{New Article} 1938: At Last! Mrs. Clark Gable Talks

Well now here’s a fluff piece. Clark and Carole’s romance was quite celebrated in the media, despite the fact that he was still technically married. Clark’s other dalliances over the years had been kept pretty much under wraps, save for a nightclub date here and there. But the public was enthralled by the matching of two of their most popular stars. This really ruffled the feathers of the current Mrs. Gable. Instead of being sympathisized with, she was instead the martyr, the mean estranged wife standing in the way of Clark and Carole’s true love.

“The question of divorce has never arisen between us,” Mrs. Gable said. “Mr. Gable has never discussed the issue with me, but certainly I am willing to divorce Clark if he so desires.”

I am sure Clark had mentioned divorce to Ria prior to 1938. There is no way he hadn’t. And the reason he hadn’t pursued it is quite simple: Ria Gable wanted money. And lots of it.

“If you spent an afternoon with Ria Gable,” a mutual friend told me after my interview, “you spent it in one of the most worthwhile ways I know, for Ria is a living example of the doctrine of doing for others. She has been my mainstay in time of trouble and I have watched her time and again go out of her way to help others.”

Such, then, is the woman Clark Gable, a rising, but far from famous young actor, met in New York some seven years ago. At that time Clark had secured his best role to date in “Machinal.” Mrs. Gable, a well-to-do member of a New York social group, met the forceful young actor one night at a party and the two fell instantly in love.

Or, she fell instantly in love with him and threw money at him so he couldn’t say no. He liked the attention and what she could do for him. That would be a more accurate description.

“…Hollywood is no place for marital happiness,” Mrs. Gable said. “There are too many angles against it. Too much grief in work, too startling a transition from obscurity to fame, too many women and false friends to flatter and tear down. It’s almost impossible to survive its devastating influence.”

In view of all this, it really wasn’t much of a surprise when Clark returned from location on “Call of the Wild” and met Ria at the door with, “I want my freedom.”

Hmmm…came home from the set of “Call of the Wild” and wanted freedom? I don’t think that was just “Hollywood” tearing them apart so much as Loretta Young… among several others…

“I am preparing to visit New York where I have so many friends and, with all this publicity and talk about my unwillingness to divorce Clark, I once again made the offer to Clark’s attorney and was told Clark did not want a divorce.

“Yet who believes me? Who believes I am not the meanie of all time standing behind Clark and freedom? I have no reason to take action against Clark unless it is his wish. I am happy this way and if it seems to be his wish to let matters rest as they are, I feel I should agree.

“I have no regrets. I can close my front door now and find peace and solace and contentment.At first I was burdened with an unbearable heartache, then I sat down very quietly and mentally went over our lives together. Had I failed Clark when he needed me? Had I been selfish or self-centered?”

Oh my goodness. He isn’t asking for a divorce because YOU WANT TOO MUCH MONEY. Guess that’s a fact that’s left out. But it became pretty obvious when Ria finally went to Reno after she got $250,000 from Clark in March 1939 (a perk Clark  got after he signed on for GWTW). A good question that should have been asked is, “Why don’t you just divorce him?” She says repeatedly he hasn’t asked for a divorce. Okay. Well, the whole world knows he is serious about Carole Lombard and he hadn’t lived under the same roof as you in over three years. So, if you didn’t want to be painted as a “meanie” , why not just divorce him? Just head to Reno on your own accord. Guess there’s no point in asking that question when the point of the article is to put Ria on a pedestal as the perfect wife. Pshaw!

Read the article in its entirety in The Article Archive.