Gossip
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Gossip Friday: On the Up and Up
From July 1931– (Clark is pictured as one of “Four Newcomers Who are On the Up and Up.” The other four are Wynne Gibson, Joel McCrea and Mae Clarke): “Your ears stick out–“ “Your hair isn’t curly–“ “You aren’t good looking–“ This is the song producers sang to Clark Gable six years ago when he tried crashing the movies. Today, they are singing a different tune–to the sum of $750 weekly and a five-year contract with Metro. The styles in movie heroes change. Then, the sheik reigned, Valentino. Now, it’s the big he-man with the rough and tumble personality, Clark Gable. They wouldn’t give him a chance then. Now, he’s…
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Gossip Friday: Down to South America?
From December 1938: The political situation in Europe has done a lot for South American tourist travel. With Ty Power already there, and Clark Gable and Bob Taylor both announcing it as their next vacation spot, it looks as though Hollywood has finally discovered that there are really TWO Americas!
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Gossip Friday: One of the Greats
From January 1949 (Adela Rogers St. Johns): It was a drizzly Sunday when Clark Gable invited me out to his Encino ranch for the day and a potluck dinner. With the logs from the fireplace sending out cheerful warmth over the brightly beautiful room, we found ourselves relaxing in the pleasant glow and the quiet, sure strength that emanates from this man. Whatever goes on in his heart and soul no one will know. But that he has achieved the thing Hollywoodites claim to want most, an inner peace that comes from a quiet mastery over circumstances, there can be no doubt. In brown riding breeches and brown turtleneck sweater, he’s quite…
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Gossip Friday: Without Any Help
From July 1944: Buddy De Sylva, in his Paramount office, has a printed sign which tells of a conversation between Clark Gable and an interviewer. The large cardboard quotes the interviewer asking Gable what he attributes he amazing record as a box-office champion for many years. Gable’s answer is: “Any success I may have achieved is due to MGM’s wisdom. The studio picks my stories, casts my pictures and selects my directors.” The interviewer then asks, “Without any help from you?” And the Gable answer is, “Without any help from me.” The sign is prominently displayed so that any actor or actress who enters De Sylva’s office to complain about…
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Gossip Friday: Enthusiastic Over Pheasants
From October 1941: Watertown, South Dakota–With a promise that they will return again to hunt in South Dakota, Clark Gable and his actress wife, Carole Lombard, were preparing this morning to leave for home. They planned to go by automobile this afternoon to Sioux Falls where they will take a plane for the west coast. Their original plans to leave from Watertown by plane were upset by weather. Both were enthusiastic over South Dakota pheasants and ducks after hunting every day during their five day visit here.
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Gossip Friday: No Escape
From October 1934: The other afternoon, Clark Gable motored out to Los Angeles’ Grand Central Airport to see some friends off for New York. Gaining admission to the terminal was easy, but when Clark turned to depart, that was something else again. He was all dolled up in a costly new white flannel suit consisting of double-breasted coat and English slacks. Before he reached his motor, however, women autograph hounds had most of his trousers!
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Gossip Friday: Royal House Divided
From January 1936: The month’s laurels for tact go to the head waiter at the Trocadero, Hollywood’s super supper spot. Douglas Fairbanks sat with an after-theater party including Clark Gable, Richard Barthelmess, Kay Francis and other friends. In came Mary Pickford with another party, including the Johnny Mack Browns and the Charlie Farrells. The head waiter never batted an eye. With perfect calm and poise, he escorted Mary and her entourage to a booth at the other end of the room. And there sat the Royal House–divided, as far as the house would allow–until Doug broke the ice and went over for a friendly chat with Queen Mary. ____ What’s…
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Gossip Friday: No Place for Kids
From December 1949: Clark Gable got the raspberry from kids gathered around Ciro’s when he refused autographs. He’ll tell you so himself. Clark has the courage to say, and stand on it, that thirteen and fourteen year-old kids have no place around a night spot at one or two o’clock in the morning.
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Gossip Friday: No Photos Please
From September 1949: Hyman Fink, longtime Photoplay magazine photographer: “Many a sleepless night I’ve spent scheming up ways to grab a Clark Gable exclusive. Clark has a neat way of stalling. Whenever a cameraman wants a picture of him, he takes away their camera and starts shooting them. Once, on the set of one of his films, he had me posing all over the place. I’ve a sneaking suspicion that Gable has more pictures of Fink than Fink has of Gable. Clark also had a ban about pictures being taken of his home. But I managed to fool him with a telescopic lens. I climbed the hill behind his house…
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Gossip Friday: Mr. and Mrs. Gable in Nashville
From January 1941: Nashville, TN: Gable, Lombard Smilingly Give Autographs in Stopover Here Clark Gable and Carole Lombard smilingly gave autographs and had a cheery greeting for nearly a hundred persons who had gathered to see the movie stars in their brief stopover at Berry Airport last night. The two were en route to Hollywood via American Airlines from Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore where Gable underwent an operation for an abscessed tooth and where Mrs. Gable had taken a room to be near him. They were accompanied by Howard Strickling, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer representative, who said Gable’s next starring vehicle will be “Soapy Smith,” a roistering romance of the Colorado mineral…
