Bette Davis & Joan Crawford's Messiest Moments From Their Infamous Old Hollywood Feud

It will forever be known that Bette Davis and Joan Crawford were the worst of enemies. Alongside the actors' illustrious careers, their palpable hatred for each other has been immortalized in books, films, and television. In 2017, Ryan Murphy's "Feud" showcased their bitterness while filming "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" The anthology series, though fictional, is in many ways a perfect encapsulation of shared acting genius that thrived amid pure loathing. It's not often one sees a hatred that bleeds between fiction and reality, but when it came to drama, Davis and Crawford simply had to take part. Despite being Hollywood foes, after all, it cannot be denied that there were some similarities that perhaps simultaneously fueled their rage and mutual respect.

It all began with a premiere and a divorce. Crawford had already achieved fame just as Davis was entering the scene. Ready for recognition, Davis had reached a career milestone as a top-billed actor in the film "Ex-Lady" in 1933. Unfortunately, the thunderous sound of Crawford's divorce from Douglas Fairbanks Jr. rocked Hollywood the same day as the movie's premiere, shoving "Ex-Lady" to the back corners of everyone's minds. The warm, Hollywood welcome that Davis had imagined fizzled away as news of Crawford's divorce spread through town, and thus, a feisty battle between divas was born. In the years that followed, Davis and Crawford etched their legacy while engaging in some messy moments, and their feud is now considered one of Hollywood's nastiest. 

As Bette Davis acted alongside Franchot Tone in the 1935 film "Dangerous," she couldn't help but fall for the age-old Hollywood trope: catching feelings for a co-star. It's difficult to blame her, really. Tone was devilishly handsome and a downright gentleman. "Everything about him reflected his elegance, from his name to his manners," Davis said, speaking about Tone to journalist Michael Thornton (via the Daily Mail). Davis was in love, but any hope for a possible relationship was quickly shattered by none other than Joan Crawford.

Tone eventually became Crawford's second husband. The couple also met while on set as co-stars. They appeared in seven films together, including "Dancing Lady," "The Bride Wore Red," and "Sadie Mcknee." While Davis was yearning, Crawford was making moves. Davis recalled Crawford and Tone's relationship: "They met each day for lunch ... he would return to the set, his face covered in lipstick. He was honored this great star was in love with him. I was jealous, of course." Davis claimed that Crawford "took" Tone from her.

They say imitation is the highest form of flattery, but that doesn't seem to be what Bette Davis meant when she starred in a role eerily similar to her arch-nemesis. In 1952, Davis took on the titular role in "The Star." The film, written by two of Joan Crawford's ex-friends, was rumored to be penned with Crawford in mind as inspiration. The film follows an actor who's entirely washed up and looking to resurrect her career — sound familiar?

When Davis was approached for the film, she naturally jumped at the opportunity to play a version of Crawford portrayed in a not-so-flattering light. Her performance was so good, in fact, that it earned her an Academy Award nomination for best actress. At least Davis' Crawford hatred came with its benefits, which honestly probably annoyed Crawford even more. Many say that Crawford turned down the role, but the truth was that she was never asked in the first place.

Even Bette Davis' first Oscar win was slightly overshadowed by Joan Crawford's slick tongue. Davis won an Oscar for her role acting alongside her on-set crush, Franchot Tone, in "Dangerous." However, Davis didn't really believe that she was going to win. Since she didn't think she would be the center of attention, she decided to wear a simple dinner dress rather than something showstopping. Unfortunately, this would prove to be a grave mistake and lead to a bruised ego.

When Davis' name rang through the venue, her co-star Tone went to embrace her in a congratulatory hug. At the time, Crawford and Tone were newlyweds. It seems Crawford saw red the moment the two hugged, and as usual, she simply had to say something. Instead of letting Davis have her moment that so many actors long for, Crawford said: "Dear Bette! What a lovely frock!" (via the New York Post). There's nothing worse than being clocked, especially on such a big night.

"Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" is an iconic movie for many reasons, but one of the biggest has to be the fact that it's Joan Crawford's and Bette Davis' only feature film together. It follows the story of two sisters stuck in a bitter battle. Davis, who played the title role of Baby Jane, an aging child star, keeps her paraplegic sister, a talented, much-loved fictional actor played by Crawford, confined at home. In a way, both roles were perfect for each of the stars. Davis' performance even got her another Oscar nomination.

However, Davis and Crawford's issues didn't exactly make the behind-the-scenes of this iconic film easy for the rest of the crew. They were truly the epitome of co-stars who couldn't stand each other. Davis only signed on with the guarantee that she would be playing the lead role and that the director wasn't in any way romantically involved with Crawford. "I didn't want him favoring her with more close-ups," she explained, according the book "Not The Girl Next Door." Along with this, Crawford reportedly wore an extremely heavy belt under her dress for scenes where Davis needed to pick her up. Davis didn't let that slide without retaliation. Apparently, Davis kicked Crawford so hard during one of their fighting scenes that Crawford required stitches, but Davis insisted, "I hardly touched her" (via KQED).

There was once a possibility of Joan Crawford and Bette Davis acting together again, until Crawford refused to continue shooting and abruptly left the film. Following the success of "Baby Jane," producers were itching to put the two divas in another film together despite their animosity. The project this was supposed to happen in, "Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte," centered around two women at psychological odds with each other (the irony).

Crawford didn't even last a week before quitting the film, which naturally caused an on-set frenzy. She claimed to have an illness, but according to the book "Whatever Happened to Robert Aldrich?" this was a lie. Crawford feared being upstaged by Davis, since she hadn't earned an Oscar nomination for "Baby Jane." Crawford was given the lead role in "Hush... Hush," but her fear lingered. Plus, being kicked probably didn't help Crawford to feel entirely comfortable. She was replaced by Olivia de Havilland.