{Photos} August 4, 1942: Clark Gable Gives a Command Performance
On August 4, 1942, just a few days before he enlisted in the Army, recently widowed Clark Gable came out of hiding for a good cause: to appear on the radio program “Command Performance.”
From “Stardom” magazine:
Clark Gable’s Command Performance
For the first time since Carole Lombard’s death, Clark consents to make a public appearance
“Anything that will make our men overseas a little nearer to home, I’m willing to do,” said Clark Gable when he was requested to appear on “Command Performance,” the short wave program broadcast for America’s armed forces abroad. And a brief smile lighted his face when he was told that soldiers “over there” had expressed a desire to hear his voice on the air show that’s put on by the way department especially for them. For since Carole Lombard’s death, Gable has been a recluse. Now his one really vital interest lies in service to his country, whenever and wherever he give it. How, is up to Uncle Sam! For great sorrow as left pangs of loneliness in his heart that only true service to fellow men and country can fill.
Clark appeared with Bette Davis, Cass Daley, Carmen Miranda, Dinah Shore and Jerry Colonna. It’s wonderful to see him pictured with Bette, as they never did any films together and these candids from the radio program are the only ones I’ve ever seen of them together. They look friendly!
You can listen to the entire show here, as well as Clark’s second appearance on the show in 1944.
2 Comments
KoniginElle
I wish they had a movie together though. I’m curious to see their chemistry. I wonder why they never had an opportunity to work together in a movie.
Greta
They were at different studios and Jack Warner hated to loan his actors out. Especially Bette Davis as her pictures made a lot of money. She was wanted for “It Happened One Night” and Warner refused. He had already loaned her out and wouldn’t do it a second time (at that time). Clark never expressed interest in working with her so it wasn’t in the cards. She did very much want to work with him though.