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Updates
2011 will be a great year–in less than a month is the 110th birthday of Mr. Gable! Also in March is the 100th birthday of one of Clark’s favorite leading ladies and close friends, Jean Harlow (pictured above). New and notable for the new year: Get the dish on two of Clark’s romances –with Hollywood legend Joan Crawford and fashion model Anita Colby Two new articles: one from 1942 “What the Loss of Carole Lombard Means to Clark Gable”, which, I must warn you will put a damper on your day as it is rather depressing… And “The Girl in Clark Gable’s Life” from 1944, about Clark’s early courtship with Kay. An…
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Gossip Friday: Clark Answers
From April 1940: I asked Clark Gable if he felt it dangerous to work so long in a single film such as “Gone with the Wind”. Fans forget easily. Will the role of Rhett Butler, no matter how colorful, be strong enough to hold Clark to the top, to overcome the long months of getting him on celluloid? Gable writes thus: “Rather than being dangerous to work too long in one picture, I can say from experience that it is of definite value to an actor and makes for a superior film. There is no substitute for adequate and superior preparation. ‘Gone with the Wind’ proves this. From an acting…
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Gone with the Wind hits Los Angeles
The Los Angeles premiere of Gone with the Wind was 71 years ago this very evening. Jean Garceau, Clark and Carole’s faithful secretary, attended the event with them. Here is how she described it: The theater was decorated inside and out in keeping with the background and theme of the film. Huge searchlights probed the sky, bands played, streets were roped off and uniformed attendants held back the crowds as the police permitted only those cars with passes to draw up in front of the theater. A long flower-decked canopy extended to the sidewalk and a master of ceremonies stood there to welcome the stars, announce their names over a…
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Gossip Friday: Dear Santa
Here’s a letter to a fan magazine that appeared in January 1942: Dear Santa Claus, You can leave Boyer in the foyer, Hang Fonda on the the tree, Keep Robert Stack in your bulging pack, But give Clark Gable to me. Drop he-man Brent in a windy tent, Put Flynn under lock and key, For Tyrone Power, a tinsel tower, ‘Cause Gable’s the man for me! Tops as an actor, that’s a factor, He brings both mirth and tears, A mighty fine guy, you can’t deny– And besides, I like his ears! –Marian Pehowski, Milwaukee, Wisconsin ____ Right on, Marian! Well, Clark never appeared in any Christmas films and…
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Gossip Friday: Just like Mickey
Since Mickey Rooney is TCM’s Star of the Month this month… From December 1938: Mickey Rooney’s one proud guy. He’s going around telling everyone that Clark Gable’s bought a car just like his, after a ride with Mickey. It’s true the cars are just alike–a low-priced coupe. Clark liked Mickey’s a lot, and that was a factor, he admits. But the principal reason he doesn’t use his $3,500 roadster is because he and Carole are always recognized. It’s got to the point where they even want privacy en route. _________ New this week: Pictures in the gallery I’ve got a TON of new updates for the site that I am…
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Gossip Friday: One Swell Guy
From November 1937, letter to the editor: A week ago, I was bewailing my fate because I have to live in a town where nothing ever happens and now imagine—I’ve been talking to Clark Gable! He had been fishing in Montana and, on his way back to Hollywood stopped in Twin Falls for supper and a night’s rest before continuing his trip. He is certainly one swell guy! There aren’t many stars who, after driving a car right hundred miles, and being dead tired, mosquito-bitten and hungry, would have time to share with the wide-eyed people of a little Idaho town. Mr. Gable, however, surrounded by autograph hunters, said, with…
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Gossip Friday: A Quick Trip
From February 1937: One of the shortest flights on record was Clark Gable’s trip to New York. He planned a 10-day vacation to see plays, especially “Idiot’s Delight”, which he is to do for the films. He saw “Idiot’s Delight”, but he also discovered it was the delight of his fans to mob him wherever he went. So Mr. G., disguised as an unidentified citizen, sneaked through the Holland Tunnel to Newark and grabbed a plane back to Hollywood. Incidentally, when he left for the East, the Sunday airport sightseers were treated to something a little extra when Carole Lombard handed her hero quite a demonstrative send-off. ______ New this…
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Gossip Friday: Protect Yourself
From March 1940: Snicker of the Month came the day Joan Crawford, heading back for an afternoon’s work after lunch on Strange Cargo, knocked at Clark Gable’s dressing room, with a bunch of green onions in her hand. As Clark poked his head out,s he handed him the onions with: “You’d better eat these, Clark, before that love scene we’re going to play. Because I ate some for lunch, and you may as well protect yourself.” Without an eyelash batting, Clark came back with: “Thanks, Joan, but never mind. I just had some garlic for lunch myself!” ___ New this week: Film page for It Started in Naples–64 down, 2…
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Movie of the Month: The Secret Six (1931)
The centennial of Jean Harlow’s birth is coming up in March 2011. To celebrate, the next five movies featured will be all of Clark’s movies with the legendary Miss Harlow. (But wait! You are saying–they starred in six movies together! True, but we’ve already featured Wife vs. Secretary as Movie of the Month in July) So to start with, here’s the very first of their pairings… The Secret Six, from 1931 Clark, not yet a star, was still playing second fiddle. Billed seventh, he is lagging behind Wallace Beery, Johnny Mack Brown and Lewis Stone for screen time. Not for long, as just a few months after the release of The…
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Gossip Friday: Whatever Suits Him
From May 1937: Did you know that Clark Gable likes to have his suits made a couple of sizes too large? He thinks they’re much more comfortable that way. And now it looks as though he’s talked Carole Lombard into the idea. She was recently seen swinging down the boulevard in a tailored suit that might have been built for Fieldsie. Or maybe it was just Garbo, impersonating Lombard. ____ New this week: Article: Do Hollywood Women (i.e. Lombard) Spoil Their Men (i.e. Gable)? Pictures in the gallery