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Gossip Friday: Re-established King
From January 1954: This time when Clark Gable comes home from one of his long stays in Europe he’ll return as the re-established King of the movies. Since “Mogambo” came out–his first really good picture in much, much too long–he’s all the rage again and ready to go. Well, we’re ready for him to do another one like that.
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Gossip Friday: A Valentine Keg
From March 1958: It was like any other day February 14th on the Band of Angels set at Warners. Until Clark Gable was called off the set between takes. That’s when it became Valentine’s Day. Because waiting for him in his dressing room was his own special Valentine. It was a keg. Beautifully varnished, about five gallon size, little red felt hearts all over it and a white thumb tack pinning a large, lacy valentine to the center of the keg. “It’s from Kay,” grinned Gable, “she made it. Look—” It was filled to the top with golden yellow popcorn! Asked what the valentine said, Gable handed it around. “Hamish,…
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Gossip Friday: Clark and Carole, Together Again?
From January 1934: Clark Gable and Carole are to be teamed again in “Shoe the Wild Mare.” ___ Of course that didn’t happen and that film doesn’t exist, but interesting that it was contemplated. Their chemistry didn’t go unnoticed. Too bad Clark and Carole themselves didn’t notice for another two years…
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Happy 115th Birthday, Clark Gable!
Happy 115th Birthday, Clark Gable! In celebration, here are 115 random facts about The King of Hollywood: 1. Clark weighed 10 1/2 pounds at birth. 2. He was born at home with the assistance of the town doctor, who charged $10 for the delivery. 3. He was baptized Catholic, one of his dying mother’s final requests. His father was Methodist. 4. He was named Clark after his maternal grandmother’s maiden name. 5. Clark liked to wear trench coats in movies, considering them lucky. Burberry made him one especially for Comrade X and it instantly became his favorite; he kept it and wore it for twenty years. At an MGM auction in 1969,…
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January Movie of the Month: Chained (1934)
This month, the site’s friends on Facebook voted and chose this 1934 romantic comedy starring Clark and his most frequent leading lady, Joan Crawford, for January’s Movie of the Month. Gable is Mike Bradley, a South American rancher who falls for the glamorous Diana (Crawford) on a cruise ship. Diana falls for Mike too, despite the fact that she is romantically involved with a married Manhattan businessman, Richard (Otto Kruger). She decides to leave Richard for Mike but, upon her return home, Richard tells her he has finally left his wife for her. Diana feels obligated to marry Richard and Mike is left in the dust. This is certainly more…
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Gossip Friday: The Perfect Man
From November 1936: Virginia Bruce, who is seen with filmland’s most eligible young men, enjoys a variety of escorts, because, she says, “No one man combines all the qualities I like.” The perfect escort, according to the Hollywood actress, would have to possess the best points of the men. She lists them: Robert Taylor to make all the other girls jealous. Jack Dempsey for protection. Clark Gable for his manly characteristics. Noel Coward for his wit. Fred Astaire as a dancing partner. George Bernard Shaw for his intelligent conversation. William Powell for his spontaneous good humor. James Stewart for his lack of affectation. Cesar Romero for his polished manners. Francis…
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{New Article} 1950: Love Walked In
Here is another article Modern Screen magazine ran just a few months after the article I posted yesterday. This one goes into more (fluffy fluffy fluffy) detail about Clark and Sylvia’s “great romance.” For the actor he is, Clark Gable put on a bad performance these past few years. Loneliness stood out on him like a neon sign. The evenings he spent at his Encino ranch home, he’d wander from room to room, pick up a book and drop it, pick up a phone and decide not to call, sink into a chair and stare at nothing. The nights he went out the newshounds followed him to parties and theaters…
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{New Article} 1950: Fit For a King
This article was published in March 1950, one in a sea of articles heralding Clark Gable’s fourth marriage to Sylvia Ashley. They sat opposite me at Amelio’s, one of those restaurants in San Francisco where the steaks are tender and titanic. I tried not to stare. Clark and Sylvia Gable had been married only 48 hours. In another two, they would head for pier 32, and board the S.S. Lurline for Honolulu and their honeymoon. As I say, I tried not to stare. But after all, I’m a woman with a woman’s curiosity, and I couldn’t help myself. There, sitting opposite me was Clark Gable, the King, the most celebrated…
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Gossip Friday: Awkward Neighbors
From December 1937: There was an awkward moment at the tennis matches the other day when Clark Gable and Carole Lombard found themselves in the next box to Mrs. Rhea Gable.
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Remembering Carole Lombard
Today marks 74 years since Carole Lombard died suddenly at age 33. She was the victim, along with her mother and one of Clark’s closest friends, of a fiery plane crash near Las Vegas. A difficult day for Clark Gable and Carole Lombard fans, as in a way it ended both of their lives. Carole’s life was over and with it went Clark’s entire way of life; he was never the same. Here is a bit of a collection of articles in her memory: From the article Goodbye, Carole: “I have seen flames around the plane and there seems to be nobody left alive.” Out of far West vastness eight…