What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? is a novel by author Henry Farrell published in 1960.

This gothic story of chilling suspense and psychological horror deals with two aging sisters, Jane and Blanche Hudson, who are living alone together in a big Hollywood mansion. Jane was a former child star of early Vaudeville, "Baby Jane," who was spoiled and pampered and given all the attention of her father. Her younger sister, Blanche, was ignored growing up in Jane's shadow. But their roles were reversed when their parents died and they moved to Los Angeles to live with an aunt. The prettier Blanche was favored and even encouraged to pursue a film career, becoming a huge star. Jane worked in films too, but was not successful. She could only play bit parts in her sister's films, as Blanche had a clause in her contract stipulating that Jane be hired for such roles.

At the height of her success, Blanche was paralyzed by a car crash in front of the mansion where she and her sister lived. Jane was drunk that night and did not remember what happened. She was publicly held responsible and accused of attempted murder. Nothing came of the allegation, but Jane's film career ended with Blanche's.

Now, years later in 1959, the slatternly and alcoholic former child star and the disabled former reigning screen goddess, who has shut herself off from the world, are still together and alone in the same mansion in a neighborhood that is no longer fashionable. Jane not only resents that she has had to live in the shadow of her sister who became more famous than her when they grew up, and is again being remembered due to a recent revival of her films on television, she hates the fact that she has to cook and clean and care for the invalid Blanche who has managed to keep her good looks.

Blanche, in turn, whose only other contact is with a woman who comes in once a week to clean and her telephone conversations with her doctor and attorney, finds she is growing old in the shadow cast by her mentally ill sister, Jane, and an extremely sinister shadow it is. Jane, who eavesdrops on her sister's calls, believes that Blanche, who has decided to sell her mansion and move them to something nicer, intends to sell it and put her away. Though Blanche tries to talk to her and explain, she will not listen. In a drunken daze, she decides to revive her childhood act of Baby Jane and hire a musical accompanist. As reality topples crazily into eerie fantasy, Jane abuses her sister with monstrous malevolence while embezzling her money to buy liqueur and get her Baby Jane act going again.

Themes include family secrets, resentment, hatred and deceit, and Jane's realization that she has gone from being the cute and beloved Baby Jane to old and unloved. The story culminates with an unusual twist.

Film adaptations

In 1962, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? was released by Warner Bros. This classic psychological horror film starred Bette Davis as Jane Hudson and Joan Crawford as Blanche Hudson, with Victor Buono as Edwin Flagg, the musical accompanist. The cleaning woman, Elvira Stitt, was played by Maidie Norman, and the neighbor, Mrs. Bates, was played by Anna Lee. The story was adapted for the screen by Lukas Heller and directed by Robert Aldrich.

The film won the Academy Award for Best Costume Design, Black-and-White. It was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Bette Davis), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Victor Buono), Best Cinematography, Black-and-White and Best Sound.

In 1991, another version of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? was made for television starring Lynn Redgrave as Jane Hudson and Vanessa Redgrave as Blanche Hudson. It was adapted by Brian Taggert and directed by David Greene.