Gossip
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Gossip Friday: Too Many Eggs
From August 1940: Clark Gable’s such a successful farmer that his valley neighbors often drop by for advice on their alfalfa crops. Mrs. G. gets their wives into a huddle and begs them for “recipe counsel” . Seems that Clark, proud of his record-laying hens, likes the fruits of their labor used for his own table. “After you’ve fried, boiled, scrambled, baked and even eaten them raw,” Carole moans, “then what’s to do?” And don’t think she doesn’t slip them a dozen or two!
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Gossip Friday: On the stage
From November 1936: …Which reminds me of a swell yarn about Clark Gable. He is one Hollywood star who has never gone swell-head and who never forgets his early struggle. He was making an appearance on Louella Parsons’ “Hollywood Hotel” show, which as you may know broadcats from the old Figueroa Playhouse in downtown Los Angeles, whose boards, at one time or another, have been trod by all the great theatrical personages of the last decade. At a break in rehearsal, Clark walked over to a corner of the stage, faced the empty orchestra pit, and started playing to it. “Whatcha doing?” kiddingly inquired one of the orchestra boys. “Doncha…
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Gossip Friday: Where Shall We Eat?
Since I’m in Hollywood this week, here’s an item form 1934 on where the stars eat in Tinsel Town: Well, you must be hungry. Should we stop at a drug store for a sandwich? Or, we have the choice of three famous restaurants–the Brass Rail, a beer parlor once owned by Zeppo Marx, which has been a haunt of picture people ever since; Perry’s, Hollywood’s newest restaurant; or Sardi’s, where caricatures of celebrities line the walls. At the latter you might see Jackie Cooper, Will Rogers, Eddie Cantor, Charlie Chaplin, King Vidor and Jetta Goudal, who go there all the time. The most persistent Sardi fans, however, are Busby Berkeley…
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Gossip Friday: Closed Set
From March 1937: People thought Carole Lomabrd was going Garbo on them when she had the ‘Swing High, Swing Low” set closed to visitors. As a rule the Lombard sets are wide open to anyone with a pass and a desire to watch Lombard antics. But when “Swing High, Swing Low” started, nine-tenths of the visitors cornered Carole to ask her about the Clark Gable romance. So now Lombard is behind locked doors where she can keep her romance and her acting to herself. ____ Over 60 new pictures added to the gallery this week!
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Gossip Friday: Carole Live on the Air
From February 1940: At the Silver Theatre radio rehearsal, Carole Lombard and Conrad Nagel were deep in a discussion while waiting their turns for rehearsal. Eavesdropping resulted in the discovery that the conversation was about citrus fruit culture. Both Carole and Conrad had definite ideas on the best ways to cultivate crops of oranges and lemons. The discussion finally got so heated that Carole said, “Well, before we get into a fight over this, I’ll admit that maybe you’re right. After all, we have only four acres of citrus trees at our place.” Nagel looked shame-faced. “That’s decent of you,” he said, “because I’ll have to confess that on my…
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Gossip Friday: Something’s Missing
From December 1940: I knew something had been wrong with Hollywood these past few months. But I couldn’t put my finger on it. There didn’t seem to be any snap and pep in the place. Why there were days when everythings was as silent as the tomb. And just about as cheery. Now I know what was the matter and I am delighted to report that everything is inder control again. It was Missy Lombard–that charming screwball who has more humor in her little finger than an executive has in his entire writing department. Carole, the dope, went serious on us. No squeals and screams, no “simply out of this…
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Gossip Friday: “What’s that you say?” and some Carole pics
From December 1939: If you want to drive Carole Lombard crazy, just pretend to talk merrily while she is under a dryer. She is certain that you are telling a juicy tidbit and that she’s missing out on something. She’ll never believe that you were simply saying that it’s hot for this time of year. ______ Coming up this weekend–rare pics of Clark and Carole in the gallery! Until then, here are some of my personal favorite shots of candid Carole. One of the reasons I adore her so is that her candids actually LOOK candid. She didn’t care if she came across as a total goofball or not. …
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Gossip Friday: Hello, Goldilocks
From February 1939: Andy Devine, about to be a proud papa for the second time, went through a strenuous time just recently trying to explain things to his four-year-old Tad. It was a tough job. “The stork is bringing our baby,” Andy explained over and over. “What stork?” asked Tad. “The one in the cage over at Catalina?” “No.” “Why?” “Because it can’t get out of the cage.” “Why is that stork in the cage?” “Because,” Andy cired, “it’s too old to bring babies!” That evening Carole Lombard came over to the Devines for dinner. “Oh hello, Goldilocks,” Tad cried, using his pet name for Carole. “We’re going to have…
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Gossip Friday: Hats off to you!
From September 1938: “Where did you get that hat?” The old cry is ringing around the MGM lot these days louder than ever since an assistant director, a wardroble lad, a sound man, an electrician and a bit player all appeared one morning in bright straw hats with flaming hatbands. “Gable’s cupboard,” came a simulatenous answer from the five. There was an immediate stampede from all directions to the famous Gable clothes closet. You see, Clark is a collector of hats. Can’t resist buying a half-dozen every time he hits a shop. One look in his studio mirror, however, convinces Clark the hats were never made for him and up…
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Gossip Friday: Out on the Town
From August 1941: Clark Gable and Carole Lombard made one of their rare Hollywood appearances at Ciro’s one night during the brief engagement there of Danny Kaye—who, incidentally, is just about the funniest guy to come out of the East. Clark and his Missus were dressed fit to kill. “I have so few opportunities to dress now,” says Carole, who lives quietly on a big ranch in the valley with the idol of American womanhood, “that I have to take advantage of them.”