January: Joan films the pilot of her aspiring television show "The World and I." The show is ultimately not picked up by a network, and is later sold as an episode ("The Road To Edinburgh") of General Electric Theater."
February - March: Joan travels to Texas and Mexico. While in Texas, Joan is escorted around Dallas by Henry Lindsley and Mr. and Mrs. Richard Gill.
Early March: Joan travels to New York. While in New York, Joan is the guest of honor at a party hosted by Earl Blackwell and Michael Sean O'Shea at the Harwyn Club in Manhattan. The party, which begins at 5:30 pm and last until 1:30 am, is called the most celebrity-packed social affairs of the season. 150 guests attend the partying, including singer John Conte, Danny Kaye, Joan's ex-husband Franchot Tone, Eva Gabor, Gertrude Nieson, Red Buttons, Eddie Fisher, Russell Nype, Gwen Verdon, Montgomery Cliff, Mary Pickford, Thelma Ritter, Farley Grainger, Carol Channing, Rosalind Russell, Joseph Cotten and Joan Blondell.
March 9: Joan dines with ex-husband Franchot Tone at the Persian Room in Manhattan, New York. The two are also seen dancing at the Plaza Hotel.
March 23: Chicagoan auto dealer Charles Baron gifts Joan a station wagon for her birthday. Baron also gives Joan a diamond necklace that is reportedly fake. During Baron's visit to Los Angeles, the two dine at Chasen's with Jennings Lang. Joan reportedly met Baron only recently.
April: It's announced that Joan is slated to begin filming "The Story of Esther Costello" in England starting June 1st with Sam Fuller directing. This is ultimately canceled, with the film not going into production until the summer of 1956 with David Miller directing.
April 2: Joan attends the premiere of "Prince Valiant" at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California. Joan is escorted to the premiere by Chicagoan auto dealer Charles Baron. Baron reportedly flew from Chicago to Los Angeles on the morning of April 2nd to take Joan to the premiere. Joan wears a light-colored gown and a white fur wrap to the premiere.
April 6: Joan attends the world premiere of "Knock On Wood" at the Warner Beverly Theatre in Beverly Hills, California. Joan wears a red gown with a short white fur coat.
Mid-April: Joan and her children vacation for one week at the Alisal Ranch in Solvang, California.
May 24: Joan is publicly blasted in an article series by Los Angeles journalist Roby Heard. The articles allege Joan of being temperamental on the sets of her films "Sudden Fear" and "Johnny Guitar," and a controlling person. The article series is designed as a 'hit piece."
May 27: Joan travels from Los Angeles to Texas on a 10 day tour to promote the release of "Johnny Guitar." The tour includes visits to Dallas, San Antonio, Houston and Fort Worth. Joan drives herself to Texas in an Oldsmobile 98 owned by Al Lever. Lever is the city manager for Interstate's Houston theaters.
June: Columnists report that Joan has been seen dating business man and actor Lee Trent.
June 25: Joan is seen at Los Angeles nightclubs with producer Hall Bartlett. Joan tells columnists it was a "business date."
June 29: Joan attends the premiere of "About Mrs. Leslie" in Los Angeles, California. Joan is escorted to the premiere by Lee Trent. The pair are accompanied by Joan's daughter, Christina, and Henry Hammond of San Mateo, California, who is a houseguest of the Crawford's. Following the premiere, the two pairs go to Ciro's and the Mocombo.
Early July: Joan has dinner with Bill Moss at the Plymouth House in Los Angeles, California.
Mid-July: Joan and her three daughters travel up the coast through northern California, Oregon and Washington state on a vacation. The family travels in the station wagon Joan was gifted as a birthday present from Chicagoan Charles Baron. In Seattle, Washington, the Crawford's meet with Mr. and Mrs. Richard Gill of San Antonio, Texas and their three sons. The Gills arrive in Seattle from having vacationed in Alaska. Joan credits the Gills family for showing her around Texas and Mexico on her vacation earlier in the year. The two families travel south towards southern California.
July 13-14: Joan and her three daughters, Christina, Cathy and Cindy, vacation near Portland, Oregon.
August 12: Joan attends the premiere of "Rear Window" at the Paramount Theatre in Hollywood, California. Joan is escorted to the premiere by George Nader.
September 8 (#1): Joan writes to a friend/fan and tells the woman that she adored the film "Rear Window." However, regarding "On The Waterfront," states: "I loathed "Waterfront." I guess I'm just allergic to Mr. Brando! I cannot stand this man in any picture or play I've ever seen."
September 8 (#2): Joan attends the premiere of "Brigadoon" at the Warner Beverly theatre in Beverly Hills, California.
September 22: Joan attends the west coast premiere of "Sabrina" at the Hollywood Paramount Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Joan is escorted to the premiere by Cesar Romero. Joan wears a dark gown with a short white fur jacket.
September 27: Joan attends the opening of the play "What Every Woman Knows" starring Helen Hayes at the Huntington Hartford Theater in Los Angeles, California. Joan is escorted to the play by George Nader.
September 29: Joan attends the premiere of "A Star Is Born" at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, California. Joan is escorted to the premiere by Cesar Romero. While arriving, Joan sees a diamond bracelet laying in the gutter outside of the theater. It's owner is Harry Warner's wife.
September 30: Joan has a two-hour meeting with producer Jerry Wald regarding preparations for "Queen Bee."
Early October: Joan hosts a cocktail party honoring Helen Hayes at the Beverly Hills Hotel's Polo Lounge in Los Angeles, California. Among the guests are Judy Garland, Rock Hudson, Jack Benny, Vincent Price, Alan Ladd, Norma Shearer, William Haines, Van Heflin, Gary Cooper, Eve Arden and Clifton Webb. Following the cocktail party, Joan and Hayes dine at the Plymouth House with George Nader and Cesar Romero.
Mid-October: Chicago auto dealer Charles Baron travels to Los Angeles, California and visits Joan.
October 26: Joan signs her contract with Columbia Pictures to appear in "Queen Bee."
October 27: Joan attends the premiere of "White Christmas" at the Warner Beverly Theatre in Beverly Hills, California.
October 29: Joan pays $1,500 to option the film rights for the book "The Queen Bee." Joan would later pay the full amount for the film rights on November 4th.
October 31: Joan appears on "General Electric Theater," in the episode "The Road To Edinburgh." This episode was originally filmed as the pilot to Joan's aspiring television show, "The World and I." When the pilot was not sold to a network, it was sold as an episode for "General Electric Theater."
November: Joan removes her children from the Chadwick School and enrolls them into other schools.
November: Joan begins filming "Female On The Beach." During much of the filming, Joan resides on the Universal lot.
November 3: Variety reports that Joan will star in Robert Aldrich's film "The Way We Are" (later retitled "Autumn Leaves").
November 4: Joan purchases the film rights to the book "The Queen Bee" through her company, "Joan Crawford Enterprises, for $15,000. On October 29, Joan had already paid $1,500 of the $15,000 purchase price to exercise her option on the rights.
November 10: Variety reports that Joan has purchased the film rights to the novel "The Queen Bee," that she has hired Ronald MacDougall to right the film's script and direct, and that she has sold the film to Columbia Pictures with Jerry Wald producing the film.
December 10: Joan signs her contract with Universal Pictures to appear in "Female On The Beach." Joan's compensation is to be $200,000, which is to be paid in 184 weekly installments, with the first eight installments being paid in the amount of $3,000, and the remaining 176 installments to be $1,000 each.
December 31: Alfred Steele calls Joan to wish her a happy New Year. At the time, Joan is residing in her dressing room on the Universal lot while filming "Female On The Beach."