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 Aunt Alice? "chilling". "The Guardian" said it was one of the author's best should be "read it one sitting". Film rights were bought by Robert Aldrich who had produced two successful horror films , "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" (1962) and "Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte" (1964). Both films dealt with aged women who become scheming or demented, resorting to violence and murder. In September 1967 Aldrich announced he would make the film under the title "Whatever Happened to Aunt Alice?" It would be made by his production company, The Associates and Aldrich. In October Aldrich announced the film would be part