Sunday Morning Special: Joan Crawford on "The Lucy Show," 1968

Joan Crawford was one of the top stars in the U.S. while Lucille Ball was struggling to maintain her status as “Queen of the B-pictures.” But, by the late 1960’s, Lucy was the bigger star, and Joan needed money—desperately.

So, you’d think that given all of that, and given their shared past, that Lucy and Joan could have gotten along for a week, if only just to shoot Joan’s appearance on “The Lucy Show.”

But, by all accounts, this was not possible.

“The Lucy Show” was essentially a color “I Love Lucy” without Ricky and Fred. I know, I know, Lucy purists will say that the shows were very different, but they really weren’t. Aside from different back-stories and circumstances, the program centered around Lucy doing foolish things and getting Vivian (Vivian Vance who played Lucy’s best friend and neighbor “Ethel Mertz” on “I Love Lucy”) into trouble by her involvement.

So, we’re not looking at Ibsen or Tennessee Williams here. Lucy often had big-name guest stars on her shows, and, she asked Joan to guest in an episode in which the story dictated that Lucy and Vivian inadvertently stumble upon Crawford's new country home—a fixer-upper which the star has vowed to finish on her own. Seeing the dilapidated mansion and the star in her work clothes, they naturally come to the conclusion that the legendary actress had fallen on bad times (she kind of had in real life). Naturally, they arrange for a benefit to raise money for the celeb and, of course, ask her to star in it, too. 

Now, it’s no secret that our Joanie liked a nip or two or three during the day. She used her ever-resent silver flask of vodka to full her Pepsi up with a little extra “kick.” Lucy, no stranger to the sauce herself, was, however, very anti-drinking on set. When she saw Crawford and her flask, Lucy was livid. Then, when Crawford was late to the set, Lucy was as red as her hair.

Reportedly, Lucy called Joan and the two had a vicious phone fight wherein Lucy told the Oscar winner to get her act together or she’d be fired and replaced with Gloria Swanson for whom the script had originally been written in the first place.

Lucy, whether justly or not, decided Crawford was drunk during the filming of the episode. You can see what you think. Is Joan’s speech a little slurred? Nevertheless, Lucy was not pleased and had Joan repeat a dance number over and over and over again in front of a live audience—finally and humiliatingly cutting the number at the last minute. This was a great blow to Crawford who had begun her career as a dancer. She felt the insult very deeply, and, when the final shot had been completed, Joan declared, "My God, they tell me I'm a bitch - Lucy can out-bitch me any day of the week!"

And, so, for your Sunday Morning Special this week—here’s the whole bloody mess. Enjoy!