Gossip
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Gossip Friday: The Fourth Mrs. Gable
Since December 20 marks the 60th anniversary of Clark’s marriage to his fourth wife, Lady Sylvia Ashley (for more on her, read here), we’ll devote this week’s Gossip Friday to her and her previous marriage to another man of Hollywood royalty: Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. (Anyone else find it a bit twisted that before she married Clark Sylvia was married to the father of Douglas Fairbanks Jr., who was married to Joan Crawford when Joan was having an affair with Clark? That’s a sick little circle…) From June 1935: An eye witness to the arrival of Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. , Lady Ashley and party at Miami Beach, reports that Doug had more…
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Gossip Friday: Crowd around Mickey
From February 1937: Outside the commissary at MGm we saw Spencer Tracy, Clark Gable and about forty other big stars and directors huddled in a group around something, so interested and awed by what they saw that their mouths were practically hanging open down to their knees. After forcing our way through to the center of the group to see wgar so fascinated these sophisticates, we discovered that Mickey Rooney was keeping them all agog with his skill at hi-li, that little game where you hit a ball against a paddle. All were clamoring for the first chance to try it after Mickey got through! Mickey and Clark had a sort-of…
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Gossip Friday: A Public Tiff
From May 1940: They do say that Carole Lombard and Clark Gable had their first little tiff in public the other day, and Carole walked out of a party in a huff! Seems all was forgiven a few days later, as they appeared arm in arm at Bob Taylor and Barbara Stanwyck’s table at Ciro’s, with Carole sporting a new sapphire clip.
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Gossip Friday: Cookin’ with Clark
Since yesterday was Thanksgiving, here’s a recipe Clark gave to a fan magazine when asked what was his favorite dish to cook. I personally do not eat pork so I haven’t tried it, but if anyone is up to it, let me know how it turns out! BAKED STUFFED PORK TENDERLOIN 3 pork tenderloins Melted butter 2 cups crumbled toasted bread 1/3 cup boiling water 1 egg, beaten lightly ¼ cup butter ½ small onion, minced ½ teaspoon minced parsley ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon celery salt 1/8 teaspoon powdered sage Sprinkling of salt Split the tenderloins so they will lie flat. Brush with melted butter. Then…
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Gossip Friday: Where’s the fire?
From January 1940: And now we have firemen Gable and Taylor, proud proprietors of their own fire-fighting apparactus, by cracky! While posing for publicity recently with the swanky MGM fire truck, Gable and Taylor were struck with the idea–and inrtigues, too, so to speak–that a fire company of their own to protect their property in the Valley wouldn’t be such a bad notion. So, upon recommendation of the fire chief, they purchased a neat secondhand job in the way of a chemical truck and are now offering their services to all their friends and neighbors. And to make the thing official Greer Garson, who is now appearing with Robert…
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Gossip Friday: Reviews on Gone with the Wind
Today starts the festivities in Marietta, GA celebrating the 70th anniversary of “Gone with the Wind”. I will be there all day and all day on Saturday as well and you know I will report back next week with details and pictures! Keeping with “Gone with the Wind” as a theme, here are two letters from June 1940 to the editor of a fan magazine: I have just seen “Gone with the Wind” and like thousands of others I thought it was grand entertainment. But unlike thousands of others, I think the picture, like the book, should have never been created. Why? Because the picture revives the Civil War, a…
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Gossip Friday: Carole is a thief!
Many Carole Lombard fans have probably seen these pictures before. But did you know that the hat was Clark’s? From December 1937: Hold your hats, boys! Leave it to our inimitable Carole to start a new millinery trend! In playful mood she stole Clark Gable’s new winter hat right off his head and found it was just the thing to complete her sport frock of beige covert cloth. Clark had carefully selected his hat in brown velour with a matching double band silk cord knotted and fringed in back. Carole’s two-piece frock is full of fashion interest. The jacket reaches below the hips and features zipper and…
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Gossip Friday: Boo!
In the spirit of Halloween… Hollywood is full of stories of ghosts of classic stars. Ciro’s , a popular 1940’s nightclub frequented by the likes of Marlene Dietrich, Lana Turner, Joan Crawford, Norma Shearer, Bing Crosby and yes–Clark and Carole, is now The Comedy Store in Los Angeles and is said to be a hotspot for paranormal activity. Marilyn Monroe is said to haunt her former suite in the Roosevelt Hotel. The Pickfair Mansion, former home of Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford, is said to be haunted by Mary. John Barrymore’s old mansion is said to be haunted by him. Famously, if you visit the grave of Rudolph Valentino’s dog Kabar…
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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…