Judy Lewis, 1935-2011
Judy Lewis, the daughter of Clark Gable, and Loretta Young, died Friday, November 25, of cancer in Pennslyvania.
Read the New York Times article on her death here.
Judy was concieved during the freezing Washington location shoot for Call of the Wild. Loretta maintained that there had not been a big love affair between her and Clark, just that they were mutually attracted to each other and one night her “iron will slipped.”
Loretta realized she was pregnant during the filming of her next picture, The Crusades, directed by Cecil B. DeMille. This was crushing news. Not only did she feel ashamed by her actions, she had violated the morals clause in her contract and would be immediately fired and a Hollywood outcast if her pregnancy was discovered. She would be an unemployed, unwed mother. Strong in her Catholic beliefs, abortion was not even considered by Loretta. There are many articles in fan magazines from 1935 detailing Loretta’s “mysterious illness.” Reporters visited her home and saw her in bed, covered in heavy blankets. When the pregnancy became too obvious to hide, Loretta and her mother took off to Europe for a much-publicized “vacation” in Europe.
When the birth was imminent, they returned to the US and lived secretly in a rental home that Loretta’s mother owned. Loretta stayed indoors and only ventured out at night for walks.
Judy was born in that home with only a doctor and her grandmother present, on November 6, 1935. On a publicity tour for Mutiny on the Bounty, Clark received an unsigned telegram telling him his child had arrived safely, blonde and blue-eyed.
Little Judy stayed at home with a nurse at first, then was placed in an orphanage until the time came when it seemed appropriate for her to be “adopted” by Judy. Loretta later said, “Judy was my baby, I loved her, and I knew I’d have enough angels around me, my mother and sisters, so that we could take care of her properly and give her a good life…I didn’t have a father, and I got along fine. I believed Judy would too.” At the time of the “adoption”, it was announced to the press that Loretta was adopting two toddler girls, Judy and Jane. Then later it was announced that Jane’s family decided to raise her instead, so only Judy would remain in the Young household. It seems “Jane” never existed. I don’t know why that story was spun. Judy’s age was also adjusted to make her older so that no one could put together the timing of her birth and of Loretta’s mystery illness. The press never dug into the fact that in California law at that time it was illegal for a single woman to be an adopted parent.
It’s amazing how the press protected the stars in those days. Certainly those reporters visiting Loretta and reporting of her illness and her trip to Europe suspected the truth. Certainly there were numerous people at the foundling home where Judy was placed who knew the truth. And apparently around Hollywood everyone knew too, but no one said anything. I can’t help but be amazed that the public never put two and two together. Judy is the absolute SPITTING IMAGE of Loretta. Their facial structure is nearly identical. I do see a bit of Clark around the eyes. And Judy was born with those ears, as well—a dead giveaway to her parentage if ever there was one! Which is why Loretta ordered her nannies to keep a bonnet on her at all times. Later on, Judy had reconstructive surgery to pin her ears back.
Judy was raised as Loretta’s adoptive daughter, while Loretta went on to have two sons with her husband Tom Lewis (and Judy took on that surname as well.) It wasn’t until Judy was about to get married that her fiancé told her that it was pretty much common knowledge that she was the biological daughter of Loretta and Clark. Judy said she had always kind of known in the back of her mind that Loretta was really her mother. She would not confront her mother with these facts until many years later, when Clark was long dead. Loretta confessed the truth to her daughter and was very angry when in 1994, Judy published an autobiography titled Uncommon Knowledge that detailed all her mother had confessed to her. They were estranged for several years afterward, making amends finally before Loretta died in 2000. When the press asked her for a statement after Judy’s book was published, Loretta’s reply was always, “No comment.”
People always wonder if Carole knew. I am inclined to say that indeed she did. Whether her and Clark ever discussed it is anyone’s guess. I can imagine it being a source of frustration for Carole when she had trouble conceiving a child.
