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Gossip Friday: Two Rodeo Clowns
From January 1940: Funniest sight of the month–Watching Clark Gable and Andy Devine playing cowboy at Andy’s San Fernando ranch. Any day, now, when these two screen worthies aren’t working before the cameras you can see them astride a pair of giddyapps, running here, there and about everywhere, across the broad acres of the Devine rancho vainly trying to rope a bunch of fleet-footed white-face calves. the last private rodeo ended in a startling manner when Clark tossed his lariat around Andy’s shoulders by mistake and jerked the rotund owner of Rancho Pauncho to the ground. At least Clark says it was a mistake. He hasn’t convinced Andy, however, who…
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Gossip Friday: Happy Birthday, Myrna Loy! From Kingfish
Today marks the 108th birthday of one of Clark Gable’s dear friends and frequent co-stars, Myrna Loy. Their friendship was sweet and yes, platonic. At their first meeting at a party in 1933, they danced to “Dancing in the Dark.” She said later in her life that every time she heard that song she thought of him. He made a pass on her that night when he walked her to her front door. She was flabbergasted that he would try anything when his wife (Ria) was in the car at the curb a few feet away and so she pushed him off the porch into the bushes. Clark turned out to…
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Gossip Friday: Mrs. Gable Out of the Shadows
From April 1932: When a crowd at the last opening caught sight of Clark Gable descending from a car, they raised a shout not unlike that which greeted the Trojans after their triumphant return after defeating Notre Dame. Clark, good naturedly, took a bow while his companion waited in the shadow. “We want Mrs. Gable too!” the crowd shouted. It was then that Clark gave the retort courteous. Taking his wife’s hand, he led her out under the blaze of the arc lights. “Let me introduce you all,” said he, “to Mrs. Gable.”
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Gossip Friday: Splitsville for Mr. and Mrs. G?
From May 1932: An air gossiper recently started the rumor that the Clark Gables were about to get a divorce. Immediately the studio publicity department was overwhelmed with phone calls. Whether true or not immediately after the rumor started Mr. and Mrs. Gable were seen together conspiciously at a restaurant popular with movie stars and at the opening of the musical show. It is said that their apartment in a fashionable apartment house is the object of so much curiousity, and with so many peering eyes and listening ears that the Gables have decided to move out and into a house of their own to prevent surveillance.
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{New Article} 1935: Into a White Hell For You
Yes, that is actually the title of this article! It is about the horrendous working conditions the cast and crew faced on Washington state location shoot for Call of the Wild. Most of it is a brief interview with Loretta Young: “Nobody expects to believe that a pampered film player ever is exposed to real hardships,” Loretta told me, “but if you could have seen what we went through–! It was no press agent’s dream, the rigors of that location trip. “It might not have been so difficult for me had I been accustomed to cold. Although I was born in Salt Lake City, where winter is frigid enough, I was brought…
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{New Article} 1941: Why Clark Gable is Today’s Topic for Gossip
This article (along with this image of Clark on the cover of the magazine) appeared in December 1941. 1941 being a year of peace for Clark, for the most part. Clark and Carole were happily settled in the ranch, trying to have a baby. Life was more calm. Up until the following month, of course. The premise of this article is one that is usually used for Carole: to talk about how Clark has gone into hiding. William H. Gable, a plain man from Ohio, had a birthday the other week. His son Clark had given him a little car to use on hunting and fishing expeditions and Gable, Sr.,…
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Gossip Friday: Starring Gable and Swanson?
From November 1934: Clark Gable, the Hollywood marine who comes to the rescue of lady stars who want good strong support, will ogle Gloria Swanson in her first MGM picture, which won’t be Madame Glyn’s “Riff -Raff” (which will probably get a new title). ___ Interesting that Clark was considered as a co-star for Gloria Swanson! Imagine! And “Riff-Raff” was made with Spencer Tracy and Jean Harlow.
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July Movie of the Month: Parnell (1937)
In July, for the month that celebrates the anniversary of this website, I always select an important Clark Gable film–one that is a highlight in his career for one reason or another. This year I don’t think that Clark would agree with my choice! It is his much-maligned effort to portray a soft spoken Irishman in Parnell. In this historical melodrama, Gable is Charles Stewart Parnell, an 1880′s Irish politician dubbed “The Uncrowned King of Ireland” for fighting for Irish freedom from British rule. The British trump up false charges against him to try and keep his efforts down but are unsuccessful. But then Parnell falls in love with Katie O’Shea (Myrna Loy),…
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Gossip Friday: Bets on Garbo
From September 1931: Bets are two ways on Clark Gable, leading man for the Northern Light. There are those who say he will fall for the enigmatic Garbo and those who say he won’t. So far he has not suffered any pulse accelerations from his feminine embraces, including Joan Crawford, Norma Shearer, Jean Harlow. Garbo, however, is different. Clark wore a white turtle-necked sweater (a favorite type of sports garment with Garbo) into the MGM commissary and three enthusiasts put their money on Garbo to win. During the heat of betting he was busy re-marrying his second wife, to make the wedding valid in California, a minor fact blissfully ignored by…
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We’re Four!
Hard to believe, but this site is four years old today! I feel like I just wrote last year’s anniversary post. There are now over 150 articles on the site, ver 11,000 pictures in the gallery and weeks and weeks of Gossip Fridays! I am forever indebted to the fantastic Clark Gable fans that I interact with on a daily basis. Sometimes, out here on the internet, you wonder if anyone is listening. Sometimes while I’m organizing photos, typing a 3,000 word article, compiling and tagging stacks of fan magazines, I wonder if anyone cares. And it is all of you who tell me that yes, yes you do indeed!…