What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962 film) films "Parachute Jumper" and "Ex-Lady" (both 1933) and the Joan Crawford film "Sadie McKee" (1934) was used to represent the film acting of Jane and Blanche respectively. The character of Liza, Mrs. Bates' daughter, was played by Davis' real-life daughter B. D. Merrill. After Joan Crawford's daughter Christina wrote the best-selling tell-all book "Mommie Dearest", Merrill published a memoir that depicted her mother in an unfavorable light. Crawford was scheduled to appear alongside Davis on a publicity tour of "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" but cancelled at the last minute. Davis claimed that Crawford backed out because she did
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962 film) throwing a note pleading for help out her bedroom window. Jane returns in time to notice the note and prevent Mrs. Bates from seeing it. When the Hudsons' maid Elvira Stitt (Maidie Norman) comes to the house, Jane gives her a paid day off to keep her from seeing Blanche. Eccentric, overweight and cash-strapped Edwin Flagg (Victor Buono) sees Jane's newspaper advertisement and arrives at the mansion for an audition; Jane hires him as her accompanist. After cringing at her off-key warbling, Edwin insincerely flatters Jane and encourages her to revive her act. While Jane drives Edwin home, Blanche searches