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{New Article} 1939: The Clark Gables at Home
What we have here is a largely fictional article written to prove that Clark Gable and Carole Lombard had a simple home life–just like you do, the American public! When Clark and Carole bought that ranch and set up their home miles from Hollywood, spending time feeding chickens and mowing grass rather than attending premieres, the studio publicity depts and fan magazines decided to just play that up. So what you find are endless amounts of articles about their rustic domestic tranquility. This one is written by “Liza,” one of those first-name-only fan magazine writers that is probably not a real person. Nonetheless, it’s a cute little article: I drove…
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October Movie of the Month: Manhattan Melodrama (1934)
This month, Clark Gable is doin’ what he does best as the fast talkin’ rogue, Myrna Loy is his lady and William Powell is his conscience in Manhattan Melodrama. Gable is Blackie Gallagher, a gambling, gun-slinging gangster, who remains best friends with his childhood pal, Jim Wade (Powell), an ambitious lawyer. Blackie’s girl, Eleanor (Loy) grows tired of the shady side of life and soon falls in love with Jim and marries him. Jim is promoted to district attorney and starts a campaign to become New York’s next governor. When a blackmailer threatens Jim’s campaign, Blackie decides to handle the situation himself and kills the man. On trial, Jim has no…
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{Ohio} Akron, Where Clark Gable Caught the Acting Bug
In 1918, Clark Gable grew bored with farm life in rural Palmyra and was intrigued by the rubber tire boom happening in nearby Akron. Against his father’s wishes, he dropped out of school and headed there to start anew. Clark worked as an office clerk in the Firestone plant before moving to the Miller Tire and Rubber Company. He rented a room from a couple on Steiner Avenue, a short walk from work. Here’s what Steiner Avenue looks like today…not exactly an area we felt safe hanging out in for a long period of time: One night after work at the factory, Clark went to The Akron Music Hall and…
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Gone with the Wednesday: Carole Lombard O’Hara
Since it’s time for another Gone with the Wednesday and it’s the end of Carole Lombard month, let’s combine the two! Carole Lombard was a warm-blooded female in the 1930’s, which means she read Gone with the Wind and dreamed of playing Scarlett. Carole was so enamored with the idea that she appealed to everyone’s first choice for Rhett Butler—Clark Gable, naturally. Before they were romantically involved, she reportedly sent him a copy of the book with a note that said, “Let’s do it! Carole.” Clark promptly called her up for a date, thinking it was a proposition of a different sort. When it turned out not to be, that…
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Carole Lombard Top 5
Of course an interest in Clark Gable and his films often comes hand in hand with an interest in Carole Lombard and then her films. I am asked sometimes to recommend Carole Lombard books and films. As far as books go, the definitive Carole Lombard biography has yet to be written. “Gable and Lombard” by Warren Harris is good on both of them (just avoid the horrible film of the same name). “Screwball” by Larry Swindell isn’t horrible but is not very appealing to Gable fans as Swindell does not bother to hide his personal dislike of Clark, for whatever reason. Also there is a lot missing, probably because it…
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Gossip Friday: Gone Garbo
From November 1936: Guess who really has gone Garbo on us in a big way? It’s none other than our own party-loving Carole Lombard, who hasn’t been seen out publicly in many a day. What’s more, Carole doesn’t want one single word printed about her romance with Clark Gable. Her close friends say it is still going on and much more serious than Carole wants the world to believe. And it was only yesterday that wild horses couldn’t have kept Carole home for an evening. It must be love.
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Gone with the Wednesday: New Books and The Wind in Texas
As we head towards the end of the year, there’s more Gone with the Wind-related events happening! Ruth’s Journey, an authorized prequel of sorts to GWTW that focuses on Mammy’s life (Yes, apparently her name was Ruth?!) has been released. It was written by Donald McCaig, who also wrote Rhett Butler’s People a few years ago. This new book doesn’t seem to sit well with diehard GWTW fans. I haven’t read it yet (frankly don’t know if I will at all) but Kendra over at vivandlarry.com did. The Scarlett Letters: The Making of the Film Gone with the Wind has just been released as well. It’s by John Wiley Jr.,…
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{Ohio} Palmyra, Where Clark Gable Lived
In 1917, Clark’s father Bill Gable packed up his family and moved from the little town of Hopedale north 50 miles to the rural outskirts of Ravenna, Palmyrna Township. The area is still very rural and quaint, with houses far apart and cows and horses visible from every yard. Here is Alliance Rd, where the Gables moved to: And here is the house, modernized and added on to, but still standing! Clark was not happy in Palmyra and missed all his friends from Hopedale. He attended Edinburgh High School, which has since burned down, but a new school was built in its place: In 1920, Clark traveled back to…
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Clark Gable, Carole Lombard and the Bracelet that Raises Questions
Back in the days before internet, before the “IT” couple of the moment is photographed everywhere from airports to grocery stores and gas stations, it wasn’t exactly easy to pinpoint the when, why and where of celebrity romances. Gable and Lombard were no different. As any Clark Gable and Carole Lombard fan knows, the much-publicized place of their first romantic spark was the Mayfair Ball in February 1936. But is that true? Were there romantic sparks before then? I have come across some people who claim that Clark and Carole had something going on during the filming of No Man of Her Own and off and on since…
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{Ohio} Hopedale, Where Clark Gable Grew Up
After Clark’s mother Adeline died in her hometown of Meadville, Pennsylvania, in November 1901, his father left him in the care of Addie’s sister, brother-in-law and parents, and went back to Ohio to continue oil drilling. In the small village of Hopedale, he met Jennie Dunlap and became instantly smitten. Everyone was surprised that she returned the rough Bill Gable’s advances and accepted his proposal. They were married on April 16, 1903. Soon afterwards Bill went back to Meadville to collect his son. Addie’s family was not happy to give up the boy and many tears were shed, but Bill was his father and had found his boy a mother.…