{In the News} 1941: That Flapping at the Gables’ is Mighty Like a Stork

The omnipresent rumors of an impending little Gable continued on in this newspaper spread from 1941:

That Flapping at the Gables’ is Mighty Like a Stork

Hollywood, Feb. 14–A little Rhett Butler (or possibly a Rhetta) is now on its way at the nearby rancho of Clark Gable and Carole Lombard, according to advices on Sir Stork’s movieland grapevine today. The report was linked to Carole’s visit to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore on Jan.2, when she was given a physical check up by Dr. Richard W. Telinde, the hospital’s chief gynecologist.  Intimates of the couple recalled that Carole’s pet name for Clark is “Pappy” and that, in recent weeks, he has taken to calling her “Ma.”

Since the famous he-man and beauteous “dizzy dame” of the movies slipped quietly away and were wedded on March 29, 2939, thousands of fans have wondered whether they would raise a family. Carole, at the time of the wedding, blushingly declared that she would not give up her career “to have babies.” Clark, joining the chorus, said he would certainly not name his new ranch home “The House of Seven Gables.”

However, no sooner had the ink dried on the nuptial certificate than Clark and Carole began setting up the perfect background for family life.

Clark took to fixing chicken coop fences, pitching hay and puttering around the barn–sure signs of settling down. Carole, for her part, studiously devoted herself to the domestic virtues–cooking, sewing and all that.

Two months after their marriage, it was reported that they were considering adopting a baby boy.

Neither Clark nor Carole have ever had children of their own. Carole was previously married to film star William Powell, whom she divorced in 1929. She charged that their marital life was unhappy because of the wide disparity of their ages. She, at the time, was 21 while Powell was 38.

Gable was first married to Josephine Dillon in 1924, when he was working as a telephone troubleshooter. Miss Dillon, a dramatic coach, schooled him in the ABC’s of acting. The marriage ended in divorce in 1928. In 1931, Gable married the former Mrs. Rhea Langham, Texas oil heiress, 10 years his senior. Before she obtained a Nevada divorce, Gable gave her a property settlement of $286,000.

Clark is now 40, Carole 32.

Considering their trouble conceiving, I am sure articles like this one bothered Clark and Carole. You can read more about their baby troubles here. 

And for the record, Carole and Bill Powell weren’t even married until 1931, divorcing in 1933.  Josephine divorced Clark in 1930, not 1928. And Ria Franklin was 17 years older than Clark, not 10.