Robyn Crawford

Last updated
Robyn Crawford
Born (1960-12-17) December 17, 1960 (age 63)
SpouseLisa Hintelmann
Children2

Robyn Crawford (born December 17, 1960) is an American author, producer, and former assistant to and creative director for Whitney Houston. [1] [2] Her credits include The Bodyguard (1992), Waiting to Exhale (1995), The Preacher's Wife (1996), In Between (1987), and Cinderella (1997). [3]

Contents

Early life

Crawford was born in Newark, New Jersey, but grew up as one of three siblings in East Orange, New Jersey. Crawford's mother left her father due to his abuse. [4] Both her mother, Janet Crawford, and her brother, Marty, were diagnosed with HIV, and both died of AIDS related illness in the ’90s. [5]

Relationship with Whitney Houston

Crawford met Whitney Houston in 1980, when Crawford was 19 and Houston was 16, the pair having both been counselors at an East Orange summer camp. [6] [7]

Crawford claims in her book A Song for You: My Life with Whitney Houston, published in 2019, that she had a same-sex relationship with Houston that faded as they prioritized Houston's career. Crawford left school to aid Houston's career. [4] They lived together as a couple. [2] [8] Crawford was ostracised and sidelined by Houston's family and management as Houston's fame grew and her career progressed, and she married Bobby Brown. [8] [9]

Her book A Song for You: My Life with Whitney Houston became a New York Times Best Seller. [10]

Personal life

Crawford lives in New Jersey with her wife Lisa Hintelmann, with whom she adopted twins. Lena Waithe has cited Crawford as an early inspiration. [4]

Filmography

YearTitleRole
1987 In Between [3] Script supervisor
1992 The Bodyguard [3] Executive assistant to Whitney Houston
1995 Waiting to Exhale [3] Executive assistant to Whitney Houston
1997 Cinderella [3] Associate producer
2017 Kevyn Aucoin: Beauty & the Beast in Me [3] Herself
2017 Whitney: Can I Be Me [3] Herself

(Archival Footage)

2018 Whitney [3] Herself

(Archival Footage)

In print

Podcasts

DateShowEpisodeRole
Dec. 26, 2019 NPR's 1A "'She Had Me, I Had Her:' Robyn Crawford Opens Up" [12] Guest
Nov. 20, 2019LGBTQ&A [13] "Robyn Crawford: My Life With Whitney Houston"Guest
Nov. 12, 2019Yes, Girl!, an Essence podcast"Nobody Loved Whitney Like Robyn Crawford - The Interview You've Been Waiting For"Guest

Autobiography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whitney Houston</span> American singer and actress (1963–2012)

Whitney Elizabeth Houston was an American singer, actress, film producer, and philanthropist. Known as "the Voice", she is one of the most awarded entertainers and one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with sales of over 220 million records worldwide. Houston's crossover appeal on the popular music charts and her performances influenced the breaking down of gender and racial barriers, as well as popular culture. Known for her vocal delivery and distinctive timbre, Houston was ranked second by Rolling Stone on its list of the greatest singers of all time. Her life and career have been the subject of multiple documentaries and television specials.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bobby Brown</span> American singer (born 1969)

Robert Barisford Brown Sr. is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and dancer. Brown, alongside frequent collaborator Teddy Riley, is noted as one of the pioneers of new jack swing: a fusion of hip hop and R&B. Brown started his career in the R&B and pop group New Edition, from its inception in 1978 until his exit from the group in December 1985.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dionne Warwick</span> American singer (born 1940)

Marie Dionne Warwick is an American singer, actress, and television host.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cissy Houston</span> American singer (born 1933)

Emily Drinkard, known professionally as Cissy Houston, is an American soul and gospel singer. After a successful career singing backup for such artists as Roy Hamilton, Dionne Warwick, Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, and Chaka Khan, Houston embarked on a solo career, winning two Grammy Awards for her work.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dee Dee Warwick</span> American soul singer (1942–2008)

