Book Review | "Carole Lombard: The Hoosier Tornado"

I have a book review for you today, dear readers! I'm an avid reader of Classic Hollywood biographies and I always love the opportunity to do book reviews for them. Today's review will be for Carole Lombard: The Hoosier Tornado by Wes D. Gehring, a book I received 'long ago' for Christmas.

***

CAROLE LOMBARD: THE HOOSIER TORNADO 

BY WES D. GEHRING 

264 pages | Published: October 2003 | Indiana Historical Society

★★★

How can it not be exciting to read about Carole Lombard? Because honestly, who can say that they don't love Carole - Carole, our screwball queen. Carole, who was dubbed the "Profane Angel" because she swore like a sailor (Fred MacMurray complimented, "She swore like a man - some women try, but she really did.") but had blonde, blue eyed angelic beauty. Carole, who was the better half of Carole & Clark (Gable), a couple that was true product of Hollywood royalty to a Depression era audience. And Carole, who died tragically and certainly prematurely in a plane that crashed into the Nevada mountains in January 1942, killing her instantly.

So I was really excited to jump into this biography. As of 2012, it's the only easily available, in print work on Carole's life so I was really crossing my fingers that it would be good. I'm sorry to report that for me, at least, it fell terribly short.

I am far from an expert on Carole's life and body of work, but being an avid reader of Old Hollywood bios I could tell this book did her no justice. Firstly, the actual biographical portion of this book (so this is albeit a preface, prologue, epilogue, filmography, notes, & "selective" bibliography) comes down to 200 pages, easily the shortest bio I've read. Now, I know Carole died young (at 33), but I think her life was intense enough to fill up more than 200 (short in ratio, double spaced) pages, don'tcha think?

This book was the first to premiere in what is a series of Indiana biographies, life stories of famous people who were born in the Hoosier state. Carole was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana and left the state at the age of six only to return on a few occasions. This is not to say blue collar Carole was ashamed of her Fort Wayne roots; only that Hollywood kept her busy. I'm sure Carole was a proud Hoosier, considering her patriotism and ability to schmooze with "the man on the street" or any "Walter Mitty", despite being a glamorous movie star. 

Anyhow, considering this, and also that this book was published by the Indiana Historical Society, it became clear to me from the start that the sole point that the author was setting out to prove, throughout the book's slim life, was Carole's Indiana roots. Gehring has an annoying habit of obsessively using the same word multiple times, which gets tedious, especially in a book so short - "Hoosier" is one of them. He brings up every apt opportunity to use this word, even if it doesn't apply to Carole - sometimes taking up three sentences describing the Hoosier roots of another famous Indiana native, like Irene Dunne. (Usually I wouldn't care about three sentences but in a book this short every word is precious). I mean, WE GET IT. SHE WAS BORN IN INDIANA. But she's in Hollywood making pictures now, so get over it! Still *sighs* being an Indiana Historical Society book, and the title alone should entail this, so I can't complain: I had coming. (You know some other words Gehring has an obsessive habit of overusing? You'll be sure to see "catalyst" and "smoke screen" on ever page.)

The research for this biography also seems quite poor. Gehring could more or less have Googled quite a lot of in the information. Also, he quotes on more than one occasion passages from other biographies, and then takes the time to agree or disagree with that previous biographer's statement, when the honest truth is that he ran out of information and is simply trying to fill pages with this hogwash. And if it's not passages from other biographies, it's snippets from what Gehring refers to as "period reviews." It's nice to read these, but one or two snippets will do. Gehring pulls out about ten after each Carole film.

Another issue for me was the photographs, which are a joke. Gehring produces no interesting or new photographs; and nothing rare or candid. The collection of photos are small, sprinkled about the pages rather than inputed in a few glossaries at different intervals throughout the book, as most biographers do. Even worse; whatever little photographs there are, some of them aren't even of Carole. Instead there are photographs of Charlie Chaplin, George Stevens, W.C Fields, etc. if they happen to have  been mentioned on the page. I think that's ridiculous but it doesn't surprise me considering that Gehring spares plenty of paragraphs on information about other actors or directors that is insufficient to a biography of Carole Lombard.

