Bette Davis and Joan Crawford: A Vicious Feud or Clever Publicity Stunt?

Bette Davis, who passed away on October 6, 1989, had the last laugh in her bitter rivalry with Joan Crawford, outliving her rival by 12 years.

However, there are speculations that their feud was merely a marketing ploy for the 1962 psychological horror film, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, which focused on a rivalry between two sisters played by the actresses.

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

was a groundbreaking film, but it also marked the end of any relationship between the acclaimed actresses.

Both Davis and Crawford rose to fame in the 1930s, when artists signed contracts with studios rather than for individual projects.

Crawford arrived in Hollywood five years before Davis, who was busy with her Broadway career at the time.

The first hint of animosity arose when Davis landed her first leading role in the 1933 film Ex-Lady, coinciding with Crawford's announcement of her divorce.

Unfortunately, Davis' film was unsuccessful and left theaters early due to poor ticket sales.

This initial clash sparked media interest in the two leading ladies, who seemed unable to avoid outshining each other.

The tension escalated when Crawford joined Warner Brothers, the same studio as Davis, putting them in direct competition for roles.

Their rivalry on-set became legendary and even inspired a stage play.

Nevertheless, Lizzie Bassett, co-host of the podcast “What Went Wrong,” believes that their relationship remained professional and amicable.

She suggests that the media may have exaggerated the feud, stating, “There's no real indication that Crawford and Davis truly hated each other prior to the actual filming of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane.”

In 1962, Crawford approached Davis after one of her Broadway performances and invited her to star in the film alongside her.

Bassett believes this is evidence that the rivalry had been “drummed up” by the media.

Davis agreed to participate but set two conditions: she would play the lead role, and the director had to promise not to favor Crawford for close-up shots by sleeping with her.

Surprisingly, no makeup artist was willing to fulfill Davis' unusual requests, so she had to do her own makeup for the film.

Davis allegedly developed an obsession with Coca-Cola after Crawford married the CEO of Pepsi

For her character, a washed-up actress, Davis wanted to portray someone who never washed her face but continually applied layers of makeup.

In contrast, Crawford found herself in an unexpected position, playing a paralyzed victim while Davis took the spotlight.

Crawford reportedly enjoyed the filming process, joking, “I usually play the bitches, now I can sit back and watch Bette do it.”

The feud supposedly started on the film set, with Davis reportedly calling Crawford a derogatory term and placing a Coca-Cola vending machine in her dressing room, a direct competitor of Pepsi.

Prior to What Ever Happened to Baby Jane, Crawford had married the CEO of Pepsi, Alfred Steele, in 1955.

When he passed away in 1959, she took his place on the board of directors.

During an intense fight scene, Crawford claimed that Davis intentionally hit her in the head.

In retaliation, Crawford wore weights during a different scene where Davis had to drag her around the set.

Chris Winterbauer, co-host of the podcast, added that the feud seemed to become more realistic on set, stating, “Joan Crawford seems like a humorless person, and Bette Davis is clearly someone who thinks life is a cosmic joke, and that is a deadly combination!”

The marketing campaign for the film emphasized the conflict between the two actresses, with advertisements asking, “Are they really going to kill each other?

Go see the movie to find out!”

While it is unclear whether this was a deliberate strategy, the film became a commercial success and received critical acclaim.

Davis even earned a Best Actress Academy Award nomination.

However, the podcast hosts suspect that the feud may have transitioned from publicity to reality at this point.

Davis' unique vision for her makeup in the film led her to do it herself, as no makeup artist would agree to her requests.