Delia Juanita Warrick, known professionally as Dee Dee Warwick, was an American soul singer. Born in Newark, New Jersey, she was the sister of singer Dionne Warwick, the niece of Cissy Houston, and a first cousin of singers Whitney Houston and Leontyne Price.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Frey</span> American writer

James Christopher Frey is an American writer and businessman. His first two books, A Million Little Pieces (2003) and My Friend Leonard (2005), were bestsellers marketed as memoirs. Large parts of the stories were later found to be exaggerated or fabricated, sparking a media controversy. His 2008 novel Bright Shiny Morning was also a bestseller.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'm Your Baby Tonight (song)</span> 1990 single by Whitney Houston

"I'm Your Baby Tonight" is a song by American singer Whitney Houston from her third studio album, I'm Your Baby Tonight (1990). Written and produced by L.A. Reid and Babyface, in Australia and most European countries it was released as the album's lead single by Arista Records on September 28, 1990; in the United States, the release date was October 2. Following the release of her second studio album Whitney (1987), Houston became the first woman ever to debut atop the Billboard 200; despite this, critics deemed it safe and formulaic. Additionally, she was booed at the 1989 Soul Train Music Awards and accused of being "not black enough"; Houston decided she needed to change her sound if she wanted to recapture black audiences.

Debra Martin Chase is an American film, television, and theater producer. Three-time Tony Award winning and three-time Emmy Award nominated producer, Chase is an entertainment industry icon and trailblazer as the first Black female producer to have a deal at any major studio. She is also the first Black woman to produce a film that grossed over $100 million. To date, her films have grossed over a half billion dollars at the box office. 

"Same Script, Different Cast" is a song performed as a duet by American and Canadian R&B singers Whitney Houston and Deborah Cox. The song was released as a single in the United States on May 2, 2000, by Arista Records. The song features Houston playing the former lover of Cox's current boyfriend. Houston warns Cox of his hurtful ways, though Cox refuses to acknowledge it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bobbi Kristina Brown</span> American television personality (1993–2015)

Bobbi Kristina Brown was an American reality television personality and singer. She was the only child of singers Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown. Her parents' fame kept Brown in the public eye, as did her appearances on the reality show Being Bobby Brown.

<i>I Look to You</i> 2009 studio album by Whitney Houston

I Look to You is the seventh and final studio album by American singer Whitney Houston. It was first released on August 28, 2009, through Sony Music in Europe, then August 31, 2009 with Arista Records in the United States before being released by RCA Records in the United Kingdom on October 19, 2009. The album was Houston's first non-holiday studio album since 2002's Just Whitney. It received favorable reviews from music critics, based on an aggregate score of 66/100 from Metacritic and debuted on the US Billboard 200 at number one with sales of 305,000 beating her previous career best first-week sale of 205,137 units with Just Whitney (2002), and it was her first album to reach number one in the US since 1992's The Bodyguard. Additionally it became her fourth chart-topping album, thus extending her as the female artist with the most cumulative weeks at the number one position.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Didn't Know My Own Strength (Whitney Houston song)</span> 2009 promotional single by Whitney Houston

"I Didn't Know My Own Strength" is a song performed by American singer Whitney Houston, taken from her seventh studio album I Look to You (2009).

<i>Sparkle</i> (2012 film) 2012 American film

Sparkle is a 2012 American musical film directed by Salim Akil and produced by Stage 6 Films. It was released on August 17, 2012, by TriStar Pictures. Inspired by The Supremes, Sparkle is a remake of the 1976 film of the same title, which centered on three singing teenage sisters who form a girl group in the late 1950s. The remake takes place in Detroit, Michigan in 1968 during the Motown era.