Okay, now that we've gotten most of the cons of this book out, I must admit, there are a few pros which is why I manage to give this biography three stars. One of which is that Gehring obviously does have affection for his subject, restraining from throwing her under the bus at any point, which is something I incredibly admire for any biographer. I can't stand a biographer who writes a book simply to tear their subject apart; even though this isn't exactly good either, I much rather prefer a biographer who sticks with their subject through and through. And Gehring obviously likes Carole, likes her movies, has warmth for her, etc. which is nice.

The coverage of her films is pretty much consistent, though some reviews I read on Amazon written by hard core Carole fans accuse Gehring of skipping over some movies. (This is probably wrong of me, but when I read a bio I'm more excited to learn about the person's personal life than the movies they made... because I can always just watch the movies, so I'm not really a fan of three page summaries with spoilers.) His cover of her personal life also is not awful either, though I have a feeling - knowing how playful Carole was - there were more stories to have been shared. I loved reading about the pranks she pulled (sending Clark a rubber ham with his face on it for example), about her campaign to play Scarlett O'Hara in Gone With the Wind (1939) (even conjuring up a crazy plot with Gary Cooper to help herself get the role), and her attempts to become a parent with Clark (one friend claimed that they would have even made love hanging out the window if it would have gotten Carole pregnant).

I also really enjoyed a detailed coverage over the ranch style house Carole & Clark bought in the San Fernando Valley. It seems like the second and third floors were turned into his and hers bedroom suites, and it was really interesting to read the descriptions and contrasting styles of the two! Clark's bedroom suite was all manly mahogany, whereas Carole's was elegant down to the chandeliers, pale blue color scheme, & white fur throw rugs. (She once described her bathroom in a way only Carole could put it, "the most elegant sh*thouse in the San Fernando Valley".)

As for Gehring's coverage of her plane crash in the Nevada mountains, he covers it in the prologue as if trying to be clever, but sums it up "she died in the plane with her mother, instantly killed" and that's it. No in depth analysis or anything. Just finished and close. The actual end of the biography (excluding the epilogue) ends equally abruptly, very suddenly, & you think since there's an epilogue there will be more closure but there's only a short discussion of the box office receipts of To Be or Not to Be (1942) and a note to the S.S Carole Lombard, the ship christened in her name after her death. Therefore, Gehring doesn't want to talk about the plane crash at all. And it's not something pleasant to write about but, you know, honestly? (As her note, her childhood, which was given about fifteen quick pages, was not done well either.)

This was a brisk, brief biography, leaving a lot to be desired. Though it shares a few nice stories, it just doesn't do someone like Carole Lombard justice. For that matter, since it's only 200 pages (I'm not including the other 56 pages of filler), it's not a waste of time - nothing about Carole could be a waste of time - so I'm not going to advise you to avoid it... just to know that it falls really short. If you would like to purchase it, you can do so here.

One nice touch was a poem inscribed in the beginning of the book that I thought really cutely describes the genre Carole is most famous for, and so I'll  close this book review with just that.

Carole Lombard (1908 - 1942)

 

CAROLE LOMBARD: THE SCREWBALL GIRL

by Wes D. Gehring 

"Screwball comedy is essentially about 

The crazy rich girl next door

And the comic antohero boy

Who doesn't love her... at first

And though there are several

Recipes available to create

This fruitcake of a genre

All require lots of mixed nuts

For best results, add one 

Zany heiress to the world

Of some mild -mannered male,

Unaware of his own unhappiness

Then sprinkle lightly with comic

Character actors, childlike pets,

And oodles of decadent playtime

In the most la-de-da of settings

Stand back as the ingredients start

To bubble, noting how the male's goose

Is cooked as the screwball heorine 

Wears him out with her wackiness

Properly pampered, this comedy dish

Has served audiences endlessly since

The 1930s, Hollywood's version of the loaves

And the fishes, in 35mm topsyturvydom."

