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{Photos} Reading Up
Having never finished high school, Clark was very sensitive to the fact that he never had a formal education. He didn’t ever want to be considered ignorant or unknowledgable and so…he was always reading. His widow, Kay, said he averaged “a book a day” and in his estate auction were dozens of books. Clark was often catching up on the newspaper or cramming in a chapter or two on set.
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{New Article} 1936: Is Carole Lombard in Love at Last?
Is Carole Lombard in love at last? What a question for this article in 1936 to ask! At this point, their romance was new and one of the most exciting topics in Tinsel Town. This article basically recaps Carole’s romantic exploits. After the demise of her marriage to Bill Powell: All Powell would say was, “For Carole and me there simply was no married life.” Their story that there had been no quarrel was accepted by Hollywood as true—and their conduct after Carole returned abundantly confirmed it. Divorce seemed to make little or no difference to the friendly relations between them. The very first night after her return, Gloria Swanson…
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New Around Here
As you have noticed by now, the site has a whole new look and that would not have been possible without Kendra of vivandlarry.com. A huge thank you to her and her brilliantness! I still have some updating to do–for instance, the radio shows don’t all work yet–but all will be done soon. Cleaning off my desk this week… New reviews posted on the pages for Hell Divers, Polly of the Circus, Forsaking All Others, Call of the Wild, China Seas, San Francisco, Cain and Mabel and Test Pilot. When I found the review for Test Pilot (a very favorable one), next to it was a review for Carole Lombard’s…
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Gossip Friday: Get Tough!
From October 1938: Are you preparing for the future–as are many of Hollywood’s biggest stars? A future so far removed from their present lucrative contracts, luxurious homes, and assured box office appeal that it may contain political upheavals, war, poverty and even the wiping out of the picture industry as it stands now? Just a few years ago, wise little stars prepared for the future by saving their salaries, establishing trust funds, creating estates. Today the answer is not so simple! Clark Gable told me: “I’d rather be able to take care of myself in a wilderness, with only limited camping equipment, than have $100,000 in the banks! Banks can…
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{New Article} 1961: The Secret Clark Gable and Kay Never Shared
Obviously, if you take a gander at the Article Archive, I am a vintage magazine junkie. I scour Ebay and antique stores and love nothing more than when I find some obscure Gable candid or article nestled in the yellowing pages of a seventy year old magazine. Most of my magazines are from the 1930’s. Clark was top dog then and I know that I can snatch up any magazine, any issue, any year from about 1934-1941 and they’ll be at least one picture, gossip items and, if I’m lucky, an article. By the time Clark returned from war, after the initial “he’s back!” hubbub, the coverage of him lessened…
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New in the Gallery Today: Clark and Carole
A few new pictures of Clark Gable and Carole Lombard in the gallery today, including: Also pictures of Clark and Irene Dunne launching the SS Lombard in 1944. See them here. Registration required.
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{Photos} At Home with Clark and Carole
On the eve of St. Valentine’s Day, [Clark Gable] drove his car into the garage of the Beverly Hills Hotel, where he was staying, and steered for his usual stall. “I’m afraid it’s already occupied, Mr. Gable,” said the watchman. Clark got out, and, to his amazement, discovered a dilapidated Model T Ford, painted white, with a pattern of large red hearts. Tied around the body was a huge red ribbon with a card reading: “To My Valentine, from Carole Lombard.” It wouldn’t be Valentine’s Day without some photos of Clark and Carole. Here they are where they were happiest, at home on their ranch.
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{New Article} 1940: Two Happy People Part II
This article is the second in a series of four articles about Clark and Carole that appeared in Movie and Radio Guide in May 1940. You can read Part Three here. Mr. Gable has a seven-year contract with MGM for $2,000,000. He has Carole Lombard! Gentlemen, if luck does that to a man, then here’s one fellow who begins today to make his troth with Lady Luck. We have an idea that ability and hard work had something to do with Mr. Gable’s success. Luck may get a man to the top, but luck can’t keep him there. “Have you met Mrs. G?” Mr. Gable asked. “She’s not working right…
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A Photographer’s View on Gone with the Wind and Carole Lombard
In 1940, Fred Parrish, a well-known Hollywood photographer, mused on some of his favorite moments. Gone with the Wind For a scene of the evacuation of Atlanta in GWTW, a horse-drawn ammuniton wagon was to come down the street and explode just as the horse passed [a lamp post]. I picked the safe side of the street, but when the bomb in the wagon went off, the horse went the wrong way so fast he made Seabiscuit look sick. If it had not been for the iron safety bowl used in the wagon, I would have been blown right off the lot! I’ll bet the hardest work [Clark Gable] ever…
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{Rumor Mill} Clark Gable, George Cukor and Gone with the Wind
It’s no secret that Clark Gable didn’t want to be in Gone with the Wind. Despite the public’s insistence that he was the only one who could play Rhett, he had no desire to step into the shoes of the rebellious blockade runner. “The reason I didn’t want to do Gone with the Wind–here is a novel that is the top seller of all time. Now, people form opinions about characters–they formed an opinion that I was going to play it. They already had a preconcieved idea of what they were going to see. That’s why I didn’t want to play, I said too many people know this character. My God, with…