-
Gossip Friday: Dad Gable
From 1948: Very little has been written about Clark Gable’s devotion to his father. Seldom, if ever, did they pose for pictures together. And all for good reason. Clark’s dad was proud of his son, but wanted no part of the spotlight. He lived close to the Gable ranch with Clark’s adored stepmother. She died recently and while Clark was in Europe, his father followed her. Clark hurried home for the funeral. There were no crowds, no clicking cameras. That was the way Dad Gable would have wanted it. During all his years in Hollywood, unless he was out of town, Clark never missed Sunday night dinner with his family.…
-
Gossip Friday: No Room for Takeoff
From April 1935: Clark Gable had his troubles when he boarded a plane at Dallas, Texas, en route for Hollywood, for a mob of his admirers, mostly women, burst through the police lines and surrounded the machine. Finally the pilot was able to get sufficient space to take off. The women certainly were frantic to see Gable.
-
Gossip Friday: Setting Sail
From October 1936: Clark Gable is in the market for a yacht, with a globe-circling cruise in mind. Hollywood rumor has it that he will purchase John Barrymore’s “Infanta”, said to be up for sale. From a reliable source, I hear that Gable’s proposed trip will be for business, as well as pleasure, and that he will be accompanied by W.S. Van Dyke, adventuring director who filed “Trader Horn” and other notable films.
-
Clark Gable’s Speech at Officer Candidate School Graduation
Clark Gable headed off to Miami to attend Officers Candidate School right after being sworn into the Army in August 1942. He finished 700th in a class of 2,500. At the graduation in October, he was persuaded (probably not willingly) to give the graduation address. Up until now, I only had a clipping of his speech, which was blurry and incomplete. Thanks to a dear fan (who has a signed original!), here is Clark’s speech in its entirety: Fellow Classmen: What’s happened to you, gentlemen? Why have you changed so much in twelve weeks? Look around you. Look at each other. What you see if a picture of discipline that did…
-
Gossip Friday: Watch This Boy!
From August 1931: Every reader of Adela Rogers St. John’s interesting Hollywood stories in New Movie [magazine] will want to see the talkie built at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios from her novel, “A Free Soul.” The story makes a very effective vehicle for Norma Shearer. The motherless Jan Ashe has been raised by her father, a hard-drinking lawyer, to do as she likes. Conventions are something to break–until she discovers that she can’t find happiness in smashing the rules of life. There’s a murder trial sequence that will surely get you. “A Free Soul” is superbly played. Miss Shearer steps further upward as the reckless Jan, Lionel Barrymore is admirable as her…
-
May Movie of the Month: Cain and Mabel (1935)
This month, Clark’s a grumbling small-time boxer in a love-hate relationship with Marion Davies’ spunky waitress-turned dancer in Cain and Mabel. Clark Gable is Larry Cain, a heavyweight boxer, whose publicity team cooks up a fake romance with Mabel O’Dare (Davies), an aspiring musical star, for publicity. The two loathe each other but begrudgingly agree to play along to help both of their careers. Of course along the way they actually do fall in love and decide to quit boxing and show business to be together. Their publicists won’t hear of it however and set to break them up. This is completely Marion’s film. She’s billed first and carries the…
-
Gossip Friday: Ladies with a Plan
From December 1936: Departing from the studio after a wardrobe fitting, Joan Bennett was mildly surprised the other day to see four sweet-faced old ladies lined up determinedly on the sidewalk by her car. It transpired that they were visiting from Buffalo, and has a three-fold purpose in their visit to Hollywood. One was afternoon tea with Miss Bennett, one a chat with Lionel Barrymore and one the autograph of Clark Gable. Touched by their ambitions, Joan provided them with tea, and, when last seen they were observed moving off in the general direction of another studio to polish off the matter of Mr. Barrymore and Mr. Gable!
-
Gossip Friday: Blind Date
From 1949: Another lavish opening was at Mocambo, when Desi Arnaz opened, and, of course, everyone who loves Lucille Ball and Desi turned out. Surprise of the evening was Clark Gable’s first date with Paulette Goddard and I think the story of how this combination came about is most amusing. A mutual friend has asked Gable to come to the opening, but Clark said he wasn’t too fond of night clubs and besides, he didn’t have a date. The friend told Clark hat he knew just the girl. She was attractive, but new to Hollywood and didn’t know anyone. If Clark didn’t mind he was sure he could fix it…
-
Gossip Friday: Left Out
From November 1936: Clark Gable and Mae West are not included in the “Who’s Who,” the American publication issued early, which lists what it considers are the important people of the United States. Clark and Mae have millions of admirers but they still are unable to be mentioned in the pages of this noted book. It is good news to learn that Garbo, Joan Crawford, Janet Gaynor and Nelson Eddy all figure in the precious volume!
-
Gossip Friday: All Wet
From January 1935: Clark Gable is well aware that the life of a movie star is not a bed of roses; but, nevertheless, he got a surprise while he was working in “Copy Cat” with Constance Bennett. The actor, according to the script, was required to make a leap into a rowboat. He obeyed instructions, but, alas, he landed so hard that his weight caused him to crash through the bottom of the boat, and there he was entangled until he was rescued. If Gable attempted the “stunt” when he was alone he undoubtedly would have been drowned. __ “Copy Cat” was After Office Hours.