***

That's all, hope you liked the review, and if you have any questions be sure to ask! Or perhaps you read the book and prefer to defend Wes D. Gehring from my wrath, pitch in! ;D 

Gone Too Soon || Jean Harlow (1911 - 1937)

When I heard about Comet Over Hollywood's "Gone Too Soon" blogathon earlier this year, I couldn't wait to participate! With the criteria being a star who died before/or at fifty, I knew exactly who I was going to write about: Natalie Wood, of course. But when Jessica opened the door for entries, I was a little too late and discovered that Natalie had already been taken, as well as my second choice, the ever wonderful Carole Lombard.

Still wanting to participate, I decided I'd take a stab at Jean Harlow, who I barely knew anything about. Now that I think about it, perhaps it's good thing I chose someone that I didn't know much about, because I got to learn something and write about someone new. Right? ;)

"SHE DID NOT WANT TO BE FAMOUS. SHE WANTED TO BE HAPPY."

- Clark Gable 

***

Like I said before, I honestly knew nothing about Jean Harlow before writing this post, save that she'd died young and was good friends with Clark Gable. The only movie of hers I'd seen was Libeled Lady (1936), and that too had been a few years before. But now that I've researched a bit about her, my goodness, her life and early death were quite interesting!

If you were to stop a random person on the street and ask them who first comes to their mind when conjuring up the image of a platinum blond, ivory skinned, red lipped beauty draped in fur and diamonds, they'd reply easily with "Marilyn Monroe." Marilyn, who came to a demise almost as tragic as Jean's, would glorify the "blonde bombshell" image and make it iconic. But it was, in fact, not her who created it but Jean Harlow, some twenty years before.

She was born Harlean Carpenter on March 3rd, 1911, in Kansas City, Missouri. Her childhood was overshadowed by a domineering mother, a greedy stepfather, and illness; suffering meningitis at the age of five and scarlet fever at fifteen. In her family, she was nicknamed the "Baby," and when she became a movie star, she was the "baby" of the MGM lot. Perhaps it was her dimples and playful personality, which made Jean's performances as femme fatales even appealing because there was that underlying, childlike quality to her - very much the type that Marilyn Monroe would exhibit in later years. 

Jean made a vision on the screen. She was the icon of everything that was beautiful or glamorous in the 1930's, a poster child for sensuality laced with comedy - a good example is the famous line she delivered in Howard Hughes' 1930 film, Hell's Angels: "Would you be shocked if I changed into something more comfortable?" This one line could sum up the majority of the image that was built up for her; a sex symbol downplayed by a girlish grin; the girl next door wrapped up in expensive furs and perfume.

Her career flourished in the 1930s, as she turned out films like Red Dust (1932), Dinner at Eight (1933), and Libeled Lady (1936). Her best friend, her 'brother', was Clark Gable, who she starred alongside a total of six times. They were so close they truly considered each other siblings and Clark was known to have been the only one who didn't  call her "Baby", instead addressing her by his own affectionate nickname of "sis."

In 1935, after two failed marriages and a husband who had committed suicide, Jean took up with fellow film star William Powell. Bill Powell, with his impish mustache and mischievous manner, was no stranger to dating beautiful blondes. He'd just had a very clean, neatly done divorce with Carole Lombard (whom he still consider a friend), the screwball queen who would soon begin an affair with Jean's best friend, Clark. (Ironically, Carole would die prematurely and tragically too). 

As Clark's quote about her would express, babylike Jean didn't want Hollywood, but to be a wife and mother of many children. When she found true love with Bill, this was what she wanted, right away - so much so she was eager marry him, quit her successful career, and settle down to have a family. But Bill wasn't ready. He had two divorces under his belt and didn't want children. They would become engaged, but marriage was slow coming and Jean was left waiting.

