Turner Classic Movies has been honoring the King of Hollywood, Clark Gable, by showing some of his greatest films through out this month. The list includes a wide variety of the King’s films through out his career including the one and only film he made with his third wife, Carole Lombard, “No Man Of Her Own.” In the late 1930s, Lombard and Gable were Hollywood’s royal couple but their happiness was cut short when Lombard was killed in a plane crash in 1942 after traveling home from collecting war bonds in Indiana. Gable was never the same after the tragic death of his young bride and is a prime example of what happens when you continue to chase what you don’t have instead of realizing what you do have before it is too late.
A Boy From Ohio
William Clark Gable was born February 1, 1901 in Cadiz, Ohio. He started out as a stage actor at a young age and was an extra in silent films in the late 20s. In 1924, he married his acting coach, Josephine Dillion, who was 17 years older, paid for Gable to have his teeth fixed and hair restyled. She coached her young husband on almost everything including lowering his high-pitched voice and strengthening his lanky body. They moved to Hollywood on her dime and became Gable’s manager. Shortly after their arrival, the couple divorced. By 1931, Gable had managed to gain supporting roles in a few MGM films as well as finding his second wife, Maria Langham. Gable was given the lead role in “It Happened One Night,” which was thought to be a box office flop. The film was not only a success but it also earned Gable his first Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. Gable became one of Hollywood’s most popular lead actors and co-starred with numerous starlets including Joan Crawford, Jean Harlow and Ava Gardner. Despite being married, Gable was a well-known playboy who had a string of affairs with many of his co-stars. One night at the Coconut Grove a friend of Joan Crawford recalls seeing Crawford and Gable having sex behind the bandstand and less than 50 feet away from their spouses who were sitting at a front table. Gable didn’t meet his match until he met the blonde bombshell from the Midwest, Carole Lombard.
A Girl From Indiana
Jane Alice Peters was born October 6, 1908 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. At a young age, Lombard and her mother moved to Hollywood to pursue her dreams of becoming an actress. Director, Allan Dwan, recruited Lombard at the age of 12 for his film, “A Perfect Crime,” in 1921. She signed a contract with Fox when she was 16 years old but only played bit parts. Unfortunately, Lombard was dropped by Fox after a car accident left a scar on her cheek. Lombard was so determined that she agreed to undergo plastic surgery without going under in order to reduce the appearance of her scar. The young actress refused to give up and appeared in a hand full of short comedies that eventually caught the attention of Paramount. In 1931, She signed a contract with Paramount and married William Powell but they divorced two years later. Lombard’s career took a turning point when she stared opposite of the Great Profile, John Barrymore, in Howard Hawk’s comedy, “Twentieth Century.” Even though their marriage did not work, Powell and Lombard remained good friends and Powell insisted on Lombard co-starring with him in another screwball comedy, “My Man Godfrey,” which earned Lombard an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. Lombard found her niche in comedies and is considered to be a main pioneer for the screwball genre.
A Couple of Hams
Lombard and Gable unknowingly crossed paths before working together when they played extras in the same silent film but never met because they were in different scenes. They officially met in 1932 but, unlike most of the women at the time, Lombard was not impressed with the King and even poked fun at the royalty. Lombard was known for her witty sense of humor and had a reputation for playing practical jokes on her co-stars. Once shooting was complete, Lombard had a ham delivered to Gable with his picture on it. Gable got a kick out of it and knew it was all in good fun. There may have not been any fireworks but both had enjoyed working together and had become somewhat friends over the time of filming. The two never worked together again mainly because Gable was on loan from MGM to Columbia and Lombard was essentially a free agent.