Judy said in an interview she had dinner with Clark and Kay’s son, John Clark Gable, twice in the 1990’s. But afterward he refused to submit to DNA testing to support her claim and cited that in his father’s will he said he had no children at the time of his death and that his father’s word was good enough for him.
Through this website and my research, I have attempted to get inside Clark’s brain, so to speak, to dissect the man. The whole Loretta Young-Judy Lewis situation is the one puzzle piece that just doesn’t fit his personality. Many Clark detractors like to go on and on how he abandoned his child and his responsibility and left Loretta to the burden. That isn’t really fair. It is hard to comprehend the panic and fear that both Clark and Loretta must have felt in these days when, as I am writing this, the top story on People.com is that some reality “star” is having her second child out of wedlock. These things aren’t covered up nowadays, they are celebrated. If Loretta’s pregnancy had been discovered, Clark and Loretta would have been Hollywood outcasts—both of their careers over and done with, no doubt about it. Clark was summoned to meet with Loretta and her mother, Gladys, where he was told of the situation. His initial reaction was one of panic. “She was a married woman—I thought she knew how to take care of herself,” he reportedly said. “Take care of herself” meaning handling the birth control aspect, I suppose. After that, he did call Loretta and tried to see her. She pushed him away, ignoring his calls and refusing to see him. He left Ria, finally, and moved into the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. I honestly do believe that if he had not been married to Ria, he would have done the “right thing” and married Loretta, even though I don’t think he was in love with her. But he couldn’t marry her. It would have taken at least a year to get a divorce decree from Ria and that was time that they didn’t have I don’t think he would have hesitated to do the honorable thing and make Loretta his wife if he could have. Can you imagine? I have wondered how that would have turned out. At least little Judy would have known all along who her parents were, and then Clark could have experienced being a father. He was essentially robbed of that experience twice in life.
It is possible that Clark questioned the paternity, as well. A lot of people want to blame “womanizer” Clark for “seducing poor innocent Loretta” but that is hardly the case. Loretta was involved in a lengthy, heated affair with the married Spencer Tracy that ended shortly before she began filming on Call of the Wild. So it is possible that Clark suspected he wasn’t the father. Back before DNA testing, he only had Loretta’s word to go on. I’ve received emails from people about the Loretta page on this website, questioning Judy’s paternity and the legitimacy of the story, even to this day.
I don’t know why Clark never gave Loretta any money. I don’t know why he never tried to see Judy, even later in her life when she was an adult. I don’t know why Clark and Kay turned down the invitation to Judy’s wedding. Clark loved children and it seems very unlike him to turn his back on his own flesh and blood. My best guess is fear. Clark was always insecure about the public’s opinion and I think he was just too afraid. I don’t think that’s a grand excuse by any means, but that seems to be the case. Loretta and Judy were estranged for several years after Judy wrote her autobiography detailing her parentage, as Loretta was still so ashamed of her actions, even 50 years later.
It is a shame that Judy was denied by both her parents for most of her life. But I must say that she appeared to be a woman of both compassion and grace. An accomplished psychologist and author, she worked an actress and television writer as well, raising her one daughter. Despite never being acknowledged by him, Judy attended events at the Clark Gable Museum in Cadiz, Clark’s 100th birthday celebration in Los Angeles in 2001, and did interviews about him in documentaries. She never came across as bitter, just as a woman who struggled to know who she was and was thankful to finally have an answer.
Rest in peace, Judy. And as I said on the Facebook page yesterday, I hope you and Clark can have that long-overdue father-daughter chat now.
Here is Judy talking about Clark in a documentary in the 90’s:
This is a lovely video tribute to Judy from her brothers Peter and Chris, featuring home movies:
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13 Comments
june
What a marvelous job you did with this story! I am indeed proud to say I know you.
Did you happen to meet John Clark while out West? I pressed him to try and “locate you.” He seems more private than his dad.