From 1936, her path took a turn for the worst. She became pregnant with William Powell's baby. She was pulled in the many directions, for she wanted to keep the baby but also knew that Bill didn't want a child. To make matters worse, the couple were still not yet married. Under pressure from her mother, she went ahead and got an abortion, never telling Bill of the child. This put on a toll on her emotionally and physically. Upon attending the Oscars of that year with Bill, Clark, and Carole Lombard she was so sick that Carole had to help her to the powder room to recover. In the early part of the next year, she suffered a bout of influenza. Even dental surgery to have two teeth removed that spring put a great strain on her, all of this setting the tone for her final months. Jean's failing health was like a train heading dangerously down the wrong track, but she kept pushing on.

She began the filming of Saratoga (1937) with her 'brother' Clark. By now, Jean began to gain weight despite the constant diets she was on to keep her trim figure. Her usually pearly complexion of skin had faded into a shade that was gray and sickly looking. On film she had lost her typical glow and radiance, and in reality her condition grew worse. But Jean was a trooper and not one to disappoint the many cast members who were working on the film - so she pushed on.

One day on set (May the 29th), a scene called for Clark to pick her up and throw her onto a couch. But when Clark picked up his friend he was faced with a great struggle. He noticed more closely the gray hue of her bloated face, her heavy breathing, and the sweat lacing her brow. He gently laid her down on the couch and called for the director to cut. Despite the protests of the star that she could go on, the studio doctor insisted she be sent to a medical center.

But her "Mama Jean" 's religion did not believe in doctors, so instead of being sent to a hospital, she brought Jean home and cared for her herself, alongside some nurses, for a week. 

For seven days, the movie queen rested in bed amongst tangled silk bedsheets, her limp peroxide blonde hair fanning the pillow she lay upon. Jean did not improve. She desperately tried to spend this 'resting period' getting through the beginning of Margaret Mitchell's Gone With the Wind, but she was too frail to turn the pages. When her mother finally allowed to be submitted into Good Samaritan hospital on the eighth day of her grave illness, following episodes of vomiting and delirium, Jean reminded her nursemaid to pack her copy of Gone With the Wind so she could finish it while she was there. The nursemaid shook her head, "She'll never finish it," and this prediction was to come true.

At the hospital, her mother only let Clark Gable and William Powell visit her, both greatly disturbed by the appearance of the woman they both loved so much. Up until this point the reason of her illness was believed to have been an inflamed gallbladder, but when Clark leaned into kiss her he smelled what he thought was urine on her breath. He told this to the doctors and it was quickly discovered that Jean was suffering from urine poisoning, or what is known today as acute kidney injury. 

What had been happening to Jean that over the years her kidneys had been failing, and it was leading up to a great  illness like what she was experiencing. The reason she was becoming so heavy was because her body was being filled with toxins. All of this might have been repercussions of the scarlet fever she'd fared when she was fifteen. But in 1937, it was hard to treat kidney failure, and even though for years afterwards rumors would swirl that it was her mother's fault, for not taking her to the hospital sooner, she really could not have been helped. Kidney failure was just untreatable in this time.

Her state of kidney disease was so advanced, Jean could only excrete waste through the forms of breath and sweat. Her situation, which had been downplayed before this, became immediately an emergency as the hospital became besides themselves with ways to treat her. They shaved her bottle blonde hair away in desperation, for they thought some fluid might be able to drained from her head. But there was nothing that could be done for Jean. She lapsed into a coma and not much later, on June 3rd, 1937, at about 11:37 A.M she passed away. She was twenty-six.

It was a sad and tragic end to a star who had shone so brightly. Even though she had been ignoring her constant illness, fatigues, sunburn, etc. which were all symptoms of this disease, the capacity of medical knowledge at the time was not enough to treat her kidney failure. This was a time before dialysis.

