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{New Article} 1940: Help Kill Crazy Rumors About Me!
This article is a little bit of fun. I’ve read here and there over the years about Carole Lombard’s “fragile health” after she married Clark Gable. I know she had poison ivy at one point, and appendicitis, but I’ve always suspected that this whole “fragile health” scenario was a bit of a cover-up for her struggle with fertility. It gave a reason as to why she wasn’t pregnant yet despite everyone’s held breath for the news, and as to why she had slowed down making movies. Well, here is one time where she is denying she’s an invalid; this article addresses Carole’s feelings on the subject of her being…
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Gossip Friday: Mickey Rooney’s Idol
From May 1939: Clark Gable…played a very important part in Mickey Rooney’s career. No wonder Mickey wants to be just like him. It was about five years ago when Mickey was twelve, and on the verge of starvation. Vaudeville was a thing of the past, and Mickey couldn’t even get a job as an extra in Hollywood. He’d only worked about three days in three months. Then he had an idea. He called Clark Gable. “Mr. Gable,” he said, “there’s a good part for a boy in ‘Manhattan Melodrama,’ and I’d give my shirt to play it. I’ve been acting since I was a baby–and I know I can do…
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Gone with the Wednesday: Frankly My Dear, I Think I’ll Have a Drink
The Atlanta Convention and Vistors Bureau, to help celebrate the 75th anniversary of the film, is promoting a contest among local restaurants to see who has the best Gone with the Wind-themed cocktail! Even if you don’t live in Atlanta and can’t make it out these fine restaurants to try the concoctions, you can make your own at home, per the recipes below. I’m not much of a drinker, but I’m enjoying the names–“Selfish and Shewd,” “A Bid for Scarlett,” “Courage or Reputation,” “Tara Tea,” “Don’t Call Me Sugar, “Sweet Melanie,” and “Don’t Drink Alone.” You can vote for your favorite here. Entries: ___ Aja Take Her to Bed After a long…
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Four Gable Films Just Released on DVD!
I love Warner Brothers Archive Collection! Thanks to them, the majority of Clark’s films are available to us fans for our home viewing pleasure. And FINALLY they have just released a few of the missing titles: After Office Hours (1935) with Constance Bennett! Buy it here. Hell Divers (1931) with Wallace Beery! Buy it here. Parnell (1937) with Myrna Loy! Buy it here. and Test Pilot, which I have been anxiously awaiting the release of for years! Buy it here.
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Gossip Friday: Good Lux from Carole Lombard
From July 1936: The latest gag present from Lombard to Gable was delivered to a somewhat bewildered Mr. G. at the close of a radio broadcast in which he was appearing in a dramatic skit with Marlene Dietrich. Just as the show ended an attendant brought in a huge floral horseshoe–the kind gangsters used to send their dead colleagues. The card from Carole read, “Good Lux.”
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Gone with the Wednesday: Honor Page
Screenplay Magazine Honor Page, from December 1939: “Gone with the Wind” is the great picture of its time, as “Birth of a Nation” was great in its day. It runs for 3 hours and 45 minutes, It has an all-star cast and thousands of extras. It is all in brilliant Technicolor, with some scenes of breathtaking beauty, It’s always stirring and often thrilling. But you can’t describe this Selznick epic. You must see it in order to believe it. Three-star pictures are rare. In “Gone with the Wind” three performances are such absolute perfection in portrayal that all three must be given our award. Vivien Leigh reincarnates Margaret Mitchell’s headstrong…
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Clark and Carole at the Races
It’s Kentucky Derby Day! Clark Gable loved horses his whole life and there were only brief periods of time in his life where he didn’t own at least one. He even had a race horse in the early 1930’s, named Beverly Hills–although I don’t think she raced to greatness. In addition to owning horses, Clark was a frequent visitor to the Santa Anita racetrack, often with Carole Lombard on his arm, naturally…
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Gossip Friday: Can Clark Gable Stay Married?
From December 1931: Can Clark Gable stay married? Clark recently said: “Neither my wife nor I ever expect to be married again. She is my ideal woman. I hope I never fail as her ideal man.” And Hollywood, remembering that Clark has been married before and that he is younger than his wife, sighs: “Ah…” If Clark Gable and Rita [sic] Langham can stay married, it will be a great thing brought to pass between a man, a wife and that most exacting mistress of all, Fame. The only other two men upon whom she has bestowed her hysterical favors so lavishly have been Rudolph Valentino and John Gilbert. And…
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Gone with the Wednesday: Hat’s Off to Debbie Reynolds’ Final Auction
Debbie Reynolds is holding the final auction of her unmatched collection of classic film memorabilia May 17-May18 in Los Angeles. It saddens me greatly that her dream of opening a movie museum was never realized and that these precious items are now scattered around the globe. Debbie’s dedication for keeping classic film history alive is extraordinary and it’s such a shame that so few in Hollywood share her passion for it. Well, since it is all to be scattered to the wind… Gone with the Wind fans, if you want to open your wallets and own a piece of film history, here is what is for sale: Delicate black lace wire frame hat…
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Gossip Friday: Eligible Gable
From March 1936: All things considered, Clark Gable will probably have the most terrifc year of anybody in Hollywood. Imagine Clark on the semibachelor list! The first announcement of the formal separation of himself from Ria Gable was immediately followed by an onslaught of rumors concerning fair ladies and Clark. He was variously reported engaged or about to be engaged to Elizabeth Allan, Mary Taylor and Loretta Young. It can be wagered that they’ll be no peace or contentment in and about the colony until Clark is married again. The suspense will be pretty terrible, because even after a divorce is filed, it takes a year for the final decree…