• carole lombard
    Anniversary

    In Memory of Carole Lombard

    Carole Lombard died 78 years ago today, at age 33. The plane carrying Carole, her mother and MGM publicity man Otto Winkler, among others, slammed into Mount Potosi near Las Vegas on a cold snowy night, January 16, 1942. All died instantly. The death of Carole forever changed Clark Gable and despite whatever happiness he found later, he undoubtedly never fully recovered from it. As the news spread across the nation, the newspapers apparently called up everyone in fandom to give a comment on the tragedy: All Hollywood Mourns Popular Actress’ Death High and Low of Film Colony Shocked by Air Disaster Killing Warmhearted Actress Sorrow hushed the sound stages…

  • Gossip

    Gossip Friday: Matchmaking Stew

    From 1949: Ada Dodge, charming hostess, claims that it was her famous “Chuck Wagon Stew” that was responsible for bringing Ann Sheridan and Clark Gable together for some fun and a few laughs. Ann, as a cowgirl, met rancher Gable at this party and started tongues aging. I do know they lunched together the next day at Charlie Farrell’s Racquet Club.

  • Uncategorized

    Gossip Friday: Quiet Ann

    From December 1949: I remember a party when Loretta Young was at the same dinner table with Ann [Sheridan] and Clark Gable. Loretta talked brilliantly. Ann made no attempt to take the spotlight. In fact, she didn’t speak more than half a dozen words. She offered nothing–just laughed loudly when Loretta or someone said something amusing. ____ Kind of an awkward dinner table…

  • Photos

    {Photos} Clark Gable and…

    Some of my favorite finds when I am scouring through old fan magazines are candids of random stars together. “I never knew that Blank ever even met Blank!” I often think, particularly now during “awards show season”, how the generations to come won’t feel similar joy, since there are thousands of pictures taken at every red carpet event, awards show and party and so thus the surprise of seeing stars posing together has dwindled. Here are some shots of Clark with other Tinseltown folk…   See more in the gallery.

  • Gossip

    Gossip Friday: Holiday Greetings from…

    From a fan magazine, here are hand-signed holiday wishes from several stars of the golden era, including Olivia de Havilland, Claudette Colbert, Mickey Rooney, Ronald Reagan, Jane Wyman, Jeanette MacDonald, James Cagney, Ann Sheridan, Humphrey Bogart, Cary Grant and more. No, Clark and Carole aren’t included, but I thought it a cute holiday gift nonetheless! Happy Holidays everyone! Click to enlarge:

  • Gossip

    Gossip Friday: Ann’s Ideal Man

    A short article from June 1940 in which actress Ann Sheridan describes her ideal man: Right here I’d like to mention that I don’t go around describing, unsolicited, my masculine ideal to everyone I meet. What I mean is, I was asked by Movie Mirror to do this…so in describing the sort of man I would choose if I were to marry I’m contriving a sort of composite of several men I know and like and admire… He’d dance like Cesar Romero. The Romero dancing is in a class by itself. He’d have Joel McCrea’s physique–tall, square-shouldered, rangy and not an ounce of spare fat on him! I hate bay windows,…