Vincent
A tribute to a good lady who overcame this impossible situation and made the best of her life; if she ever felt any bitterness, she was wise enough to keep it to herself. And I’m happy that Loretta finally admitted the truth about what happened, painful as it must have been.
Java
Very interesting story and well-written. I’d heard rumors of this tale but never pursued it. Ms. Young always seemed the ice queen of movie stars; the story of motherhood out of wedlock seemed incongruous with her carefully-crafted public life, so I paid little heed.
But throw Clark Gable into the mix and you can easily imagine that her “iron will slipped.”
Best,
Java
admin
Thank you Vincent and thank you, Java!
Thanks June! No, I haven’t contacted John Clark; I just assume he wants to be left alone.
DeeLee
I think Loretta simply pushed Clark Gable away enough times he stopped trying to rectify the situation. It seems at the start he made several efforts to call Loretta and wanted to talk, but she told him to leave her alone. I’ve known people like her, who mask their shame and put on an ultra-pious persona. They are perfectionists, and that describes Loretta Young. Later, after Judy was born, he was permitted to see her. “He could not stop touching and holding her”. Loretta informed Clark that he could deposit money into an account, and yet he was being denied any right to have a relationship with his daughter. I believe Loretta hurt him deeply.
I think his response after that was very much in keeping with his personality: Don’t write me out and then expect money.
From then on, he stood his ground, for having been denied, he would deny in return.
The result though is a very sad story of a little girl who needed the validation of knowing her parents loved her. I’m glad Judy had enough strength and courage to accept herself, accept the things she couldn’t change, to declare who she was and to be proud of her own life.
Janet
Shame? What shame prevented her from telling the truth? Shame for having affairs with married men while being married? Shame for leaving her baby daughter for almost two years? Shame for being so vain she had her ears operated on at age 7? These stories seem filled with rumors and hearsay. Judy looks more like Spencer Tracys daughter than Clarks. The shame would have been far less having Gables child because he never appeared to try and hide any of his affairs -the shame would have been less after he died to blame it on him as well. I think there was some greater shame in this story than an affair and an out of wedlock child with Clark Gable -too many things dont make sense. The shame may simply be a mother who cared more for her career than her child.
Meredith
My comment is not meant to sound offensive but it is regarding sensitive issues and I realize it may be taken as such.
Lewis looks more like Spencer Tracy or Jack Oakie or even James Bacon, here, in the clip of the interview over “The Call of the Wild” than she does Gable. Heck… She doesn’t even look much like Loretta either, for that matter. Seems Loretta was a bit of a ‘tart’… and it is likely, even she, didn’t know who the father was? My guess is… someone picked the best known and handsome one of the lot to stake their claim on… not that it had any credibility, but the most respectability. Spencer Tracy’s ears weren’t exactly small compared to Gable’s. And Tracy’s indiscretion would have had an even bigger impact on his personal life than a hit on Gable’s would have.
Is it possible that Loretta Young wasn’t even the mother??? Maybe Loretta’s child died… hence the ‘illness’ and quickly sought out a child to fill the huge void such a loss can leave. Someone to shower that love on. Seems to me… she doesn’t look much like any of these people. Maybe she WAS adopted… fair and square and her mother thought and saw fit to tell her, all along, that she belonged to her and was her legitimate daughter, because that is exactly as she saw it and wanted her not to believe anything less. That has been known to happen you know.
Was a DNA test ever done? And if not then… Why not now, to stifle all the rumors, gossip, doubt and let the truth prevail once and for all. Insead folks would rather perpetuate the mystery rather than solve it. Not exactly an example of someone who is confident of the truth or is plagued by a desire for credibility and legitimacy. John Clark looks nothing like him either.
And if the story IS true that Judy once approached John to compare DNA ‘swatches’… His may, easily, have been up the same illegitimate ally as Judy’s. Judy’s mother, Loretta, claimed the ‘event’ involving Judy meeting Mr. Gable (Judy sites in the above clip) never even happened.
