Gossip
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Gossip Friday: At His Peak
From October 1960: Travelers back from Nevada, where they watched “The Misfits” shooting, say the big news is the way Clark Gable looks–fit and handsome, and at his absolute peak as a performer. __ And, sadly, dead in less than a month. I don’t know about their assessment–I have always thought he looks sickly in The Misfits.
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Gossip Friday: Causing an Uproar
Since tomorrow is Veterans Day, here is an item that appeared in October 1943: Clark Gable Throws Pentagon Into Uproar As He Talks War It was colossal! The army may have thought it could keep a press conference with Clark Gable confined to a decorous discussion of the man-sized job he’s doing, but it knows better today. He’s a captain in the air forces, an aerial gunner and a cameraman in a Flying Fortress, shot at, and missed. Back from a European assignment in the Air Force, Gable threw the Pentagon building into a furor as he walked to his first press conference. The former movie actor told of his last…
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Gossip Friday: A Friend to Reed
From July 1941: Because Clark Gable and Carole Lombard interested themselves in his career, tall, handsome Reed Hadley, who hails from Texas via New York theatre and radio acting stopovers, appears to be safely launched in Hollywood. Young Hadley first attracted Miss Lombard’s attention when he appeared with her on a national radio broadcast. Gable met him at that time also.Both were impressed with young Hadley’s appearance and talents. Gable subseqyently suggested to Director Clarence Brown that Hadley be tested for the role of a young British officer in “They Met in Bombay” at MGM. Gable and Rosalind Russell are co-starring in the picture and a requirement of the officer…
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Gossip Friday: Lombard Camping Co.
From September 1940: Before Clark Gable was married, he would go on a hunting trip by tossing a sleeping bag and guns into an auto and whizzing away. Since his wife, Carole Lombard, has became a hunting and camping enthusiast, she has bought great masses of gadgets and equipment. The other day when they started a trip, Gable drove up to the house in a huge truck, sporting a sign: “Lombard Camping Co., Ltd.”
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Gossip Friday: Star Ranchers
From November 1940: Most publicized star-ranchers are Clark Gable and Carole Lombard, who can’t pick an orange or feed a hen without having to pose for a picture. So many yarns were written about Squire Gable’s real ambition—to leave the screen and go back to the land–that every mail still brings him a sale-offer of some other estate. One owner was sure that his $250,000 place would be exactly what the stars wanted, because it had two swimming pools and accommodations for 25 guests. That’s just what Mr. and Mrs. Gable don’t want–especially the 25 guests. And Hollywood calls them shrewd bargainers because they paid Director Raoul Walsh only $40,000…
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Gossip Friday: Mystery Flowers
From August 1936: Red Camellias for Carole Lombard. There’s a romance there, but Hollywood has been unable to learn the name of the man. Each morning during the past week the flowers have arrived on the set where she and Fred MacMurray are making “The Princess Comes Across.” Some accuse the shy MacMurray. Others speak the name of Clark Gable with whom rumors have linked the blonde Carole of late. But Carole herself, she just smiles, admitting cautiously that she has found new interest in life and that he is a well-known actor. Apparently she shares the secret with the red camellias only. If you remember right, this is Miss…
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Happy 109th, Carole Lombard!
Happy Birthday, Carole Lombard! To celebrate, since it’s Friday too, here are some gossip items about Carole’s birthday over the years, some I’ve printed before, some I haven’t: From 1931: Yesterday was Carole Lombard’s birthday. Husband Bill Powell gave her an antique silver service and a china set. From 1937: Carole Lombard had a birthday. Firecrackers exploded under her chair. There was a rubber spider in her makeup box. Carole ate cotton-stuffed candy. Carole struck a match–it exploded. Carole lit a cigarette–it exploded. Carole shook the salt shaker–it contained sugar. Carole’s wondering if it isn’t a pretty high price to pay to maintain her reputation as moviedom’s leading practical joker.…
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Gossip Friday: Shoes and a Ham
From January 1933: On last day of “No Man of Her Own” production, Clark Gable and Carole Lombard exchange gag gifts…Carole to Clark was huge ham with picture thereon..Gable to Lombard: mammoth pair of shoes to remind Carole how she tripped and fell during scene.
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Gossip Friday: Grounded in Albuquerque
From September 1941: Two old hunting pals spent a few hours in Albuquerque Monday, after their eastbound plane was grounded by bad weather–and Alvarado hotel employees were almost swamped by a rush of autograph seekers. The reasons: one of the hunters is Clark Gable, motion picture star, who was accompanied by his wife, Carole Lombard of the screen. Gable’s hunting pal is H.H. Fleischman, of MGM studios, who also was accompanied by his wife. The party was on its way by air to Manitoba, Can., for 10 days of big game hunting when the TWA plane on which the group was traveling was grounded at Albuquerque by bad weather conditions…
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Gossip Friday: A Real Knockout
From October 1936: Clark Gable has been offered $50,000 to fight Max Baer, former world’s heavyweight champion. He says he may accept it if he finds he has enough time between pictures to do the necessary training. The offer was made by Tom Gallery, veteran California fight promoter, just after Gable had knocked out Allen Pomeroy, former intercollegiate champion, in a fistic battle for the Cosmopolitan production, “Cain and Mabel, … with Marion Davies and Gable co-starred. Simultaneously, it was revealed that Gable had made application to the state boxing commission for a permit to engage in professional boxing. Commenting on the offer to meet Baer, Gable said he could…