This Crazy Thing Called Love: The Golden World and Fatal Marriage of Ann and Billy Woodward

by Susan Braudy

Book Overview

A huge, rich, riveting book--the story of money, glamour, society, scandal, and bitter family strife that exploded into what Life magazine called the shooting of the century. 100 photographs.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0394532473
• ISBN13: 9780394532479
• Release Date: August 1992
• Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
• Length: 484 Pages
• Weight: 1.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.6" x 6.9" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

Fascinating AND Truthful: The Woodward Case

Author Susan Braudy admits that she began writing this book to prove that Dominick Dunne's book The Two Mrs. Grenvilles and Truman Capote's unfinished novel Answered Prayers: The Unfinished Novel contained the REAL story about the tragic 1955 Woodward murder. While doing a thorough job of research, Susan found herself swayed. Ann Crowell was a beautiful young girl from Kansas who wanted to be famous; she downplayed and changed her humble beginnings and enjoyed modest success as a New York City radio actress. She met wealthy Billy Woodward, Jr. and a tempestous love affair began for the two of them. Woodward's snobby family thought Crowell beneath them, and never accepted her into the fold. Ann fought for acceptance until the day she died, attempting to better herself and mimic the gestures, vocal inflections, and sense of style that were part of the upper crust. Billy Woodward preferred her as she was, and her social climbing caused many a problem for the marriage. Ann constantly sought Billy's approval in everything that she did; Woodward's affairs and bisexual leanings did nothing to help allay her insecurities. Tragedy came in the form of Ann accidentally shooting her husband, thinking he was the prowler that had been terrorizing the neighborhood. Although found innocent in a court of law, Ann was privately found guilty by society, and lived the rest of her days floating from one city to the other, looking for love and acceptance. It is truly a sad tale, and much more fascinating that Capote's acidic bitter grapes story that was founded on hateful gossip. Braudy has used Ann's journals as well as firsthand witnesses to recreate her in the flesh; Ann becomes a living breathing human being again through Braudy's account. What a heartwrenching tale, especially for Ann & Billy's children . I HIGHLY recommend this book! Plenty of great photos as well.

Finally, the Whole Story

This story had all the trappings of a Ross Hunter production of a Lana Turner tearjerker. I can see John Gavin in the Billy Woodward part. It was fifty years ago that Ann Woodward made a double-barreled blast into the headlines when she mistook her husband for a prowler and shot him. Twice. (The first time, she missed.) And thus was born not only the misery of Ann Woodward and her children but the delight of Truman Capote and his book "Answered Prayers." Tru intended to make the Woodward murder the highlight of his first excerpt in Esquire magazine, labeling her a "malicious Betty Grable." When word filtered back to her, Ann Woodward swallowed a cyanide pill leaving her two sons orphans. What makes this tale of passion and death so moving and sad is the children. Both of them followed their parents to an early grave. Both by jumping from windows. They say the murder house is haunted to this day. Dominick Dunne would go on to soften Ann's image with the two Mrs. Grenville's, giving justification for her bewitching success in captivating society's finest and most eligible bachelor. She couldn't be completely bereft of any redeeming features whasoever. Susan Braudy attempts to fully rehabilitate Ann's image here, and the mistruths told about her case. Her attempt is largely successful except for one major thing. Ann Woodward aimed at her naked husband (most prowlers arrive clothed) and fired. Twice. Although meticulous, Braudy doesn't address a theory put forth that the elder Mrs. Woodward paid the prowler to confess to being on the roof that night. If that theory is false, then Ms. Braudy has posthumously exonerated Ann Woodward and is to be applauded. This Crazy Thing Called Love is a beautifully written book, spare and yet lush at the same time. I could not put it down because everything is spot on perfect, not least of all the idle arrogance of the upper classes who flocked to parties featuring those boring marionettes, the Duke and Dutchess of Windsor, who were reduced to charging their hosts by the hour for personal appearances. Braudy knew William Woodward III and was actually introduced to Ann Woodward herself, and she writes about a meeting with her at her maisonette apartment which had me riveted to the page. It is interesting to note that the Woodward women, strivers in their own day, all turned out to be perfect little snobs themselves. But isn't that always the case. If you are as obsessed with the Woodward case as I am (I grew up nearby and remember the case), this is the definitive word on this particular crime. I read Truman's La Cote Basque piece in Esquire and of course Dominick Dunne's book The Two Mrs Grenvilles. I even drove out to the Woodward "Playhouse" where the murders took place and swung my car around on the same cobblestones Mary Queen of Scots walked over to her execution. Ann was so proud of them. Suddenly, there it was, the plain, art deco-ish exterior with the trellis and the port

AND WHAT A CRAZY THING IT WAS

Whenever I read about the rich and of the problems they may have, I feel less inclined to lament the fact that I am not wealthy. If ever there was a case to support the statement: Money does not buy happiness, this sad story should do it. If Ann Woodward had only studied the moral of Scott Fitzgerald's story "The Great Gatsby", the fairytale might have had a happy ending. Read this book, enjoy the excellent writing, but learn something of human nature that, deep down, you should already know.

A Dramatic Showdown

I must say that I enjoyed this book tremendously and could not wait to get back to it on evenings.For those of you who love to read about the golden world of the ultra rich traveling from pillar to post, having champagne and caviar at every corner of the globe, this book is for you. Ann Crowell was a dirt poor kid from Kansas, but when she married Billy Wood ward, the heir of a banking fortune her world changed instantly. Though not accepted by the rich society whom Bill wined and dined with, and just barely appreciated by her mother in law Ellen, it wasn't an easy life for Ann.She was more obsessed with Bill than he was with her but there was this certain magic surrounding her which kept him returning to her every time he went astray"Money makes the mare fly" and Ann Crawford had no urgent desire to divorce him or leave him. She knew where her bread was buttered and she wanted every slice. Ms, Braudy takes us through their torrid life together, as they travel to the various polo matches all spanning various continents.....until things start going wrong, Very wrong.I encourage those lovers of true crime situations, to get their hands on this book ....soonest possible.

The never-ending Woodward Saga

Susan Braudy's lucidly-written book does justice to the fearless, insular Woodward clan of mid-Century New York society. Poor Ann Woodward, who wanted nothing more than everything the Woodwards had, claws her way to the upper social strata using her good looks and sexual wiles to capture the heart of William Woodward, Jr., a handsome, rich and directionless young man. Their relationship desinergrates early, held together only by the birth of their two sons, but Ann Woodward fiercely clings to the power of her status and in the process, shoots the very man whose existence gives her validation in that tenuous world. Shunned from society after that, Ann travels the globe restlessly while the Woodward family falls apart, a glory of worlds past. After her suicide in 1975, her youngest son, Jimmy commits suicide by jumping out of a tall window. Ironically, in 1999, the oldest son, William Woodward III, does the same. This brief shining world of the Woodwards is factualy accounted for here and should not be missed by any lover of the rich and infamous.