With so many ????s looming in the air, one’s natural inclination is to dispel them. But alas… not a big concern. Why? Because I suspect… they don’t really want to know the answer and prefer what they are going with over all the other more seedy and less glamorous possibilities. Only new questions would emerge as a result and who is alive who could be asked and actually have the answers to those, at this point?
People have been known to lie to protect themselves and those they love. Either for selfish reasons or unselfish ones… sometimes for both. People (especially actors) have been WIDELY known to create a false persona and perpetuate it, in spite of the realities. I mean it’s not really a stretch to believe this is all a made up story (just who made it up… doesn’t matter) Point being… I find it hard to believe that Judy Lewis is Gable’s daughter. And as for her ears… Loretta covered her ears all the time too.
Toss those thoughts in with…. Things that make you say… “Hmmm?”
In the end… The real point is… was she loved? She sure seemed to be, looking at her family’s loving tribute to her. In those old home movies?… She looks pretty darned happy, no matter who the father (or mother for that matter) really is.
mary whittaker
I really cannot believe anyone would seriously dispute the fact that this woman was Clark Gable’s daughter. It’s a shame that her father did absolutely nothing to recognize her…. Yes; I understand the issues of the day and that her mother pushed him away…but JEEZ – just a letter if not some kind of acknowledgement as adults would have meant the world to her. Clark’s “real” son is an ass for continuing the rejection this poor woman endured. Afraid she wanted money or something, John Clark?! What an amazing and incredible story of how her birth was hidden with the involvement of so many people – and kept a secret from Judy for years.
Oh how I wish Clark had lived longer and that Judy gained the strength to confront him – now THAT would have made for an incredibly interesting story. My hope is that he would have welcomed her with open arms and explained that he didn’t dare approach her in respect of her mother’s wishes to keep the truth hidden..
He never knew his daughter by circumstances and choices – he never knew his son by early death – he lost the “love” of his life due in no small part to his own actions (affair with Lana Turner that made her push her way onto that plane)….. sad
Carolinka
Did Judy die of breast cancer? I am doing a study of what emotions can possibly cause certain cancers. Please try ti find out for me! Thanks! Carolinka
admin
I believe it was bone cancer.
Claire Leister
I’m sorry, but Judy looks EXACTLY like her father, Clark Gable! Not just “crinkles around the eyes” Her smile, the one sloe eye that he had, and describes in her book, and yes, the eyes. Just as she looks exactly like her dad, the son, John Clark Gable, looks NOTHING like him!
e. b.
As a teenager I was crazy about Clark Gable, had his pictures all over my bedroom walls!
Never heard anything about all the gossip mongers stories about Mr. Gable, his affairs with
Loretta Young (who was also beautiful, a wonderful actress) and other women. None of that
seemed to matter to a teen-crazy gal who was just crazy over him! Why do these stories have
to come out longgggggggggggggg after these stars pass away, why try to smear the images of
some wonderful actors who were just lucky enough to become movie stars, give millions of
ordinary people such laughter, joy, fun to “imagine” being on the arm of a Clark Gable or of a
star like Loretta Young!
Clark Gable lived in Tucson, AZ for a while after the great loss of his wife, actress Carole Lombard due to a horrific airplane crash. He grieved at his home here for a very long time, thankfully, was never bothered by anyone while here during that tragic time. I heard years ago that the home where Mr. Gable lived, in mid-town, has NEVER been sold and find that a wonderful tribute to the
memory and love people had for Mr. Gable as a famous movie star, but more than that as a man….
June Ferris
Hello, again! Now I remember your wonderful article, difficult to write so fairly. Still an interesting story, primarily about who and what this adored man was. I do appreciate the positive comments about Mr. Gable, above. I have always believed there was a genuine goodness in him, thus anyone would be proud to call him Father.