{New Article} 1936: Gable’s Bachelor Dates

New today is an article about the freshly single Mr. Gable. Having separated from his wife Ria, Hollywood’s shiniest star was now available and on the prowl! Or is he…

Let’s plunge right into this new private life he’s having for himself and learn All. Maybe your imagination turns riotous at the very idea of his amusement program. Since he’s single again our most popular actor ought to be having a hot time in the swanky Beverly Hills every night. With his appeal, his money, and his screen halo, his leisure divertissements should be just colossal.

Oh, no doubt Clark has to pop over to the studio to be glorified. But as soon as the director yells quits the lucky egg can come out of a clinch with a stream-lined siren and begin cutting up in grand and glorious fashion. From then on likely it’s every ambitious gal for herself-and-Gable. And curfew dare not ring on love.

But let’s jump right into the specific, without further haggling. I swear, invariably, that there’s nothing more enlightening than the exact data on certain people’s affairs. Henceforth, no hedging from the Gable front—what is he doing for his relaxation seeing that he’s back in the bachelor ranks? You know he isn’t the stuffy type who’d want to devote himself completely to his Art.

I’ve checked his lighter moments, both by a little detective work of my own, and by asking Clark pertinent, point-blank questions, and receiving point-blank replies.

“You suppose I might be partying every weekend?” He chuckled at this and reached into his right coat pocket for a cigarette and a lighter. Said gadget eventually flamed. “Well,” he retorted, “I did begin on that scheme! I was introduced to many fascinating persons in Hollywood. I’m awfully human, and I confess readily that I’m intrigued by a lot of action. Only I discovered, said to have to report, that I couldn’t take it! I can’t be up half the night and be any good the next day. I tried—and that’s precisely why I’m not continually on the go!”

He hasn’t been rushing any one beauty, contrary to all printed innuendos. Indeed, he hasn’t dated a one of his eligible leading ladies. I wouldn’t want you to brand him a hermit, however. While Clark’s no Lothario on the loose, he’s not vaccinated against feminine charms.

This article is pretty predictable; out to paint Clark as a guy not interested in dating a bunch of women, one who would rather be out fishing like the regular folks! Only really half true. While tales of Clark bedding every star in Hollywood are far from true, saying here that he “hasn’t sated a one of his eligible leading ladies” is far from true. By 1936, Clark had been involved with Elizabeth Allan, Loretta Young, Joan Crawford, Marion Davies and Anita Page, just to name a few.

Some notable Gable-quotables:

“Why don’t you give them the whole truth?” he challenged me, “Why assume I must be either anxious to dress up in a dinner jacket or that I’m a bull in a china shop? I don’t deny that some parties are nifty, and I like them. Yet who’d describe those formal parades as fun? I relish casual gatherings. I see as many movies and plays as I can. But I’m a bitter pill to friends when we venture forth on first nights. My comrades mutter, ‘Oh, let’s not go with him. He’ll stand around signing autographs for hours!’”

“Exercise is keen fun to me. I’ve a friend who functions as kind of a trainer. When I’m coming to the studio I must begin my day very early. He has a key to the front door and he arrives at 5:30am to haul me out of bed. At that unearthly hour a hefty tug cab do wonders towards awakening you! We have a few sets on a neighboring tennis court and then box some fast rounds. A shower and breakfast finish us up. That’s recreation I hate to miss.”

“Skeet-shooting’s my chief hobby. I belong to a gun club that isn’t a movie organization at all. The members are men from every sort of business—doctors, lawyers, merchants, salesmen. The one point we have in common is that we each own a gun. Oh, and dogs. We bring our dogs to the range and argue whose is superior. These men never discuss Hollywood.”

“Don’t ignore reading as a pastime. Not that I wasn’t to brag that I’ve read a book! I don’t pretend to be a serious student of literature; on the contrary, I’m not. I delve into topics that sound alluring, but generally magazines are more to my measure. I choose those dealing with business events, sports, and those with satirical sketches.”

See, a simple chap, ain’t he?

By the time this was printed, everyone knew that Clark Gable was no longer “up for grabs”—having been snatched up by a certain Miss Lombard.

Read the article in its entirety in The Article Archive.