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Gossip Friday: On His Arm
From May 1942, fan letter to magazine: Los Angeles, May 28, 1937. I stood with many thousands at Wrigley Field, as busload of stars pulled in to watch the boxing match that night. I saw a great, handsome man emerge in a tweed coat and trousers, crepe sole shoes, and hat down over one eye, Behind him, his wife, Carole Lombard, dressed almost exactly like him. “Clark Gable!” I whispered, and he immediately pushed his hat back and grinned like only he can. I grabbed his right arm (Carole was on the other) and buried my head so that the police couldn’t see that I didn’t belong there, and walked…
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Gossip Friday: Don’t Ask
From February 1937: Interviewers of Carole Lombard are cautioned in advance that they must not mention or ask about Clark Gable. Interviewers of Gable are expected not to mention Miss Lombard. Yet Gable isn’t in the least reticent about telling friends that he hopes to make a picture with Miss Lombard. Not only wants to, but expects to. __ Wants to make ANOTHER picture with Miss Lombard, to be precise. And a shame that never happened.
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Clark Gable and Carole Lombard’s 80th Anniversary
Clark Gable and Carole Lombard were married 80 years ago today, on March 29, 1939. They were together about three years before they were married and unfortunately never made it to their third wedding anniversary before Carole’s untimely death, but Carole’s impact on Clark’s life can not be overestimated. In 1957, a reporter asked Clark why he doesn’t talk about Carole in interviews. “You may not like my next question,” I said. “Is it true that you don’t like to talk about Carole Lombard because it reminds you of her tragic end and distresses you?” “That isn’t true,” [Clark] said. “My feelings are under better control than that. I have…
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Gossip Friday: Doing a Double Take
From October 1940: Clark Gable and the Missus are burned up about the story going round that all is not well between them. Those who are spreading the poison should be squelched by the announcement that the pair intend taking a four-month honeymoon-vacation just as soon as Carole completes “Mr. and Mrs. Smith.” Another muffler for the gossip was provided by Clark just a few days ago when he told the following story about the wonderful Lombard sense of humor. It seems a bad case of poison ivy hit Carole recently and swelled her face until it looked like an automobile tire about to pop. A vainer woman would have…
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Goodbye, Carole
Today marks 77 years since Carole Lombard perished in a plane crash at the young age of 33. Every year I mark this anniversary, and every year I marvel at the fact that she has been dead for such a long time. There is just something timeless about Carole. Carole’s death anniversary over the years: 2010: Memorial poem 2011: Excerpt from “The Story Gable Wouldn’t Tell” 2012: Photo gallery of Carole 2013: Excerpt from “This Was Carole” 2014: Excerpt from “What the Loss of Carole Lombard Means to Clark Gable” 2015: Excerpts from articles about Carole’s death 2016: For the 75th anniversary of her death, I did a day-by-day recap…
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Gossip Friday: New Aunt and Uncle
From December 1940: Proudest couple in Hollywood are Clark Gable and Carole Lombard who now answer to Uncle and Aunt. Miss Lombard’s brother and sister-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Peters, have just become parents of a seven-pound baby boy. Funniest incident at the hospital, where the Gables kept vigil with Peters and another brother of Carole, Stuart Peters, was that when Stuart heard the stork had arrived, he promptly collapsed. Gable had to leave the new father to look out for himself while he carried the overcome uncle to the adjoining room for treatment.
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Gossip Friday: For Clark From Carole
From December 1938: How would you like to know what Carole Lombard gave Clark Gable [for Christmas?], what Claudette Colbert bought for her husband, Barbara Stanwyck’s gift to Bob Taylor, and vice versa? Well, here goes. Claudette today gave her doctor husband a magnificent new desk set and cuff links. Carole added to the handsome Cabonshon ruby we told you about with a new camera and an outboard motor for Clark. ___ Okay, it says it would tell you what Barbara Stanwyck bought Robert Taylor, and then it doesn’t say. Huh.
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Gossip Friday: A Quiet Holiday
From December 1941: The quietest Christmas celebration in its history was observed in a Hollywood accustomed in the past to tossing around presents of diamonds and minks and sables like confetti. There were some valuable presents to be sure–but most of these were United States defense bonds. Few parties were given, with most of the stars and lesser lights celebrating only with their families and intimates. Only the families with children made the usual fuss. On this score the two busiest homes were those of Mr. and Mrs. Bing Crosby and Mr. and Mrs. Don Ameche. They each have four sons. Almost as busy were Margaret Sullavan and her husband,…
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Gossip Friday: A Flop Debut
From February 1936: The screen debut of Carole Lombard’s pekingese, “Pushface,” was a decided flop, but gave the blonde star a chance to get off one of her best wisecracks. “Pushface’s” big moment came on the “Love Before Breakfast” set at Universal. He was supposed to make an entrance in a basket of flowers, completely hidden by the blossoms. At a given signal, he was to poke his head out and wait for a closeup. But, every time, he leaped out of the basket and into Carole’s arms before the camera could get a shot. It was after the third unsuccessful take that Carole exploded: “Can you beat it! He…
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{Photos} A Ranch of Two Gables
This one-page spread appeared in Picture Show magazine in 1941: A Ranch of Two Gables Clark Gable and Carole Lombard are among the film-star ranchers in the San Fernando Valley. Like Robert Taylor and Barbara Stanwyck, they both had separate ranches in the Valley before they were married. Clark Gable has always been an “outdoor” man. Whenever his work allowed, he would go away on hunting trips, as far from the night clubs and swing music and noisy crowds as he could conveniently get, reveling in the silence of the mountains and lakes. Eventually he gave up his hotel suite and moved out to the San Fernando Valley. Carole Lombard’s…
