Gossip Friday: You’re Invited to the Gables

From April 1941:

If Carole Lombard calls you on the phone and tells you that she and Clark Gable would like to have you come up to their San Fernando ranch for dinner, by all means don’t get yourself all gussied up. When the Gables are at home, informality is the law. Clark likes to loaf around in gray slacks without any semblance of a press. Carole, while always smartly dressed, still gets a big kick out of being garbed like a rancher’s wife.

Don’t tell Clark he’s a great actor. He’ll think you’re kidding him. Do suggest seeing his newest car. He’s like a little boy about automobiles and personally loves to demonstrate every gadget on his jalopy.

Don’t try to wire-crack Carole. The chances are she’ll be way ahead of you. Don’t make high-hat remarks about screen old-timers, because that’s exactly what Carole is. She’s a graduate of the Mack Sennett bathing beauties’ school and she loves the Hollywood that was. Do ask her about her oranges. She and Clark spend thousands of dollars every year to labor and bring forth an orange crop worth hundreds. She’s up on the latest mash feeds for baby chicks. She gets as great pleasure out of playing at being a farmer’s wife as Marie Antoinette did at playing a milkmaid at her little palace near Versailles.

Don’t worry about mentioning “Parnell” to Clark. He used to be touchy about it, but he’s been kidded for so long that he doesn’t mind it. That was his only serious flop which is not a bad record for the years he has been on top. Don’t call Gable “The Moose.” Only Carole can get away with that. Do talk about guns, hunting and Mexican safaris to them both. They will love it and keep you up til four in the morning recounting their favorite hunting stories.