Billy & Joan: The Deleted Scenes from FEUD

by tinaturnerfan424

The friendship of Billy Haines (the first openly gay actor) and his friend, Cranberry (Joan Crawford). Story takes place during the course of the season, from 1962 to Billy's death in 1973, his husband's suicide, and Joan's own death in 1977.

1. Introduction and Casting Call

Starring Jessica Lange as Joan Crawford

Jackie Hoffman as Mamacita

Matt Bomer as William Haines

and John Barrowman as Jimmie Shields

This booklet in includes scenes that I think that should have been including in FEUD: Bette Joan, that showcase the endearing friendship of Joan Crawford and her longtime friend, one-time actor now interior designer William (Billy) Haines. Their friendship lasted over 40 years, since Joan began making pictures as Lucille LeSueur, and Billy took her under his wing and taught her the ropes. When Lucille got the name she would forever be known as, Joan Crawford, she thought it sounded like crawfish; Billy lovingly reassured her, "Better have crawfish than cranberries, it's served with turkeys, and I hope you never make one.", cemented his permanent pet name for her, Cranberry. He was the first openly gay actor, marrying the love of his life, Jimmie Shields, an extra at MGM. She was one of the first celebrities help Billy and Jimmie when Billy was fired from MGM for not giving up Jimmie and conforming to a lavender marriage, by asking them to decorate her Brentwood home. So impressed, she called all her friends and colleagues and The William Haines Designs company was born. Joan called Billy and Jimmie's relationship, "The happiest married couple in Hollywod", and was their side when Billy and Jimmie were attacked by a group of homophobes who claimed that Billy was being inapporiate to one of the group member's sons. Joan was their for Jimmie when Billy died in 1973 and tried to cheer him up, but unfortunately, it was too much for Jimmie, who killed himself a few months after Billy died.

My story centers around the timeline that FEUD takes place, in 1962, when What Ever Happened to Baby Jane is made, 1964- 65 when Joan was included in the making of Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte, 1973, around Joan's reclusion from Hollywood, Billy's dying of lung cancer, and Jimmie's suicide a few months later. I will also add a separate dream sequence similar to the one with Joan, Hedda, Jack and Bette, but this time with Billy, now reunited with his husband, Jimmie.