by Peter Joseph Swanson
Member since:
April 13, 2007

Joan Crawford's Hair - her first perm

May 08, 2009 05:24 PM EDT
views: 155 | comments: 34

In 1939, when Joan Crawford made The Women, there was the problem of getting all those women's hair done all at once.  Norma Shearer was the top studio star with power, being married to the head of production at MGM, so she got the time consuming shellac do.  Joan got the quicky perm.   Joan also got Norma's leftovers, when it came to parts at MGM.  Joan and Norma didn't get along.

 

The Women was the first time Joan played a bitch.  Some worried that it would ruin her career.  It didn't.  Joan has the best part in the whole show (Norma is so very very sugary).

 

 

 

http://media-files.gather.com/images/d791/d694/d745/d224/d96/f3/full.jpg

 

http://media-files.gather.com/images/d793/d694/d745/d224/d96/f3/full.jpg

 

 

 

 
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Comments: 34

Peter Joseph Swanson May 8, 2009, 5:24pm EDT
Do I not do great articles about Joan Crawford's hair, or what.
Marge H. May 8, 2009, 5:28pm EDT
She looks beautiful even with the quicky perm.
Peter Joseph Swanson May 8, 2009, 5:31pm EDT
and "modern".
J F. May 8, 2009, 5:31pm EDT
You sure do know Joan.
ann c. May 8, 2009, 5:33pm EDT
OUCH, that looks painful!!!
O No, Joan got sloppy seconds =O
Thanks for posting to Gutter Girls~
Peter Joseph Swanson May 8, 2009, 5:34pm EDT
Those old perm machines were only for the brave.
ann c. May 8, 2009, 5:36pm EDT
I'd be afraid I'd have NO hair left!!!
Peter Joseph Swanson May 8, 2009, 5:38pm EDT
I wonder how many test women went bald before they got the chemicals right.
Amy H. May 8, 2009, 5:39pm EDT
Lovely!
Tanya P. May 8, 2009, 5:43pm EDT
I've never seen one of those old perm machines. Eeek.
Kelly Kay May 8, 2009, 5:47pm EDT
The machine looks alive!!!

But Ms. Joan did rock that hair!
My first perm looked like Bette Midler's hair in The Rose. That's about the time I started swigging wine from the bottle too.
Peter, never was there ever a better Joan Crawford's hair article writer than thou!
dee b. May 8, 2009, 6:23pm EDT
Egads! What a contraption! I am amazed her hair came out so wonderful after being put through all that. I wonder how long it took to get a doo using that archaic device?
Vivian P. May 8, 2009, 6:23pm EDT
it's pictures like that , that make me so glad i have naturally curly hair . I got mine from dad.
Truly. When it comes to Joan's hair, you are my one and only!
Nellie (The Bad Santa of Gather) May 8, 2009, 6:26pm EDT
I loved that movie,
Rhetta A. May 8, 2009, 6:27pm EDT
I really love that perm.
Sunaura *. May 8, 2009, 6:31pm EDT
It looks like an electrocution device
Marianne R. May 8, 2009, 6:33pm EDT
Oh my. It's like medusa in curlers.
Denise E. May 8, 2009, 7:10pm EDT
Oh my goodness, Peter! Are those electrical cords? That would scare me out of getting a perm! She still looks beautiful, though!
Kimberly Ripley May 8, 2009, 8:07pm EDT
I want to find a hairdresser to do this for me. Wouldn't that look special?
phil w. May 8, 2009, 8:17pm EDT
Like the Frankenstein lady monster!
Esther IS Flesh and Blood S. May 8, 2009, 8:19pm EDT
What an atrocious contraption for perms! I would have been terrified! Joan looked gorgeous in that last photo!
Elizabeth O. May 8, 2009, 8:47pm EDT
Holy crap!!! She looks like something out of "Metropolis"!

Who was Norma Shearer married to? It was someone famous and I can't remember who.
donna h. May 8, 2009, 10:04pm EDT
lol
Kat W. May 8, 2009, 10:43pm EDT
Wow, scary how they did perms then.
Cindy B. May 8, 2009, 11:53pm EDT
Oh Man! That make's my hair curl all on it's own... =D
William Dotani May 9, 2009, 3:25am EDT
Nice history lesson. I do wonder if you have your hair permed this way under your hat???
Svetlana Goryacheva May 9, 2009, 6:58am EDT
I did the perm from my adolescent years, since my hair simply refuse to obey in any other way, so I can fully relate... LOL! :-)

Blessings and best wishes - S.
Amanda "middle of nowhere" C. May 9, 2009, 12:50pm EDT
My first perm was a nightmare.
Tracy Fabre May 13, 2009, 7:26pm EDT
Norma as Medusa?

Love Joan's RING!

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