Michelle Vogel & Neil Maciejewski are the co-authors of "Joan Crawford: An Illustrated Filmography", which will be available soon through many online retailers. Michelle Vogel has written a number of books on classic cinema and the talented actors and actresses who made them legendary. Her works include "Joan Crawford: Her Life in Letters", "Gene Tierney: A Biography", "Children of Hollywood: Accounts of Growing Up as the Sons and Daughters of Stars", "Marjorie Main: The Life And Films of Hollywood's "Ma Kettle"" and an upcoming book on Olive Thomas, a silent film star. Neil Maciejewski is an avid Joan Crawford historian, originally from Boston, Massachusetts. His first exposure to Ms. Crawford came from watching the film "Mommie Dearest". His interest and curiosity about the real Joan Crawford grew, and he saw her on-screen glory for the first time in "Mildred Pierce". His research into her life expanded, quickly culminating in his assessment that her talent and passion was something few possessed. Together, Michelle and Neil co-authored this comprehensive book, complete with a treasure trove of never-before-seen photographs and a foreward written by Joan Crawford's grandson, Casey LaLonde. It takes an in-depth look at the beginnings of Joan's career, her personal life and the road that lead her to becoming one of Hollywood's most incredible talents. We also get her complete filmography! They were gracious enough to take a few minutes from their busy schedules to speak with me about the book, their experiences writing it, and why Joan Crawford remains a Hollywood legend in a class of her own to this day.

MP: Michelle and Neil, before we begin, I’d like to thank you for taking the time to speak with me!

Michelle: I’m so glad you asked me, Gary.

Neil: My pleasure.

MP: There are a few cinematic icons that the public will never forget. What prompted you to write this book on Joan Crawford specifically?

Michelle: I’ve always been a fan of Joan Crawford. The key to writing anything is to like the subject. If the author doesn’t have a passion for the topic they’re writing about, it shows. There’s been so much written about Joan Crawford already but Neil and I sat down and decided that so much of what’s already been written has misguided the public. Our goal with this book is to honor Joan Crawford’s fifty year career, in this, the 30th anniversary of her death.

Neil: Joan is one of those cinematic icons that the public will never forget. That could be due to some negative portrayals of her. Personally, I wanted people to see Joan for who she really was and her amazing talent and beauty. I am a huge fan of Joan Crawford and I wanted to write a definitive book about her that can introduce Joan Crawford to new fans and also be a book that the existing fans would adore.

MP: With the number of books that focus on Classic Hollywood’s elite, what factors set this book apart in a unique way?

Michelle: Aside from the comprehensive text, I would have to say the photographs. Neil has one of the best Joan Crawford photo collections that I’ve ever seen and with all the photos that the public has seen over the years, he managed to pull out many that have never been seen before. The photos alone are a real treat for the fans. Also, the behind the scenes film facts and trivia about each film makes for great conversation.

Neil: It’s a complete retrospective of her life and full career with an arsenal of some pretty impressive images.

MP: Was it difficult to organize all the major points in a way that is easy for the everyday reader to understand? How long did it take to write the book?

Michelle: About two years to write, I would say. Being fans of Joan Crawford a great deal of what we had to write about was already in our heads and in our personal collections of JC research material. It was just a matter of gathering it all together and putting it in book form. Fun…but a lot of work!!!

Neil: Michelle approached me in 2005 and she was already in the works. I started my website in 2004. So we combined our research, if you account that into the book process, I would say it took us a good two years.

MP: Michelle, you’ve written similar books in the past, including "Joan Crawford: Her Life in Letters", and you have another classic-related book coming out later this year. Neil, you’re a Joan Crawford historian. Did this joint endeavor make it that much easier to turn out a great book; or, were there times when you “clashed” over facts/opinions?

Michelle: Awww, I just read Neil’s compliment. He’s a real sweetheart and as you can see by his photo, he’s not too bad to look at either ? We did get along very well, which is rare when two people are so passionate about the one subject. Usually, one person will have a specific view of how things should look and be and they won’t compromise. Luckily, we both had similar thoughts and ideas. In the long run Neil and I just wanted to put out a great product for the fans and that’s what kept us grounded and focused, even when we were burning the midnight oil and chugging coffee to get us through the next day – LOL!

Neil: Michelle approached me about combining our efforts and talents to write a definitive book on Joan Crawford. I strongly feel the joint effort produced a great book. Michelle and I have both done extensive research on Joan Crawford. We used the combined knowledge, photographs and hard work to really produce an incredible book. We worked very well as a team and agreed on pretty much all the decisions. We had great chemistry putting together this book. Michelle is a wonderful person.

MP: How did Joan’s grandson, Casey LaLonde, get involved?

Michelle: A friend of mine knew Casey and asked me if I’d like to contact him when I was writing, “Joan Crawford: Her Life In Letters.” Of course I said “Yes” and we became great friends. Casey wrote the foreword for my ‘letters’ book and he also wrote the foreword on our new JC book too. Casey also contributed his own personal commentary on many of his grandmother’s films in our new book. His grandmother would be so very proud of him.

Neil: My involvement with Casey has been through my website. I contacted Casey about a year ago to become a part of my Legendary Joan Crawford Website. Fans can write letters to Casey and they are then posted on my website with his response. It’s been a huge hit with the fans and we currently have 150+ letters from fans to Casey posted on the Legendary Joan Crawford Website.

MP: Most people identify Joan with her work in film. However, your book delves even further to showcase her radio and television work. Do you think that those mediums usually get overshadowed by her movie efforts?

Michelle: Yes, absolutely! But I think that happens with many of the classic Hollywood stars. They were so versatile and did everything its very easy for the other mediums to be overlooked. Many of the actors/actresses even reprised the same role in the radio versions of their films. They worked night and day. I don’t know how they did it!

