Gossip Friday: Star Studded Premiere

From 1948:

I am sure that no imperial gala ever ordered by the Emperor Franz Josef himself ever surpassed the splendor of the party in the Crystal Room of the Beverly Hills Hotel, following the premiere of “The Emperor Waltz.” The first showing of the film, which was a formal, international affair, drew a record throng of celebrities to the Hollywood Paramount Theatre where they ran the gauntlet of cheers and shouts from thousands of admiring fans…

The “cinema-soxers” roared their delight when Clark Gable and Bing Crosby swapped jokes right in the middle of Hollywood Boulevard where their cars were held up by the traffic jam. 

Incidentally Clark garnered the most applause when he appeared with Anita Colby, although pandemonium broke loose for Betty Hutton and yells went up for Alan Ladd, Paulette Goddard, Burgess Meredith, Betty Grable and Harry James, Van Johnson, Sonja Henie, Loretta Young, Esther Williams, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz and the two stars of the picture, Bing Crosby with Dixie and Joan Fontaine with husband Bill Dozier, all of whom were among the five score celebrities present.