#16: Joan Crawford

Known as: Actress

Net Worth: $2 million

Children: 4

A potent combination of beauty, remarkable acting, and a sultry allure fueled Joan Crawford’s ascent to stardom in 1930s Hollywood. However, behind the dazzling facade of her career, Crawford’s off-screen persona revealed a darker side, marked by a history of abusive behavior that was later chronicled in a memoir titled “Mommie Dearest,” penned by her adopted daughter, Christina, and published a year after Crawford’s passing in 1977.

In a surprising twist, Crawford’s last will and testament spoke volumes about the tumultuous relationships within her family. While she bequeathed $77,500 to each of her two younger children, Cindy and Cathy, she made the striking decision to entirely exclude Christina and her son Christopher. Crawford’s will contained a poignant statement: “It is my deliberate intention to omit any provision herein for my son Christopher or my daughter Christina, for reasons well understood by them.”