Gossip
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Gossip Friday: Scouting a Star
From July 1941: Because Clark Gable and Carole Lombard interested themselves in his career, tall handsome Reed Hadley, who hails from Texas via New York theatre and radio acting stopovers, appears to be safely launched in Hollywood. Young Hadley first attracted Miss Lombard’s attention when he appeared with her on a national radio broadcast. Gable met him at that time also. Both were impressed with young Hadley’s appearance and talents. Gable subsequently suggested to Director Clarence Brown that Hadley be tested for the role of a young British officer in “They Met in Bombay” at MGM. Gable and Rosalind Russell are co-starring in the picture and a requirement of the…
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Gossip Friday: Private Showing
From February 1941: Two years ago Gable married Carole Lombard and they moved onto a twenty-two acre farm at Encino in the San Fernando Valley. The Gables seem to hit it off fine. They spend most of their time at home together, go on frequent hunting trips, and once a week come into the studio to see a picture show. It’s too tough to go to a regular theater; they get mobbed when they try it.
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Gossip Friday: A Pain in the Eye
From January 1942: A hot rumor that Clark Gable was in one of the local hospitals under an assumed name suffering with eye inflammation kept this writer busy. After spending most of the day and half the night checking I learned Gable has had a bad cyst in his eye. He was told he should have it removed but so far he has not gone into the hospital. He was not able to go duck hunting as he planned, but spent New Year’s Eve in town and went to a private small party with Carole Lombard. ___ Sadly, their last New Years Eve together…
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Gossip Friday: Charitable Pair
From December 1941: Charity has a big place in Hollywood’s Christmas. The English group sends food and clothing to Britain, give gag presents to friends. Leaders are the Rathbones, the Brian Ahernes, and so on. Last year Carole Lombard and Clark Gable sent notes saying they planned to give only to a local children’s hospital, and hoped their friends would do likewise–most of them did, too. Irene Dunne is closely connected with an orphanage and always takes dinner there with the children on Christmas Day. This year she is taking her daughter, Missie, with her to give each child a present.
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Gossip Friday: Keeping Spirits Up
From December 1941: Through these tense days, Carole Lombard has certainly kept the crew and cast on the stage of “To Be Or Not To Be”in a howling good humor with all her gags. When I asked her what she’d do if she caught a Japanese parachutist landing on her ranch, she said, “Let ’em come! Pappy and I haven’t been banging away at ducks and skeets all these years for nothing. We’ve put the ranch on a wartime basis, sold a couple of horses, and growing vegetables instead of alfalfa.” Atta girl, Carole! And very soon, too, you’ll be seeing Carole and Clark stumping the country, selling war bonds.…
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Gossip Friday: A Tooth for a Shoulder
From January 1941: Baltimore–Dr. Louis Hamman said today Clark Gable would have a tooth extracted in an effort to cure a shoulder ailment that actor has suffered since 1937. Gable, who arrived Monday with Carole Lombard, said “present plans call for us to fly back to Hollywood Saturday or Sunday.” __ Tooth extraction to cure a shoulder ailment?!
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Gossip Friday: Frequent Vistor
From November 1941: The career question is no longer hot among the older, more established star marriages. The Robert Taylors rarely visit each other’s set, but Carole Lombard is a constant guest while Clark Gable is shooting, and at his express request. And if Miss Lombard ever wants really to tease the redoubtable Gable all she has to do is make a thoroughly professional crack–“Remember Parnell!” (That film is a sore subject with Clark–he wanted to do the part and it was his least successful!)
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Gossip Friday: Serious Farmers
From May 1941: Clark Gable and Carole Lombard are taking their farming more seriously than ever. They’re looking for a ranch in Oregon now.
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Gossip Friday: Laughing Visitor
From June 1941: There is one laugh in Hollywood you can never mistake–Carole Lombard’s. I hear it when I come onto the “Honky Tonk” set at MGM, and sure enough, there is Carole howling at Clark Gable’s get-up for his gambler’s role in the Alaskan melodrama. Unperturbed, Gable takes her by the shoulders and kisses her upon the tip of her nose. “How are you, sweetie pie?” he asks. Director Jack Conway and the roughly dressed actors in the saloon scene look on and grin appreciatively. “Papa,” says Carole, “I hear you really were hamming it up a few minutes ago.” “Yeah,” says Clark. “You could smell the corn clear…
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Gossip Friday: No Buffalo
From January 1942: Solicitous cowboy friends keep sending Carole Lombard buffalo steaks. She hates ’em.