Neil: Yes, her films have overshadowed her work in radio and television. This book will be the Joan Crawford “bible” in many ways. This is a one-stop shop that encompasses her entire career.

MP: I’ve heard that Joan’s birth name, Lucille Fay LeSueur, was not a practical name for an actress, and that a magazine contest was actually held to pick a new name for her. I’ve also heard that she hated the name “Joan Crawford”. Is this true?

Michelle/Neil: Very true! The original name that was selected from the contest was Joan Arden. Joan Arden was already taken by an unknown silent film star, so the second choice was Joan Crawford. Joan hated the name “Crawford” she thought it sounded too much like “Crawfish.” Her best-friend, Hollywood actor, William Haines, was quoted for saying "You're lucky- they could have called you Cranberry and served you up with a Turkey!" Haines called Joan Crawford, Cranberry, right up until his death in 1973.

MP: Joan was a spectacular actress. She continues to inspire the work of Hollywood’s current talent. Aside from her body of work, some speculation about her private life tends to cast a negative light. Do you think that there are a considerable number of people who wish to dispel these rumors/allegations; or, do you find that most are inclined to believe everything they hear?

Michelle: Sure, there are many people who like to believe the negative stories. Just look at the popularity of today’s tabloids and the aggressive behavior of the paparazzi. When Christina flung the mud, no doubt, it definitely stuck. But, 2007 is the 30th anniversary of Joan Crawford’s death and after three decades it’s time to move on and celebrate her life and career. Neil, Casey and I are doing our all to give Joan back the good reputation that she worked fifty years to create. Hopefully, this book is the start of many positive JC things to come. Stay tuned!

Neil: Personally, I think it’s time to move away from the family drama that was created on the big screen. I think it’s time people learn about the star in every facet of her career. She was not only one of the biggest actresses ever but she was one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, ever. Her body of work and her one of a kind beauty should be two of the things that come to mind when people hear the name, Joan Crawford.

MP: Has Joan’s perseverance, professionalism and/or talent inspired either of you personally?

Michelle: Oh, sure. Her life from start to finish is an inspiration, for anyone. She was a woman ahead of her time, in so many ways.

Neil: Joan’s entire life has inspired me. I am inspired by how driven she was. How she came from nothing and turned herself into one of the biggest movie stars in the world. All the odds were against her to succeed but she never gave up. Her sheer determination, drive and dedication to her goals are what inspire me to do the same.

MP: There will always be skeptics. Some people may generally dislike Joan as an actress or a person. Is your book for them, in an attempt to change their minds; or is it for her loyal fans?

Michelle: Well, I think you’d have to have a remote fascination about anyone to want to buy a book about them. But, if you know nothing about Joan Crawford or you know, or ‘think’ you know everything about Joan Crawford, you’re going to learn something from this book. This book will be the definitive reference guide to her life and career. We’re so excited about it!

Neil: It would be nice if people would view the book with an open mind. When putting this book together, I wanted it to be presentable to someone that may have never heard, or knows very little about Joan Crawford. Since I am one of those loyal fans, I wanted to put everything in here that any Joan Crawford fan would adore.

MP: I understand that there are a number of stunning photos in the book. Hollywood photographer George Hurrell once said that Joan photographed perfectly from every angle. With this endless supply of good shots, was it hard to choose the photos? What factors determined your final choices?

Michelle: YES! We were restricted to 100 to 120 photos so making the choice to put “this one in and leave this one out” was a real nightmare! We wanted to cover every film as well as scatter some rare candid and portrait shots in there as well. We wanted to show Joan as the actress, the movie star and the woman...the complete woman. At the end of the day when we had our final choices laid out on the table it was clear that we made the right decisions. The photos alone are worth adding this book to your collection. They’re gorgeous!

Neil: For me, this was the most stressful part of the entire project. When assembling a book, the photographs have to be scanned from the original photo. I have a large collection of photos, but I did have to hunt out photos from other fans and collectors to use for the book. The majority of the 120 photographs are of Joan on the set of her movies doing a variety of things from knitting, blowing out candles on her birthday cake to reading a fan letter. I wanted the pictures to portray her as human and not just in a picture perfect Hurrell shot.

MP: If Joan herself were to read your book, what do you think she would say about it?

Michelle: I think she’d be pleased; at least I hope she would be. How I wish she were alive to see it so she could let us know!

Neil: Joan would be very pleased. I can hear the words, “Masterpiece” coming from her.

MP: Has a specific date been determined? When the book is available, can those interested purchase it in stores as well as online?

Michelle/Neil: The book will be available mostly on-line (amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com) and in many independent book stores around the world, but we don't know the publisher as of yet.

MP: Michelle and Neil, you both have personal websites. Where can the readers visit your individual pages?

Michelle: My website is an easy one to remember. It’s my name. Please, take a look at - www.michellevogel.com

Neil: My website is called Legendary Joan Crawford and the web address is http://joancrawfordma.tripod.com

MP: Do you have any final words for the readers?

Michelle: I hope you choose to buy the book and then you’ll really see Joan Crawford for what she was – a legendary icon of the silver screen.

Neil: Enjoy the book! I’ll end it with a quote from Joan: “Love is a fire. But whether it is going to warm your hearth or burn down your house, you can never tell.”

*** I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to Michelle Vogel & Neil Maciejewski for taking time out of their schedules to speak with me. I'd also like to urge our readers to pick up a copy of "Joan Crawford: An Illustrated Filmography" when it becomes available through one of the online retailers. This proves to be one of the best books on Joan Crawford ever written! ***