The Feud Between Bette Davis and Joan Crawford: A Hollywood Tale of Enmity

The animosity between Bette Davis and Joan Crawford gave birth to one of the most renowned celebrity rivalries of all time.

The question remains, what fueled their deep-seated hatred for each other?

Let's delve into the intricate history behind this infamous feud.

Crawford had already established herself as a prominent star when Davis was just stepping into the world of cinema.

Known for her scandalous affairs and even marrying the legendary Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Crawford's rise to fame irked Davis.

Davis felt overshadowed by the media's fixation on Crawford's personal life, especially when a publicity stunt for Davis's film Ex-Lady was overshadowed by Crawford's announcement of her divorce from Fairbanks on the same day.

While Davis harbored jealousy over Crawford's involvement with Clark Gable, it was Franchot Tone who ignited the flame of discord between them.

Tone, who was romantically linked to Crawford, became the center of their dispute.

Despite Davis developing feelings for Tone, he ultimately chose to marry Crawford, intensifying the rift between the two actresses.

As time passed, Davis soared to stardom, surpassing Crawford's fame.

Both found themselves under the same studio, Warner Bros., with adjoining dressing rooms.

Despite Crawford's attempts to reconcile by sending gifts and flowers, Davis rebuffed her gestures, dismissing them as insincere advances.

The competition and cattiness between them escalated, becoming the stuff of legend as they criticized each other's appearance, personal lives, careers, and even their children.

In 1962, both actresses were in need of a career revival.

Crawford approached Davis with the idea of starring in “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?”

After reviewing the script, Davis agreed and met with the proposed director.

However, her only concerns were her role in the film and whether the director was involved with Crawford romantically.

With reassurances, the project commenced, setting the stage for the high point of their feud during filming.

Initially, the filming of “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?”

seemed harmonious, but soon tensions flared:

– Crawford's attempts to win favor from the crew were met with contempt from Davis.

– Both actresses lodged nightly complaints about each other to the director.

– Davis openly disparaged Crawford in her presence.

The animosity peaked during a scene where physical contact was unavoidable.

Davis accidentally injured Crawford, sparking retaliation from the latter.

Crawford, aware of Davis's back issues, made the scene physically demanding, causing distress to Davis.

This back-and-forth of retaliatory actions culminated in a dramatic turn of events during the Oscars ceremony post-film release.

Despite Davis being the nominee for her role in “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

“, Crawford orchestrated a scheme to steal the limelight, leaving Davis stunned at the unexpected outcome.

Following this incident, the two actresses briefly reconciled to work on another project, “Hush…Hush Sweet Charlotte,” which ended abruptly due to Davis's lingering resentment over past events.

Their subsequent avoidance of each other and lack of further collaborations cemented their tumultuous history.

However, the legacy of their infamous feud endures, immortalized in popular culture references like the 2013 sketch from the British TV show “Psychobitches.”