<i>Whitney</i> (2015 film) American TV series or program

Whitney is a 2015 American biographical film directed by Angela Bassett based on American singer Whitney Houston and her turbulent marriage to R&B artist Bobby Brown that premiered on Lifetime in North America on January 17, 2015. Whitney received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics, with DaCosta's performance as Houston and Bassett's direction being praised but Escarpeta's casting and the film's accuracy being criticized. Bassett was nominated at the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Miniseries or TV Film and at the Black Reel Awards for Outstanding Director in a Television Miniseries or Movie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yolonda Ross</span> American actress, writer and director

Yolonda Ross is an American actress, writer and director.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lena Waithe</span> American actress, producer, and screenwriter (born 1984)

Lena Waithe is an American actress, producer, and screenwriter. She is the creator of the Showtime drama series The Chi (2018–present) and the BET comedy series Boomerang (2019–20) and Twenties (2020–21). She also wrote and produced the crime film Queen & Slim (2019) and is the executive producer of the horror anthology series Them (2021–present).

<i>Whitney: Can I Be Me</i> 2017 documentary film directed by Rudi Dolezal and Nick Broomfield

Whitney: Can I Be Me is a 2017 British-American documentary film that was written, co-produced by Nick Broomfield and directed by Broomfield and Rudi Dolezal. The film's subject is the life and career of singer Whitney Houston.

<i>Whitney</i> (2018 film) 2018 film

Whitney is a 2018 documentary film about the American singer and actress Whitney Houston. The film was directed by Kevin Macdonald and produced by Simon Chinn, Jonathan Chinn and Lisa Erspamer. Whitney was screened out of competition at the world premiere as part of the 2018 Cannes Film Festival on 16 May 2018 with a cinema release on 6 July 2018. The film was also released on home media where it debuted at number one on the UK Official Music Video Chart. The film received positive reviews from critics and audiences and grossed $4.7 million worldwide at the box office. In December 2018, Whitney was nominated at the 61st Grammy Awards for Best Music Film.

<i>Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody</i> 2022 film by Kasi Lemmons

Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody is a 2022 American biographical musical drama film directed by Kasi Lemmons, from a screenplay by Anthony McCarten, based on the life and career of American pop icon and actress Whitney Houston. The film stars Naomi Ackie as Houston with Stanley Tucci, Ashton Sanders, Tamara Tunie, Nafessa Williams, and Clarke Peters in supporting roles.

Alana Mayo is a film executive, producer, and president of Orion Pictures.

References

  1. Caramanica, Jon (November 7, 2019). "Whitney Houston's Confidante Robyn Crawford Breaks Her Silence". The New York Times.
  2. 1 2 "Robyn Crawford & Whitney Houston — Didn't We Almost Have It All by About A Girl". Podchaser. 2020. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Robyn Crawford". IMDb.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Davis, Arianna (November 12, 2019). "Robyn Crawford Opens up to Lena Waithe About Her Relationship With Whitney Houston". Oprah Magazine. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  5. McNeil, Liz (November 8, 2019). "Whitney Houston's Best Friend Robyn Crawford Counters Claim that Dee Dee Warwick Molested the Singer". People. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  6. 1 2 Penn, Charli (November 12, 2019). "Exclusive: The Robyn Crawford Interview You Haven't Heard Yet". Essence. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  7. O'Connor, Roisin (November 7, 2019). "Whitney Houston's best friend Robyn Crawford confirms they had a physical relationship". Insider. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
  8. 1 2 Brockes, Emma (November 16, 2019). "'Our friendship was intimate on all levels': Robyn Crawford on her love for Whitney Houston". the Guardian. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
  9. McNeil, Liz (November 6, 2019). "Whitney Houston's Best Friend Robyn Crawford Breaks Her Silence on Their Love Affair in New Memoir". People. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  10. "Combined Print & E-Book Nonfiction". The New York Times. November 25, 2019. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  11. "Robyn Crawford on Loving Whitney Houston: "It Was Deep"". www.advocate.com. November 12, 2019.
  12. "'She Had Me, I Had Her:' Robyn Crawford Opens Up". NPR.
  13. "Robyn Crawford: My Life With Whitney Houston". LGBTQ&A via Luminary.
  14. "A Song for You My Life With Whitney Houston By Robyn Crawford". penguinrandomhouse.com. Retrieved July 19, 2020.