News of the death of "Baby" spread fast throughout MGM. Spencer Tracy wrote somberly in his diary, "Jean Harlow died today. Grand gal." When the word was released to the general public, the cause of death given was uremia, which was what was stated in the official doctor's records. Throughout the years, rumors and suspicion would plague Jean's 'mysterious' death, though it wasn't all that mysterious at all. It was indeed a sad and haunting way for the movie star to pass, but the reasons were pretty clear cut. That terrible bout of scarlet fever she'd suffered at the age of fifteen had weakened her kidneys and her fate had become sealed from that point on. Still, people came up with their own reasons for her death - alcoholism, a botched abortion, or even that the peroxide MGM used to keep her hair that famous blonde shade had poisoned her. When the medical records were released the public in the 1990s, the reasons for Jean's death became quite obvious and the issue was put to rest. Though people may continue to say she might have been 'saved' had she not waited so long for proper medical care, it is untrue. In 1937, nothing could have saved her.

MGM planned a lavish funeral for her, and William Powell secured a glamorous crypt for at Forest Lawn. She was buried in one of the sexy gowns she'd worn in Libeled Lady (1936), and it is said a single white gardenia was slipped inside the casket, with a note from William Powell in her hands that read, "Goodnight, my dearest darling." The inscription on her gravestone is simple: "Our Baby."

With her early, tragic death, "Harlow" became an icon. Though her trademark bombshell looks would be overshadowed by Marilyn Monroe's rendition of the style in later years, for the earlier part of the 20th century it was Jean who claimed this iconic status. She was remembered as a wisp of a glamorous figure, suddenly there and suddenly not; some even like to claim her ghost haunts the old home she shared with her third husband, Paul Bern, who committed suicide. (I don't go for that whole, Classic Hollywood and ghosts thing, it's not the way I'd like to remember them; I think of them as family, which fills me with warm feelings, and not with spooky ones; you know?). In the 1960s, a film of her life was created, with Carroll Baker playing her.

Clark Gable, who likely knew her better than anyone, was very right when he said she never wanted to be famous; only to be happy. Jean Harlow would most likely have been satisfied still being "Harlean Carpenter" and living in some middle class home someplace, being a housewife with plenty of kids and going to the movie matinee on occasion - dreaming of being the leading lady of that film only for about two hours, then happily returning to her world and knowing that was where she belonged. 

According to one MGM writer, "The day 'the baby' died there wasn't one sound in the commissary for three hours... not one goddamn sound."

"I'm not a great actress, and I never thought I was. But I happen to have something the public likes."

***

After all this researching I've done on Jean, I'm really happy I chose her for this blogathon. I learned so much about her; and if you'll remember, I chose her as one of the ten actresses I wanted to see more of in 2012, and now I'm definitely apt to see her movies. I sympathize with her story so much after reading about her. I feel particularly sad knowing she was about Lucy's age when she died.

Also, all the information I gathered for this post about her was what I learned online, so if you're a real hardcore Jean fan and know tons of information on her, feel free to correct me ;) I apologize for any discrepancies there may be with her health diagnosis, I tried my best! :) OH, also, if anyone wants to suggest any Jean movies as well as any biographies about her, please comment letting me know! I'm really eager to find out more about her and see some of her films. I'm especially looking for her books about her.

I hope you liked my contribution and be sure and check out Comet over Hollywood for the rest of the entries! There are sure to be many great posts and I can't wait to read them! :) And a special thank you to Jessica for arranging this blogathon to pay tribute to the many stars we lost way too soon.

Happy Valentine's Day | 6 Favorite Couples

Happy Valentine's Day, readers!

Since February 14th is officially the sappiest day of the year, I thought I'd talk about my six favorite Classic Hollywood couples! {Legit couples, not the ones that only exist in my head... like the Pidgeons... and the
Powells... and Errolivia... and Ingrid and Cary...}

Well, yeah, here we go. Hope this'll get you all in a sappy mood! :D Oh, and guess what, this is actually for once in order, though I wouldn't put too much weight into the order of these couples, until you get to my number one. I'm going to completely dumbfound you all when you see who I've chosen for that spot. COMPLETELY, guys. ;)

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  6.                                               

Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner | November 1951 - July 1957


I knew their relationship was tumultuous, and then I read Lee Server's biography about Ava and I learned so much more about these two! Frava definitely did have a stormy relationship. The book I read went into detail about some of their fights, when plates went flying and it didn't matter who was around. But they also loved each other a lot, and this combination makes me think of Lucy and Desi, who admittedly would "love and fight furiously." Any any couple that reminds me of Desilu, well, I'm bound to like. :)

Albeit the fact they couldn't say together, and there were all those terrible fights, I think Frank and Ava in general would make a good pair. I think of Ava as the barefooted free spirit ought of a poor town in North Carolina, who liked to party and dance and have a good time. Frank's liveliness is a good match, I think.

