• Photos

    1936: A Hollywood Psychic Predicts Clark Gable and Carole Lombard’s Future

    Featured in Screen Guide magazine in November 1936, here is one of those wacky articles that could only come from the 1930’s–a psychic tells you what will become of Hollywood’s great couples! “The Future of Ten Hollywood Romances as Predicted by Wanda, One of Hollywood’s Most Famous Seers” The ten blazingest Hollywood romances! How will the end? Marriage? Split up? This story tells. In presenting this remarkable set of predictions, I have kept in mind that my readers’ interest in the stars is no fleeting thing. You will be amazed as time goes on, to note the accuracy of Wanda’s readings. She has built for herself a tremendous following among…

  • Photos

    {Photos} Clark Gable and Carole Lombard at the Midget Races in 1936

    As Clark Gable and Carole Lombard fans know, they starred together in 1932’s No Man of Her Own, got into an altercation at Jock Whitney’s Nervous Breakdown Party in 1936 which ended in a game of tennis, then sparks flew at the Mayfair Ball a few weeks later. She infamously gave him a painted Model T that Valentine’s Day and so a legendary Hollywood romance was born. They could only dodge the rumors for so long and in April, they were finally photographed out together as a couple. At a fancy premiere? A dazzling dinner party? Nope, these two were at the midget auto races at Gilmore Stadium in Los…

  • Gossip

    Gossip Friday: Quite a Scare

    From December 1937: Clark Gable and Carole Lombard had quite a scare recently when they thought that gangsters were following them. As the couple drove off from Carole’s home they noticed that they were followed by a car which had been parked near the star’s home. The mysterious motorists several times drove by Gable’s car, and the occupants, two young men, stared at the celebrities.  Gable stepped on the petrol, and outdistanced the strangers. He had taken the precaution of noting the license number of the other car, which was reported to the police. The mystery was soon cleared up. The car was owned by a Glendale youth, of excellent…

  • Anniversary

    Happy Birthday, Carole Lombard!

    Happy Birthday to dear Carole Lombard Gable, born today in 1908! I don’t think anyone has ever questioned why Clark Gable would fall for Carole. After all, who else but Carole… Looks adorable while putting on waders? And hunting gear? But yet can doll up and be the most glamorous woman in Hollywood? Stays very friendly with her ex-husband? Makes everyone laugh, even David Selznick? Beats up Robert Montgomery with roses? Makes no apologies for how much she loves her dogs? And goats? And horses? And chickens? Jumps fences in pajamas? Even makes a goofball out of Charles Laughton? Looks pretty no matter what face she makes? Made Clark Gable…

  • Gossip

    Gossip Friday: Carole Strikes Again

    From December 1936: Hollywood seems to spend most of its spare time practical joking. When Clark Gable arrived at a radio studio the other night to play George Washington in an air version of Valley Forge, he found his dressing room littered with cherry trees and miniature axes, while on the mirror was a sign proclaiming him the “Father of His Country.” It was suspected to be the work of Carole Lombard. Gable retorted by sending her a sixpenny pop-gun for her birthday.

  • News Clippings

    {In the News} The Final Years of Kay Williams 1965-1983

    Here is our final installment of the Kay Williams news clippings series. The other installments:  Clark Gable Marries Kay Spreckels 1955-1960 Kay Williams Divorces Adolph Spreckels, Dates Clark Gable Again 1951-1954 Kay Williams Marries Adolph Spreckels 1945-1951 Kay Williams Dates Clark Gable (For The First Time) 1944-1945 Kay Williams 1937-1943 We pick up in 1965. April 19, 1965: Los Angeles–On the flickering screen was the happiest marriage of casting and character, plot and player, in the long history of motion pictures. The handsome, muscular man who played the renegade Confederate blockage runner seemed less an actor than the real article. In short, it was hard to tell where Clark Gable…

  • News Clippings

    {In The News} Newly Widowed Kay Williams 1961-1963

    We last left Clark Gable and Kay Williams Gable in late 1960. Clark died on November 16, 1960, and I am skipping over all the coverage of his illness and death as I have covered that before and it would get redundant–the subject at hand is Kay. You can read about Clark’s death and funeral here. So let’s pick up in January 1961, when Kay is newly widowed and an expectant mother. January 15, 1961: Gable’s Widow Gets Allowance Los Angeles–Clark Gable’s widow has a $5,000 monthly allowance from the actor’s estate to meet family expenses. The petition of former actress Kay Williams for this sum was approved in Superior…

  • Gossip

    Gossip Friday: Ready to Sail

    From 1948: When Clark Gable departed for his European vacation, the studio gang, who lunch with him daily, really gave him a send-off. They all wore sailor caps to the table. Clark’s place was banked with seasick remedies, water wings and one of those new envelope-sized French bathing suits. The one thing we know he didn’t take along with him, was a book titled “What Every Young Man Should Know!”

  • News Clippings

    {In The News} Clark Gable Marries Kay Spreckels 1955-1960

      We pick up from our last installment and head into 1955, the year Clark and Kay married. January 3, 1955: Clark Gable Denies Kay Spreckels Romance Hollywood–Actor Clark Gable today denied rumors circulating in Hollywood that he plans to marry Kay Williams Spreckels, former wife of sugar heir Adolph B. Spreckels II. “There is absolutely nothing to it,” Gable said. “Kay and I have been friends for 15 years and that’s all.” Mrs. Spreckels also denied the report. Same date: Filmland Waits Gable’s Return To Find Out Whether He Eloped Hollywood awaited Clark Gable’s return to work on his current picture “Soldier of Fortune” today to find out whether…