January 16: Joan's daughter, Christina, guest stars on an episode of the television show "The Sixth Sense," in the episode "I Do Not Belong To The Human World." This is to be Christina's final acting performance.
January 21: Joan does not attend the American Cancer Society's "kick off" banquet for the 1972 cancer crusade campaign. Joan was to be the banquet's guest of honor, however, the organization released a statement shortly before the event that she would not be appearing due to illness. The banquet is held at the Hotel Jung in New Orleans, Louisiana.
February: Joan films the 28-minute film "He Wanted To Live." This film documents the story of baby James and his recovery from the usually fatal infant and children's cancer, neuroblastoma. Shows the extra loving care James received from the staff of Charity Hospital in New Orleans and a foster family, the Koles, who took him in despite the bleak outlook for his survival. Discusses James' neuroblastoma and its diagnosis and treatment with aggressive chemotherapy, constant testing, and weekly checkups for 21 months. Also mentions other forms of cancer in children, including leukemia, and makes a fervent pitch for continued public contributions to American Cancer Society research.
February 24: The film "Trog" is shown for the first time on television in American as the CBS late movie.
February 28 - March 3: Joan stays up late each night to watch the James Cagney Film Festival on television.
March 5: Joan cancels a previously-schedule appearance at the fifth annual "Cured Cancer" assembly in Indianapolis, Indiana. The assembly is sponsored by the American Cancer Society. Joan canceled her appearance due to illness, with actor Lloyd Nolan representing her at the event.
March 16 (#1): Joan's secretary, Betty Barker, discovers that an intruder broke into Joan's rented Fountain Avenue apartment through the apartment's sliding glass door, and stole two television sets with a combined value of $475.00. The breaking and entering had occurred between March 14th - 16th while the apartment was vacant.
March 16 (#2): Joan's daughter, Cathy LaLonde, gives birth to her second child, her son, Casey.
March 23: It's announced Virginia Graham will replace Joan as a guest on America Cancer Society's annual "Cancer Crusade" telethon, scheduled to air on April 1st. Joan cancels her appearance on the telethon due to illness.
April: Joan meets Columbia Pictures story editor Carl Johnes when he is asked to help Joan organize her personal library in her Manhattan apartment. Joan and Johnes would form a friendship which would last until Joan's death. Johnes chronicled his friendship with Joan 1979 book "Crawford: The Last Years."
April 6: Joan vacates her rented apartment on Fountain Avenue, and places her furniture from the apartment in storage. She gives much of the miscellaneous content of the apartment to her secretary, Betty Barker, which includes; a vacuum cleaner, a card table and all of the canned goods and liquors.
The termination of her apartment lease follows a breaking and entering and theft that occurred at the apartment in mid-March.
April 16: Joan hosts the Variety Clubs convention in Manhattan, New York. The convention is sponsored by Pepsi-Cola. American International Pictures producer James H. Nicholson serves as the convention's chairman. Actor Danny Kay honored at the convention.
April 25: Joan hosts a Variety Clubs dinner in Manhattan, New York. Among the guests are; Dr. Christian Barnard, Sherrill Corwin and wife, Dorothy, General Chaim Herzog of Israel and James Carreras.
May 12 (#1): Joan arrives in Sacramento, California to attend the dedication ceremony of a new Pepsi-Cola bottling plant. During Joan's visit, she stays at the Woodlake Inn. Joan attends a press conference at the hotel upon her arrival in the hotel's grand ballroom.
In the evening, Joan attends a banquet in honor of the plant's dedication.
May 12 (#2): The Rolling Stones release their album "Exile On Main Street." Featured inside the album's jacket is a montage of Joan.
May 13: Joan attends the dedication ceremony of a new Pepsi-Cola bottling plant in Sacramento, California. Following the dedication, Joan travels to Los Angeles for a several-day visit.
June 6: Joan, accompanied by advertising executive and friend Peter Rogers, attends the Alixandre Furs Fall fashion preview in Manhattan, New York.
