl Dancer Winners of t th the Wilderness Wll wn The Unknown town Spring Fever West Point Point Our Dancing Daughters Dream of Love Ioe The Th Duke Steps Out Bain and anc Grand Hotel With the making of Our Modern Maidens I first reached stardom you Sa-you see I really danced my wa way wal Into the movies mOTle and the movies have haTe kept me dancing ever since |