No-Show Newlyweds

From July 14, 1955:

Lake Tahoe, Nev.–Clark Gable and his new bride, the former Kay Williams Spreckels, remained in seclusion today somewhere in the rolling cow country around here, much to the chagrin of scores of newsmen, movie fans and a hotel manager with 40 juicy steaks on his hands.

The Gables were supposed to have showed up last night at a dinner party for them and 38 guests at the Cal Neva Biltmore Hotel. But the steaks and scads of Alaska lobster, onion soup, champagne and even a three-tiered wedding cake failed to tempt the newlyweds.

Cal McKinley, an old friend of the actor and part owner of the 12,000 acre Twenty-One Ranch, just across the border in California, allowed as how the Gables might be holed up somewhere in the rambling hills of his ranch. He explained that the couple had missed the party last night for two reasons.

“First of all,” said the rancher, “Clark doesn’t like publicity.” this caused raised eyebrows among several of his listeners. “And second, we know Gable had nothing to do with ordering up the dinner party.”