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Goodbye, Mr. Gable
Clark Gable died 54 years ago today, on November 16, 1960. He was 59 years old. Here is the description of his final ten days on earth, detailed by his widow, Kay. The last day Clark spent in the house he loved began much as any other day on the ranch, except that it was raining. It was Saturday, Nov. 5, 1960. The night before, Pa had finally finished all work on The Misfits and he came home looking so worn out my heart ached for him. He talked of flying up to the duck club near Stockton for the weekend, but changed his mind. Saturday morning he looked…
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{New Article} 1961: Clark Gable’s Baby: This is a Story of Faith and Immortality
Sometimes, when I find a new article for the site, I sit down and read it, jot down some notes, and then put it in the pile to type. Other times (often when I’m backlogged!), I don’t read the article until I am actually typing it up. This article is one of those and I must say that while I was typing it I had to stop several times and re-read what I typed, shaking my head, “What the heck is the point of this article?!” I’m still not sure. Kay Gable ignored the advice of her doctor. “Your own heart’s not in such great shape, you know,” he’d said.…
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{New Article} 1955: Live Alone and Like It?
This article from 1955 is of a common theme, one that was often repeated after Carole Lombard’s death and especially since Clark divorced Sylvia Ashley: Who will be the next Mrs. Gable? Could Clark possibly be happy all alone? Clark Gable is fifty-four years old. He has been married four times. Before each of these marriages, he ardently courted the woman who was to become his wife. During this period, he steadfastly denied any matrimonial intention. Gable is currently squiring Kay Williams Spreckels, “an old friend” he has known for years. Kay recently had her former husband, Adolph Spreckels, thrown in prison for beating her up. “I’ve had enough of…
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{New Article} 1955: Clark Gable’s Haunted Love Life
This article is from August 1955 and is all about how Carole Lombard haunts his love life and pretty much dooms all his relationships. It tells what Kay Spreckels must do if she wants to overcome the ghost of Carole and settle down with Clark. By the time this magazine hit newstands, Kay was already Mrs. Gable. Far from doing anything to push Carole from his thoughts, Gable has tenderly preserved every vestige of her influence and presence. Just as one would not violate sacred religious objects, Gable has not tampered with any of the things or people in that household that were part of his life with Carole. The…
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Updates
New around here: Review on Love on the Run Behind the Scenes info on Hold Your Man A one page article about Clark joining the Army A dozen or so new pictures in the gallery, including several of Kay: See more in the gallery.
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{New Article} 1957: She Calls Him “Pappy” But She Calls Him “Darling”
This article from 1957 focuses on a Clark Gable film that’s not often mentioned, The King and Four Queens. The main reason that it is not often mentioned is that it is quite bad. It was Clark’s first and only attempt at producing and it was a flop, therefore he retreated back into his happy rabbit hole of acting only. Kay accompanied Clark to Utah for the location shoot of the film. “Well,” the slim, blonde, suntanned woman asked Barbara Nichols, “what do you think of my old man?” “Do you really want me to tell you?” asked Barbara. The woman before her stiffened. Her blue eyes frosted over. “Why,…
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{New Article} 1961: The Secret Clark Gable and Kay Never Shared
Obviously, if you take a gander at the Article Archive, I am a vintage magazine junkie. I scour Ebay and antique stores and love nothing more than when I find some obscure Gable candid or article nestled in the yellowing pages of a seventy year old magazine. Most of my magazines are from the 1930’s. Clark was top dog then and I know that I can snatch up any magazine, any issue, any year from about 1934-1941 and they’ll be at least one picture, gossip items and, if I’m lucky, an article. By the time Clark returned from war, after the initial “he’s back!” hubbub, the coverage of him lessened…
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{Photos} New in the Gallery Today
There are 40 new photos in the gallery today, some candids, some from films, including: See all the latest uploads in the gallery. Registration required. Next Wednesday: New photos of Clark Gable and Carole Lombard!
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{New Article} 1961: Clark Gable as I Knew Him
I’ve had this magazine for years and years. I never posted this article in the archive on the site because it is just an abridged version of Kathleen Williams’ book, Clark Gable: A Personal Portrait, so I figured it wasn’t necessary. Recently, I have had quite a few people email me and ask me if I knew where they can find the book, as it is out of print (Ebay and Amazon usually have copies). So I figured it would be worthwhile to put up this article so everyone could at least read the abridged version if they can’t get their hands on a copy. I turned down the first invitation…
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Hollywood Loses its King
“No one, not even Brando, has ever approached Gable. He’s the king–and he always will be.” ~Joan Crawford Clark Gable died of a heart attack 51 years ago today, at Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital. Clark Gable, All-Time King of Movie Stars, Dies of Heart Attack by James Bacon HOLLYWOOD–Clark Gable, the greatest movie star of them all, dropped his head back on a pillow late Wednesday and died of a heart attack. The end came so fast that his doctor said there was no pain–just a few gasps. A few seconds before he had been asleep. A nurse in his room heard the gasps and shouted across the hall to Mrs.…