{New Article} 1933: Behind the Scenes with Jean and Clark

I was ecstatic to find this article because I love Clark Gable and Jean Harlow together, on screen and off, and Hold Your Man is my favorite film of theirs. So what could be better than a behind the scenes piece, written by Anita Loos herself, the author of Hold Your Man?

One morning Jean was late in making her appearance on the stage. I happened to be there and Clark was plainly concerned.

“I am worried for fear Jean’s sick,” he said. “She’s never late unless something’s wrong. Do you know,” he continued, “I can’t understand how that tiny kid stands up under such strenuous work. She only weighs one hundred and nine pounds, but she seems to have the endurance of a prize-fighter. She is a brave little trooper—and can she act? Say, she sets a pace for me that keeps me on my toes every minute

She anticipates every move and –halfway. When it comes to weighing dramatic values, Jean’s scales need no adjusting. She ought to be a source of delight to directors—I know she is to Sam Wood. Sam says she is a mind-reader and kidnaps his thoughts before he can express them. Gee, I hope the kid isn’t sick!” And Clark heaved a genuine sigh.

I looked up over Clark’s shoulder. Tiptoeing toward us came Jean, forefinger to her lips.

While his back was turned toward her, Clark glimpsed her approach out of the tail of his eye but showed no indication that he was aware of her presence. He resumed conversation in a louder tone.

“The trouble with Harlow is that she’s mean. She plays her own stuff for all it’s worth but she certainly crabs my best scenes.  I can’t call her down because she is a woman, but some day I’ll forget myself. Have you noticed her sitting around with her shoes off? Well, she does that because she can’t think without twiddling her toes, Her brains are in her feet.”

Jean stopped and listened.

“And what about a dame that can’t live without a gramophone going?” Clark continued. “Besides this one on the set she has one in her dressing room and three in her house with radio attachments. She lays the record of ‘Night and Day’ day and night—until I’m going nuts. Thinks she can crab my performance! Huh! The poor sap—she doesn’t seem to realize that if I don’t give a good performance in this picture there won’t be anything for the audience to see.”

At this point Jean confronted her traducer, and with hands on her hips. “My pal!” she remarked.

Feigning surprise, Clark jumped to his feet. “Well, well, how’s my little chromium blonde this morning? I was worried about you being late.”

“You big Ohio hillbilly!” blazed Jean. “I heard what you said behind my back!”

“Well, did you ever hear that old crack about eavesdroppers never hearing any good of themselves?” he asked.

The he-man of the films dodged just in time to miss Jean’s beach slipper as he fled.

Adorable! Clark and Jean really did have a close friendship and despite what is sometimes said, I never have believed there was any sort of romance or sexual relationship between them at all. They were like brother and sister.

 

“What a man, what a man!” grinned Jean as he left. “He razzes me every minute in hopes of getting my goat—and sometimes he does. In a big hot love scene the other day, he whispered, ‘Jean, you’ve got your eyebrows on upside down.’ So I ups to him and said I could hardly wait for him to grow old and gray as I was just crazy about Gray Gables. If he will go in for ancient wheezes, I can not only take ‘em—but I can hand ‘em right back.”

“Do you like working with Clark?” I asked.

“Well, I should say I do! I am never the least bit nervous with him. He is so sure—and dependable. All the time.”

“What would you think of Clark as a lover? I asked.

“He’d be great,” said Jean without any hesitation. “The type that doesn’t always want to be mooshing about with you. But if you did get sentimental he’d break down and meet you halfway. However, he’s in love with his wife and my big yen at the moment is for a Duesenberg car, so I don’t think we’ll get together this year.”

At this instant up hove Clark.

“Well,” said Jean loudly, “now I’ll have to be pawed over by that big lummox Gable for an hour. If I get a chance I’ll bite his ear off!”

You can read the article in its entirety in The Article Archive.