Gossip Friday: A No Show

From November 1943:

Clark Gable Rumor Travels Merry Round and Ends Nowhere

Birmingham, Alabama—At 7:02am The News phone rang and an excited and youthful voice asked, “Is Clark Gable coming?”

“No,” said The News, kindly but firmly.

That’s what The News thought. The Army had said so, and The News believed the Army.

From 7:03 to 11:59 the Frank Nelson Building, the Jefferson County Courthouse, the Tutwiler Hotel and all downtown Birmingham seethed with rumors that Clark Gable had been here since 9, that Clark Gable would arrive at 3, that Clark Gable was marching through the city at the time in a parade.

But at noon came an explosive call: Clark Gable would land at the airport at any moment.

A reporter and photographer dashed out.

At 2 pm came an official call: Clark Gable landing in 30 minutes.

An Age-Herald and News reporter rushed out in a taxi. The Post reporter and photographer, the Red Cross Motor Corps, the WAC civilian recruiting committee and what seemed to be the entire Army of the United States were there. 

All waiting.

After two more hours, the waiting grew thin.

A News reporter started an investigation.

“Who told you that Clark Gable was coming?” the question went from the public relations officers to the WAC officer who had told him, to the newspaper men who had told her, to the Bechtel-McCone-Parsons executive who had told her, to the Army who had told the executive.

Poof.

“But I tell you I was invited to a cocktail party in honor of the guy for 5 o’clock this afternoon.”

“He’s scheduled to address BMP employees at 3:15.”

“He’s been at the hotel since 10am–a bellboy told me so.”

But Clark Gable didn’t come.