The Marriage of Carole Lombard and Clark Gable

Carole Lombard and Clark Gable were apparently both extras in Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925) and The Johnstown Flood (1926). It's quite impossible to tell whether they spoke, acknowledged each other, or were even present in the filming—I wouldn't personally count this as the start in their timeline, but it's worth being noted that it's a possibility.

The first official encounter that Carole had with Clark Gable was when they were both set to work on No Man of Her Own which was released in late 1932. What the film portrayed was nothing close to the truth; Carole was still married to William Powell and Clark had his own romantic affairs to look after.

The time between 1932 and 1936, they hadn't ever been one-to-one with each other; they hadn't spent any time alone and even though they would occasionally eat together at the studio canteen when Carole was over at MGM, it was always with other regulars such as William Powell and Chester Morris.

In February of 1936, Carole and Clark were both attendees of the party thrown by Donald Ogden Stewart at Jock Whitney's home in honour of his wife's release from hospital after suffering a nervous breakdown. Donald's wife, Beatrice, had been ordered by her doctor not to go to any parties in the evenings. So, as a joke, a party was thrown at "high noon" and appropriately named "Bee Stewart's Annual Nervous Breakdown Party." Men were walking around in the daytime in white shirts and tails, and the women in white gloves, tiaras, and plumes.

Carole made a big arrival in an ambulance, which Clark saw as distasteful. Carole was angered by the reaction and stormed out on him—nearing the end of the party, Carole challenged Clark to a game of tennis, both of them still in their gaudiest outfits; Carole won, but there's no surprise there.

When April came around, Carole was appointed hostess of the Annual Mayfair Ball. She arranged the decorations, the catering, and the dress code. The evening followed a strictly black and white theme where men should attend in a black suit and women in a white dress, with white accessories and flowers. To Carole's surprise, there were three guests who didn't follow the dress code: Jeanette McDonald turned up in a mauve dress, Joe E. Brown's wife, Kathryn, arrived in a light blue ensemble, and Norma Shearer in a bright red. Carole let off Jeanette and Kathryn because they didn't disrupt the theme too much, but was angered over Norma's and had to be talked out of telling Norma how she really felt by Clark.

Carole saw Clark and they conversed a little bit. They had a close dance together which led Clark to ask Carole back to his hotel room—she asked him, "Who do you think you are, Clark Gable?" which angered him and led him to leave early.

He woke up in the morning to two doves in a cage in his hotel room with a note that said: "How about it? Carole." At this point, it's important to note that Clark and his wife were separated, but not formally divorced yet.

The same month as the Mayfair Ball, Carole started filming for My Man Godfrey (1936) and vowed to have no distractions. This didn't stop Clark from calling up Carole at both the studio and her home, gradually upping the frequency.

Carole officially changed her name from Jane Alice Powell to Carole Lombard at the Los Angeles Hall of Records on the 7th of November, and as the relationship she had with Clark began to grow, she started selling her jewelry collection, including her notable star sapphire brooch and the other pieces she'd acquired.

In late 1936, Carole decided to sell her home on Hollywood Boulevard and opted for the more secluded St. Cloud Street so her romance with Clark could be kept a little low-key. Carole started to book her vacation time to match up with Clark's, they went on hunting trips together and she even purchased a trailer to use on the trips.

Early 1937 saw Clark in a problem spot when a woman named Violet Norton brought forward a paternity suit against Clark, which stated they both had a daughter together. This was pasted in magazines and made the public, the gossip columns and fans wonder if Carole would stick by Clark's side throughout the mess, which she did. Carole would make jokes about the Violet Norton matter in private with Clark, which, if anything, made Clark love her more.

After the passing of Jean Harlow in June of 1937, was announced on the radio, Carole was shocked when she received two telephone calls in the same day from director, Jack Conway and MGM co-founder, Louis B. Mayer, both in regards to her taking over the role of leading woman in Saratoga (1937). She refused when asked, and said: "How can you ask me at a time like this? How can you even think about it?" When Clark asked, she refused even harder. She suggested that they just use the scenes with Jean that had already been shot.

Fast forward to February of 1938, Carole wrote to her friend, Natalie Visart—explaining that things had been very quiet and she hadn't really seen anybody recently. To keep a low profile was the best thing both she and Clark could do as Clark's wife, Rhea, was still refusing to grant him a divorce.

From then on, Carole and Clark were practically inseparable. They continued to take short hunting trips together, attended events arm in arm, and planned their future together. Carole began looking for a house they could both live in the future, they settled on an Encino ranch that was being sold by Raoul Walsh and bought it from him. She was both nervous and excited on the prospect of finally being married to Clark. Their relationship was huge news and the couple was adored by the public.

In early 1939, Carole started selling off more of her belongings; but this time, it wasn't jewelry, it was house furnishings so she could have a new start when she became Mrs. Clark Gable. She sold furniture and rugs and gave away some things as gifts for the studio workers.

When Clark was finally granted a divorce from Rhea on the 8th of March, he promised Carole that as soon as he could get a day off from filming Gone with the Wind (1939), they would both be married and start there lives together.

They were married three weeks after Clark's divorce on the 29th. Otto Winkler, who was a publicist at MGM and friend to both, suggested they get married in Kingman, Arizona, where Otto had recently been married. Upon their arrival in Kingman, they went straight to get their marriage license and then to church for the ceremony. Carole wore a dove grey suit and a corresponding polka dot blouse, which was created by famed designer, Irene. Carole was overly emotional throughout the wedding and Clark very visibly nervous.

Claims were made that the couple spent a night in Oatman, Arizona, however these stories have been dispelled numerous times. The only stops the newlyweds made were at the local Andy Devine's Saloon to buy a round of drinks for everybody and at a restaurant when they began nearing California. They arrived in Los Angeles at 3 AM on the 30th of March where they slept for a few hours and then attended an arranged meet and greet by the MGM Publicity Department. They both donned the same clothes they wore on their wedding day and truly looked like a couple in love.

They both remained in a happy, filled to-the-brim with love marriage until Carole's premature death in 1942. It makes me very happy to know that she was so happy nearing the end of her life.

Sources

Most information found on Clark was provided by the website http://dearmrgable.com.

Information on Carole was found through my own research and the books: Screwball by Larry Swindell and Twentieth Century Star by Michelle Morgan.