Their paths crossed again four years later in 1936 after they reconnected at a mutual friend’s party and their romance was sparked. Soon they became a couple and were inseparable. Despite Gable still being married, the two would go on frequent hunting and fishing trips together and sometimes with friends such as Robert Stack, John Barrymore and Spencer Tracy. Gable filed for divorce but, unfortunately, it was a very lengthy (and expensive) process that cost Gable his salary for “Gone with the Wind.” The financial loss didn’t seem to bother Gable considering that he married Lombard 12 days after the divorce was finalized in Kingman, Arizona. The newly weds bought a ranch in Encino, California where they had a wide variety of farm animals and pets. Despite their love for one another, the industry and old habits soon crept in causing trouble in paradise.
Old Habits Die Hard
There is no question that Gable was head over heels for Lombard but he was unable to separate his personal life from his silver screen as every woman’s dream. Lombard wasn’t naive and knew very well about her husband’s reputation and extra marital affairs and I don’t believe she ever expected him to be completely faithful to her as she also mingled in flirtatious flings. It wasn’t until a young and upcoming actress named Lana Turner became Gable’s newest co-star when things really took a turn and Lombard began showing up on set. She would send Turner scurrying back to her dressing room with just a look if she over stepped her. Lombard was an easy person to get along with and rare disliked anyone so her distaste for Turner was more than just a vanity thing.
Meanwhile, the United States had declared war officially entering World War II and hundreds of people in Hollywood left their jobs to either join the fight or dedicate their time to the war efforts. Lombard was among many stars who immediately volunteered to support the troops and planned on attending a rally in her home state of Indiana to collect war bonds. Gable had to remain in Hollywood to work on his second film with Turner and Lombard was concerned about not being there to keep Turner at bay. Lombard knew that her husband had been having an affair with Turner and, supposedly, the couple had fought about it the night before Lombard left for Indiana. When Lombard arrived at her hotel, Gable had sent enough flowers to fill the entire room. Lombard knew that her husband was still continuing his affair and,i n an attempt to get home sooner, she insisted on flying instead of taking the train back like she had originally planned.
Clark Gable and Lana Turner in “Honky Tonk”
Fire & Rain
On January 16, 1942, Lombard, her mother and Gable’s close friend and agent, Otto Winkler boarded a plane to return home to California. The aircraft landed in Las Vegas that night to refuel but, 13 minutes after take off, the plane crashed into Potosi Mountain killing Lombard and everyone else on board instantly. Once Gable learned of the crash, he rushed to Las Vegas and attempted to go up to the mountain but it wasn’t that easy. There were no paths or clearings for anyone to get up to the site unless they were experienced climbers. Gable ignored what he was told and still tried to climb up the mountain in his dress shoes and suit. The man was in completely distress and still in shock of losing his new bride who brought so much joy and happiness to his life that he didn’t realize until it was gone. Spencer Tracey drove to his mourning friend’s side with as much booze as he could find and comforted Gable as he drowned his endless sorrow. Lombard’s funeral was held January 21st and was laid to rest in the Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale, California.
Rescuers at the crash site in the Potosi Mountain attempting to recover Lombard and the others.
Gable in Las Vegas after the crash.
Gable didn’t return to work for about three years after Lombard’s death and eventually re-married in 1949. Gable’s forth wife, Sylvia Ashley, was not allowed in Lombard’s room or to touch anything that belonged to Gable’s late wife. Ashley was fed up with her husband’s inability to let go of his last wife so she did it for him and sold everything in Lombard’s room without his knowledge. Gable was furious and filed for divorce. In 1955, he married his fifth and final wife, Kay Williams who he remained married to until his death in 1960. Williams had more respect for her husband’s wishes and honored them by having him laid to rest next to Lombard.
If you look at pictures of Gable after Lombard’s death, he looks much older and quite sad in almost all of them even behind his cheeky smile. I believe Clark Gable didn’t realize how good he had it with Lombard until it was too late and lived the rest of his life with an immense amount of guilt and regret. It is a steep price to pay and all for foolish on-set flings that could never hold a candle to the Screwball Queen’s love for the King of Hollywood.
Classic Cinema Corner 