Articles
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{New Article} 1941: Why Clark Gable is Today’s Topic for Gossip
This article (along with this image of Clark on the cover of the magazine) appeared in December 1941. 1941 being a year of peace for Clark, for the most part. Clark and Carole were happily settled in the ranch, trying to have a baby. Life was more calm. Up until the following month, of course. The premise of this article is one that is usually used for Carole: to talk about how Clark has gone into hiding. William H. Gable, a plain man from Ohio, had a birthday the other week. His son Clark had given him a little car to use on hunting and fishing expeditions and Gable, Sr.,…
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{New Article} 1932: Around the Clock with Clark Gable
In case you have ever sat and thought to yourself, “I wonder how Clark Gable spent his Saturdays eighty-one years ago?” I have the answer! In this probably-mostly-made-up article from 1932! At this point, Clark’s stardom was exploding and the MGM powers-that-be figured out that they couldn’t paint him as a nightclubbin’ man about town, no matter how hard they tried. So they went with the opposite approach: Here is your hearthrob Clark Gable, a man who woos Joan Crawford and wears tuxedos all week at the glamorous movie studio, but on the weekend schelps around town like an every day Joe! Here is is Saturday schedule: It is…
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{New Article} 1936: Jean and Clark Expose Each Other!
Clark Gable’s relationship with Jean Harlow was adorable. It wasn’t some great love affair like some people like to claim; it was a buddy-buddy, brother-sister relationship. He was always looking out after her, teasing her, and while everyone else called her “Baby,” he called her “Sis.” I like to point to his relationship with Jean when people say that he was some kind of predatory womanizer, like he bedded every co-star he had. Unfortunately, Jean was also one of the many women in Clark’s life who were special to him and then left him far too soon. This article is an interview conducted on the set of Wife vs. Secretary.…
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{New Article} 1936: Don’t Misunderstand the Clark Gables!
Here is an article from early 1936, when Mrs. Gable was Ria Franklin and all of movie fandom wasn’t whipped up into a frenzy over the pairing of Clark Gable and Carole Lombard yet. I don’t think most people understood why the reigning hearthrob of Tinsel Town was married to an older, matronly, stoic socialite with two teenage children. But they were indeed married and therefore it was the press’ obligation to portray their marriage as a wonderful romance, despite evidence to the contrary. Everyone in Hollywood knew that Clark and Ria were pretty much married in name only and that Clark had many affairs. It was a surprise to…
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{New Article} 1936: I’ve Lived a Lifetime in Five Years
Clark Gable was humble. This isn’t news to any fan of his, but this was new to those in the 1930’s used to worshipping screen gods put high up on unreachable pedestals. Clark’s “aw shucks” attitude was very different and at first MGM didn’t know how to publicize this kind of guy. Then they decided to go with it, and followed him around, posing him hunting and fishing and looking rugged. When Clark first touched the fringes of fame, he avoided parties and admitted that he was uncomfortable in dress clothes. He appeared only at the important places where the studio requested him to go. I well remember seeing him…
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{New Article} 1939: Will Carole Lombard’s Marriage End Her Career?
This 1939 article, written soon after Clark Gable and Carole Lombard’s marriage, is very sexist. Okay, extremely sexist. But it was 1939 after all and so one has to quiet their inner feminist as they read things like… Carole Lombard, who was born Jane Peters, decided early in life that she had to do things to get places. She has devoted herself, through every working minute, to that aim. She has always wanted to be a star. She worked at it, and became a star. She built up the most amazing make-believe personality Hollywood has ever known, but she did it because she wanted something and that was her analysis…
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{New Article} 1932: “I’m No Saint,” Says Clark Gable
This article from 1932 is mainly focused on Clark complaining about how reporters dig into his past…to a reporter. There isn’t a lot of substance here but it is interesting to hear Clark’s own voice saying what he feels about fame and it’s pitfalls. Unlike many articles of this period, it is at least filled with direct quotes and not fluffy backstory. Here are some quotes by Clark from the article: “I don’t like to have people asking me about the women I’ve fooled around with, trying to dig into my past. I’m willing to talk to people, and the press has given me some great breaks—but whose business is…
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{New Article} 1953: Gable and a Girl Named Kelly
If you take one look at the Article Archive, you’ll note that the majority of the articles (we’re up to over 130! ) are from the 1930’s and 40’s. This being mainly because that is when Clark Gable was at the peak of stardom and of most interest to writers and the public. As he aged, the top headlines went to the likes of Elizabeth Taylor, Elvis, Tony Curtis, etc. I can usually snap up any fan magazine from the 30’s and 40’s and find at least one Clark gossip item, article or photo. The 1950’s is hit or miss. Clark was in his fifties and, while still very much respected,…
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{New Article} 1940: How Does Gable Do It?
This article is one of a common theme: trying to determine why Clark Gable was so popular. At this point, Clark had been a major star for nine years. While that doesn’t seem like such a long time nowadays, to the fickle 1930’s audiences, it really was. “This won’t last, so I’m going to make my pile quick and get out!” Clark Gable told me, nearly eight years ago. The other day he smilingly admitted he had been a pretty poor prophet. Instead of getting out quickly, he has broken all records for year-after-year leadership at the box office. Throw in his Academy Award, his Rhett Butler triumph, his new…
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{New Article} 1938: Lombard as She Sees Herself
I try very hard to make sure that, while I have a lot of information about Carole Lombard, this website doesn’t become a Clark and Carole website because it isn’t, after all. I come across a lot of Carole articles and usually if they are before she was with Clark or don’t mention Clark, I don’t include them. When this article was written in 1938, Clark and Carole were very much together, although he doesn’t get too much of a mention. But this article is wonderful and yet somehwat sad; it paints such a lovely picture of Carole–young, vibrant, full of life and talking about looking forward to old age.…