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Gossip Friday: Passing of the Crown
As any fan can recall, Clark was selected as “The King of Hollywood”, alongside Myrna Loy as “the Queen” in 1938. The contest continued year after year, with new kings and queens elected. But the king label stuck on Clark and Clark alone (although, unfortunately, the queen label did not stick on Miss Loy), as he is still known as “The King of Hollywood” today. In 1939, Tyrone Power was elected the king and Jeanette MacDonald the queen. Here’s what a columnist had to say in April 1939: …Take Clark Gable who ran second to Ty in this voting and who won out last year. 1938 Gable had one…
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Gossip Friday: On the set of The Call of the Wild
From June 1935: “The Call of the Wild” company was in a dreadful dilemma–in fact, it threatened to be a major calamity. Though Clark Gable, Loretta Young, Jack Oakie and several others were in the cast, one important role was not filled. The story called for a jackrabbit, but one could not be found for love or money! Finally, after much brow-beating and heavy thinking, the director hit upon the solution. Taking a meek old tabby cat, he tied on some floppy paper ears–and it looked as wild as any jack rabbit you’d ever hope to see! After all, “The show must go on!” New this week: A new…
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Gossip Friday: Miss Lombard on the Set
Since this week was the 101st birthday of the love of Clark’s life, Carole Lombard, here’s a bit of gossip about her from February 1937: A very colorful set is the one for “Swing High, Swing Low”, co-starring Carole Lombard and Fred MacMurray. It is a street scene, but built entirely indoors. It is a hot, soiled street somewhere in Panama. Carole has been having a salary quarrel with Paramount. It is now settled. Jut how completely it is settled is testified by a brand new portable dressing room behind the false front of a Panama bodega. It is a gift to Carole from the director of the picture, Mitchell…
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Happy Birthday, Carole Lombard
Today is the 101st anniversary of the birth of Carole Lombard, Clark’s third wife and the light of his life. Happy Birthday to Clark’s little screwball! To celebrate, I’ve added a page for Carole in the Wives section. Many thanks for all the help I received on it! And the TV Listings have been updated through January so check that out–lots of great Gable movies in the coming months.
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Gossip Friday: Speaker Shenanigans
From January 1940: The funniest thing in all Hollywood is that loud speaker attached to the locked gates leading into Clark Gable’s ranch home. Since his experience with an impudent intruder, Clark is taking no chances. The speaker in itself, which connects to a telephone inside the house, isn’t funny of course, but the conversations that can be heard for acres around are a panic. Andy Devine’s cracked-voiced pleas of, “Clark, it’s me—open the gates,” scare even the chickens out of their feathers. “Here’s your steak,” comes the booming voice of the butcher through the speaker. But the pay-off came when a car salesman went through his whole sales speech…
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Gossip Friday: A Fan’s Apology
Letter to the editor of Photoplay Magazine, November 1939: I’m one of those individuals who seldom sees good in things enjoyed and persons admired by other people. Our American screen actors, I felt, were mostly hams who could do little better than smirk into a camera, and marry and divorce every few weeks. Clark Gable, in particular, roused my ire and resentment. This prominent-eared individual, as I liked to term him, was only a trumped-up bag of wind, in my estimation. But, against my will, as I see more and more of his pictures and read of his activities, he is forcing me to admit that he is a genuine…
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Gossip Friday: Elusive Garbo
Since today is the anniversary of the birth of Clark’s Susan Lenox costar, Greta Garbo, here’s some gossip about her from November 1939: Our demon photographer, Hyman Fink, is still recovering from the joyful shock of getting the camera scoop of the year pictured here. It came about, as such surprises usually do, at the most unexpected time, in the most unexpected place. The stylist, Irene, gave a fall fashion show at Bullock’s-Wilshire in Los Angeles, which Hymie attended in line of duty. Things were going along very calmly and uneventfully until the last number went on. Then, suddenly, from a tiny dressing room behind the main salon, emerged three…
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Gossip Friday: Carole outsmarts Clark
From October 1937: Clark Gable thought it would be fun to turn the tables on Carole Lombard–in payment for some of Carole’s jokes on her friends. So he called fifteen of the leading feminine lights of Hollywood and invited them to a tea the next day at Carole’s house. He explained that Carole and her secretary were busy on a picture that day and had asked him to do the planning. The fifteen guests promptly accepted. Not a word was said to Carole and the next day (Sunday) Clark gleefully “dropped in” to see Carole in the afternoon–and incidentally of course to watch her face when the guests began…
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Gossip Friday: Mr. Gable and Miss Garland
From August 1937: Judy Garland won her way into the gallant Gable heart by getting up blithely on a platform at the MGM Convention Ball and singing a song which she dedicated especially to Clark. It was called “My Fan Letter to My Favorite Stars”. Gable was there—with Lombard, and so he couldn’t show his deep appreciation to Miss Garland right then. But the other day was Judy’s birthday and Clark came through–with an enticing charm bracelet, and a lot of other gifts, among them a book with his own photograph in it. Bet Carole’s worried! Of course I took the name for this site from Judy’s song, “Dear Mr.…
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Lots of New Stuff!
I’ve been doing a lot of updates around here so here’s what’s new: First and foremost, a special thanks to R.R. for the awesome new gallery banner! There are several new pictures in the gallery too, so check those out. There’s a new section under Info devoted to Clark’s five wives. So far #4 and #5, Sylvia Ashley and Kathleen Williams, are up. The other three to follow (yes, Carole Lombard is coming soon!) New film pages for But Not For Me, Lone Star and The King and Four Queens, all including audio clips. New radio shows in the Multimedia section: China Seas with Lucille Ball, A Farewell to Arms with Josephine Hutchinson and…