 D I D  Y O U  K N O W? {My Favorite Facts}

• Frank gave Ava her first Corgi, which she named Rags. This hooked Ava on a sort of a Corgi obsession, she would keep Corgis until she died. After Rags, she had Cara, and after that, Morgan, who was with her when she died and was then taken in (along with her housekeeper) by good friend Gregory Peck.
• The statue of her from The Barefoot Contessa (1954) was gifted to Frank, who kept it in his backyard garden long after the divorce. Finally, upon marrying Barbara Marx, she forced him to get rid of it.
• Frank's nickname for Ava was "Angel."

---

 5.    

                                                                                                      Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall | May 1945 - his death

I didn't really know much about Bogie and Bacall until I read Lauren's fantastic autobiography, By Myself and Then Some, last fall. I don't really know all the nitty gritty details about their relationship, and I've heard rumors that things got bad for them towards the end, but I don't know if it's true or not. All I know is the picture Lauren painted in her book, and that picture of this couple was sweet and wonderful to read about, and that's the way I'd like to think of them. :) If you'll remember, in my review of her book, I said that upon reading about Bogie's death I just burst into tears. It really got to me, and I could feel Lauren's suffering at the time. Also, in her book, she described several occasions where Bogie would call her in the middle of the night and tell her to please come, because he genuinely needed her, and that's just asdfghjkl. 

I really find these two adorable and am endeared by the fact that, despite their great age difference, they truly were a couple that could stick. After all, they never divorced - it was Bogie's death that broke them apart.

D I D  Y O U  K N O W? {My Favorite Facts}

• Bogie and Bacall were married on May 21st, 1945 at the farm home of a Pulitzer Prize winning author in Ohio.
• Lauren placed a small, gold whistle in his coffin, a symbol of the famous line she tells him in To Have and Have Not (1944) - the movie that on the set of they fell in love - "You know how to whistle, don't you? Just put your lips together and blow."
• Bogie's nickname for Lauren was "Baby."

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4. 

                                                                                                      Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier | August 1940 - January 1961

Viv and Larry, these two! I learned a lot about them by watching this documentary, The Oliviers in Love. These two is just another couple that you could really tell truly loved each other, and you can feel that love when you watch them together on screen or, better yet, see personal photos, telegrams, etc. You all probably knew it anyway, but the premiere website for these two is vivandlarry.com. It has a lot of wonderful photos and etc.

Viv and Larry are really just a perfect pair, though! Besides them both being British and beautiful, they're just lovely together. Too bad they couldn't last, Vivien's struggles with her bipolar disorder really put strains on their marriage.

D I D  Y O U  K N O W? {My Favorite Facts}

• Viv and Larry were married at a ranch in Santa Barbara, with Katharine Hepburn as her maid of honor. They later honeymooned on Ronald Colman's yacht.
• Vivien had an affair with Peter Finch and was ready to leave Larry for the other actor. Just as Vivien was about to board the plane with her lover, Larry wooed her into staying back. This was the basis for the 1963 film The V.I.Ps, with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.
• Viv called Larry "Baba", and he always referred to her as "Pussycat."

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3. 

     Clark Gable and Carole Lombard | March 1939 - her death

Clark and Carole are just plain amazingness. I don't know how could you not love the two of them together because they are just perfection. I mean, they used to go duck hunting early in the morning in red thermal underwear. They were just best friends and they did all these things together. Lucy and Desi were good friends with these two, and Lucy in her autobiography recounted how she kept hoping her marriage with Desi could be like Clark and Carole's. Because they were just that awesome. 

