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Gossip Friday: An Unfortunate Shrine
From October 1947 (Louella Parsons): Say what you will, there’s nobody like Clark Gable. With his charm, it will be a long time before the King is displaced. Younger men have come along to dazzle the gals, but none has yet hit with the force of a Gable. Oh, sure–there have been times when Clark has miffed me, and long periods would go by when we didn’t see one another. But it is impossible to be in his company more than a split second, and not fall under his fascinating spell again. Not long ago, he came to see me and we had a grand time drinking coffee in the…
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{New Article} 1937: Two Kings Share One Crown
This fluff piece from 1937 was most certainly ordered by MGM publicity to beef up their young acquisition, Robert Taylor. The article discusses how “Bob” is replacing Clark and how Clark’s day in the sun is fading. Which makes zero sense. It wasn’t until after this article was published that Clark was officially crowned the “King of Hollywood” by Ed Sullivan, and Bob at this point was really just starting out, Camille and Magnificent Obsession being his two most memorable roles at this point. This is quite the transparent PR play. Robert Taylor, a youth in his twenties, briefly out of an American university, has overnight become the living symbol…
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Movies of the Week: Chained (1934), Forsaking All Others (1934) and Love on the Run (1936)
This week, since it’s Valentine’s Day week, we’re lovin’ it up around here with a triple dose of 1930’s Clark Gable and Joan Crawford: Chained (1934), Forsaking All Others (1934) and Love on the Run (1936). I like all three of these films; they all fit the bill for typical 1930’s rom-coms. Chained (1934) The Love Story: 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), whose wife refuses to leave him. She decides to leave Richard for Mike…
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Gossip Friday: Popular Birthday Boy
From 1955: Susan Hayward broke right out in front of everyone on the “Soldier of Fortune” set and planted a big birthday kiss on Clark Gable. But not a single newshound found out that Grace Kelly gifted the King with a real live miniature burro for his ranch. While she was in Hollywood long enough to turn down her next picture, Grace called Clark constantly. And sometimes the calls came in when Kay Williams Spreckels was sitting a few feet away with an amused smile on her beautiful face!
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{New Article} 1932: What About Clark Gable Now?
Clark Gable had only been in the public eye for a little over a year when this article was published. But yet it’s all about “What is he up to NOW? What is NEW with him? He has CHANGED so much!” Meet Clark Gable today! This he-man with dimples; this gangster who went heroic by feminine demand; this most desired of all screen lovers—where does he go from here? His powerful performance in “Strange Interlude” has clinched his right to stardom. Unofficially MGM’s biggest male draw for the past six months, he is on his own for the first time in the just completed “China Seas.” What is Hollywood doing…
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Movie of the Week: Comrade X (1940)
This week, Clark Gable is a foreign correspondent in Russia trying to drag an unwilling Hedy Lamarr back to America with him in Comrade X (1940). Gable is McKinley Thompson, an American reporter living in Russia who is secretly sending news out of the country as the elusive “Comrade X”. His bumbling valet, Igor (Felix Bressart) discovers who he is and blackmails him to take his headstrong Communist daughter (Lamarr) out of Russia to protect her from prosecution. Everything doesn’t go as planned and soon the three of them are racing out of Russia with the Russian army on their tails. This film isn’t some magnificent piece of movie artistry;…
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Happy Birthday, Mr. Gable
Happy 118th Birthday to Clark Gable! William Clark Gable was born to William and Adeline Gable in Cadiz, Ohio on February 1, 1901, tipping the scales at 10 and a half pounds! We have celebrated Clark’s birthday around here for ten years! In 2018, my favorite 117 pictures of him. In 2017, a recap of the day of Clark’s birth. In 2016, 115 random Clark Gable facts. In 2015, 114 Clark Gable quotes. In 2014, 113 quotes about Clark. In 2013, a few quotes about Clark. In 2012, where Clark was every 11 years on his birthday In 2011, a personal tribute to Clark. In 2010, a short tribute. As a bit of a…
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{New Article} 1931: Do Women Love Cave Men?
Newcomer Clark Gable had burst onto the screen in 1931, tossing around the likes of Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford and Barbara Stanwyck, sending feminine hearts aflutter. But does this mean that women love cavemen??? WE MUST KNOW. Ivan Lebedeff says: “A woman loves the man she loves, whatever he is. Love to a woman is something, the reason for which can never be explained. The most beautiful women often give themselves to ugly and sometimes even invalid men. And women of fine intellectual and spiritual development sometimes give themselves to absolute dumbbells. “But there’s a physical side to all women. They are all thrilled or attracted more or less by…
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{New Article} 1932: An Open Letter to Clark Gable
These “open letters” that editors of fan magazines would write to stars are quite eye roll-inducing. Usually they mildly insult the stars in some way, then the star offers a rebuttal. This one is at least short and I didn’t find Clark’s rebuttal in any subsequent issues of this magazine so I guess “Delight’s” opinion didn’t matter much to him, eh? From Screenland magazine editor Delight Evans: Dear Clark: This is going to hurt me more than it does you. I like you a lot—just because I’m an editor doesn’t mean I can’t pick my favorites—and I hope you like me, too. (I should think you would after all those…
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Movies of the Week: The Painted Desert (1931), The Easiest Way (1931) and The Finger Points (1931)
This week, since it’s Clark Gable’s birthday this week, we’re highlighting his first speaking role and two of his early roles: The Painted Desert, The Easiest Way and The Finger Points, all from 1931. The Painted Desert, Clark’s first speaking role, is not very memorable. Western partners Jeff (MacDonald) and Cash (Farnum) find a baby boy in an otherwise deserted emigrants camp, and clash over which is to be “father”. They are still bitterly feuding years later when they own adjacent ranches. Bill, the foundling whom Cash has raised to young manhood, wants to end the feud and extends an olive branch toward Jeff, who now has a lovely daughter.…