Mid-June: Joan signs her contract to guest star on the television show "The Sixth Sense," in episode "Dear Joan, We're Going To Scare You To Death". For her appearance in the episode, Joan is paid $2,500.
June 14-19: Joan is out of Manhattan, New York.
June 17-18: The curtains, draperies and floor around one of the terrace doors in Joan's Imperial House apartment are damaged due to rain water that seeped in around the door from a heavy storm. Joan is out of town during this time, and the apartment was vacant.
June 23: Joan travels to Los Angeles, California to film her scenes for the television show "The Sixth Sense," episode "Dear Joan, We're Going To Scare You To Death!"
June 29 - July 11: Joan films her scenes for the television show "The Sixth Sense." During filming, Joan stays in her bungalow dressing room on the Universal Studios lot. Her bungalow is located between those of Rock Hudson and Dean Martin.
Mid-July: Joan travels from Los Angeles, California to Manhattan, New York after completion of her scenes for the television show "The Sixth Sense."
July 19: Joan's insurance company inspects the damage at her Imperial House apartment following a claim she filed in relation to water damage to her window draperies and flooring following a storm in mid-June.
August: Joan travels to Boston, Massachusetts. While in Boston, Joan stays at the Ritz Carlton hotel.
August 29: Joan tapes her scenes as the hostess of the television film "Journey To The Unknown" at the WOR-TV Recording Studios in Manhattan, New York.
September 13: Joan attends the "Tracy and Hepburn Film Retrospective," which is held in Lincoln Center Library in Manhattan, New York. The retrospective is shown in celebration of Garson Kanin's book "Tracy and Hepburn: An Intimate Memoir." The retrospective is shown from September 13-23, with proceeds going to the Lincoln Center Library, and the Museum of Performing Arts in Manhattan, New York. Joan serves on the committee of the retrospective, along with Frederick Brisson, Bosley Crowther and Lillian Gish.
September 29: Joan has dinner with Jacqueline Susann and her husband, Irving Mansfield in Manhattan, New York.
September 30: Joan appears on the ABC television show "The Sixth Sense," in the episode "Dear Joan, We're Going To Scare You To Death!" This is to be Joan's final acting performance.
November: The paperback edition of Joan's autobiography "My Way of Life" is released in America by Pocket Books.
November 1: Joan is featured in an ad in Vogue magazine for Blackglama. The ad is titled "The Legendary Mink,," and displays Joan's prior 1969 Blackglama ad photo. Also shown in the ad is Barbara Stanwyck, Claudette Colbert, Rosalind Russell, Rita Hayworth and Leontyne Price.
November 15: Joan, accompanied by Peter Rogers, attends a black tie party in honor of a new book published about Tallulah Bankhead at the Abercrombie & Fitch literary salon in on 45th Street in Manhattan, New York. The party's 425 guests include; Mabel Mercer, Hope Hampton, Mary Hemingway, Ethel Merman, Patsy Kelly, Joan Fontaine and Hermione Gingold. The event was hosted by Donald Smith.
November 19: Joan attends "A Special Night of Entertainment" benefit fundraiser, which is held at the Hotel Pierre in Manhattan, New York, and sponsored by the theatrical organization "The Troupers." The benefit is to raise funds for emotionally handicapped children. Sammy Davis Jr. is the guest of honor, however, Davis is unable to attend.
November 29: Joan attends "A Tribute to Joan Crawford" retrospective, held at Wesleyan College in Middletown, Connecticut. The event is attended by 1,300 people, with a reported 3,000 people turned away due to space accommodations. The retrospective consists of clips from Joan's films and of her recent appearance on the television show "The Sixth Sense." The tribute is organized by Wesleyan film historian and professor Jeanine Basinger.
December 11: Joan attends the W.A.I.F. Ball at the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan, New York. The ball is hosted by its founder, Jane Russell. Among the other guests are Mrs. Leo Jaffe and actor Don Stewart.
December 25: According to a letter Joan wrote on January 23, 1973, she spends Christmas alone with her pet Shih Tzu, Princess Lotus Blossom. Joan's maid Mamacita travels to Texas to be with her family for the holiday.