Gossip
-
Gossip Friday: Carole Lombard’s Hair Styling Advice
From March 1937: We watched Carole Lombard swishing around on the “Swing High, Swing Low” set at Paramount the other day, attired in two inches of white chiffon and two carloads of white ostrich feathers. We thought it all looked pretty elegant, and couldn’t understand the worried look in Travis Banton’s face. “These gowns give me the jitters,” he said. “They’re strictly honky tonk fashions, but Lombard makes them look so modish that I’m afraid every woman in the country will copy them–and probably look like a herd of ostriches.” The hairdresser came up just then to arrange Carole’s blonde curls for a close-up. “This wave won’t stay in place…
-
Gossip Friday: a Clark Gable Salad and a Greta Garbo Sandwich
From December 1931: Clark Gable has become a second Greta Garbo. No, no, little Oscar, he’s not walking in the rain and going mysterious on the home folks. It’s simply that he’s become so popular with the lads and lassies who go to the movies that scores of reporters follow him wherever he goes, trying to get hot news about him. Our faithful secret service makes us follow burning discoveries: He hates dark suits. If he had his way he’d only wear grey. He dislikes tuxedos because he doesn’t dare have them made in light material. His one objection to pictures is that he can’t wear grey suits on the…
-
Gossip Friday: Clark Gable, Earthquake Expert
From February 1934: Clark Gable is quite the California booster. During a misplaced warm spell, someone remarked, “This is earthquake weather.” “Oh,no,” defended Clark politely, “it isn’t the weather that causes the earthquakes, it’s the earthquakes that cause the weather!” Now all he has to do is alibi the earthquakes!
-
Gossip Friday: Gable’s Beauty Salon
From February 1932: Gable’s Beauty Salon across from the Paramount Studio has doubled its business since the sudden popularity of Clark Gable. Somehow the impression has circulated throughout the neighborhood that the shop is operated or financed by “What-A-Man” Gable and that he may drop in any minute. There is a large framed picture of Clark, placed in the shop by the shrewd owner of the establishment, who incidentally has never seen the Great Moment.
-
Gossip Friday: Spotting the Widower
Some gossip about Clark from the August after Carole Lombard’s death… From August 1942: Our most pleasant experience in many weeks: spotting Clark Gable dining out for the first time since his loss, accompanied by friends at the Vine Street Brown Derby. Later we saw him shaking hands with young soldiers who clustered around him. Gable looks more fit than he has in a long time, lean and tanned from riding to and from work on his motorcycle. Remember that old Ford that Carole Lombard dolled with fancy paint and gave to Clark Gable for a Valentine years ago? It was so much a part of their happy love story…
-
Gossip Friday: Carole Lombard vs. a Bee
From November 1940: Carole Lombard reported on the “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” set with a huge bump on the nose and a lump on the ear, result of a Mr. and Mrs. fishing trip (Gable’s the Mr.) with two bees practically eating her up. Gable sends her a pound of honey a day, as a gag.
-
Gossip Friday: Clark Pranks Spencer
From January 1941: You won’t find two greater pranksters in all of Hollywood than Clark Gable and Spencer Tracy. So when Spencer returned to town from a trip to New York and found an invitation to dine with the Gables, he knew there was something up. Accompanied by Mrs. Tracy, he arrived at the Gable ranch, fully expecting some gag. All during dinner, he was on pins and needles waiting for the joke to pop. Up until the moment he and Mrs. Tracy were at the door ready to leave, he looked furtively about, expecting something to happen. But all had gone divinely well. Finally,Spencer mopped his brow nervously and…
-
Gossip Friday: Missing Something…
From February 1941: Did you know that Clark Gable sleeps in only the upper part of his pajamas? ____ Oh my…
-
Gossip Friday: It’s a Wrap for Gone with the Wind
From October 1939: Most welcome news of a “completion party” for a picture came from Selznick studios. On one of the “Gone with the Wind” stages, refreshments were served and all who had worked on the picture were invited to come. Carole Lombard came, anyhow. Said her sense of curiosity drove her to it, since she’d never believe it was actually happening without seeing it with her own eyes. Cameraman Fred Parrish, who had made a record 6,000 stills for this one picture, arrived to take a few more of the party. But Gable insisted he put down the camera and relax. “As it is,” Gable pointed out, “you’ll probably be…
-
Gossip Friday: Carole Waits for Her Man
From July 1937: True Love Note: Carole Lombard waited at the studio gates for Clark Gable to finish a couple of retakes the other night. She waited until 2:00am!!