And then, the tragedy that was Carole's death in that awful plane crash. Lucy also wrote that after Carole's death, Clark used to tear around the San Fernando Valley on his motorcycle and she was convinced he was trying to kill himself. So she'd invite Clark over to the Desilu Ranch and they'd talk about Carole and watch her films. Such a tragic ending to a couple that was just so perfect together.

D I D  Y O U  K N O W? {My Favorite Facts}

• Carole had a little dachshund named Commissioner who would completely ignore Clark during their marriage. After her death, the dog never left Clark's side.
• After Carole read Margaret Mitchell's Gone With the Wind, Carole sent Clark a copy of the book with a note saying, "Let's do it!" Clark took this as a sexual advance and called up Carole. When he learned she wanted to play Scarlett to his Rhett in a movie version, he scoffed and said he'd never do such a mushy movie. When he actually did do the film in 1939, he only agreed to it on account of the salary, so he could divorce his current wife and marry Carole.
• Carole called Clark "Pa" and he called her "Ma".

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2. 

     Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy | 1942 - his death

This is the only couple on this list that was never really married. But it doesn't matter, because in my head, you know, they're married anyway. :) They made some of the most amazing movies together, these two. My favorites would probably have to be Woman of the Year (1942) and Adam's Rib (1949). I just love seeing these two on screen, because they have perfect chemistry. It's sad that they couldn't get married in real life, but I guess Kate wasn't really one to be gung ho over marriage anyway. What's important is how well they suited each other. 

I'll wrap this up by saying that they are just you know, excellent. They are Kate and Spence. I mean, really, what more can I say?? If you've ever seen a movie with the two of them you'll just know all the feelings that I'm referring to. <3

D I D  Y O U  K N O W? {My Favorite Facts}

• The night Spence died, he got up to get a drink of milk. Kate followed him, but before she got there she heard a thud and the sound of glass shattering. She found Spence lying dead on the floor, having been a victim of a heart attack. The year was 1967 - Kate would die thirty six years later.
• Kate never watched Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967), their last film together, because the memories were too painful. Nor did she attend Spence's funeral, out of respect for his family. She did, however, call his wife, offering her condolences and wanting to patch up any hard feelings between them. To this, Louise Tracy replied, "I thought you were a rumor."
• They were first introduced by Joseph Mankiewicz on the set of Woman of the Year (1942), to which Kate sized Spence up and said, "I'm afraid I may be too tall for you, Mr. Tracy." To this, Joe replied, "Don't worry - he'll cut you down to size."

---

1. 

     Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz | November 1940 - May 1960 

Ohhh, guys, excuse me, I must get my Kleenax out. I must. :) Okay, I've got my box. Okay, I can go on now. I swear, these two always tear me up. Their story is just amazing, and I have yet to see one like it. ♥ I could really go on for hours, but don't worry, I won't. 
I love how when

Lucy first saw Desi, it really was a love at sight (though she would 
claim it took a "full five minutes"!). As everybody knows, their marriage was far

from perfect, and I'm not saying it was. But then, what marriage is perfect 
(save the Minivers)? Of course, the

problems in their marriage were tough and it's what ultimately let to the divorce of course. But the 

fact is they

always loved and cared for each other, even after the divorce. There are so many things to prove that. 

I just love so many things about these two.

This is my official favorite couple, and I just love reading all the sweet amazing things. Their story really 

was amazing. Marcella Rabwin, one of their close friends, once said, "Their relationship was so deep in

 it scared me." As well as, "They loved each other more than any other famous lovers in history."

I guess so.

D I D  Y O U  K N O W? {My Favorite Facts}

• Lucy and Desi’s original wedding band was a cheap ring from Woolworth’s. They eloped in Greenwich, Connecticut, on a Saturday, and all the jewelry stores in town were closed. So this was their only option. Lucy loved it, and always kept it, no matter how green and skinny it got, and even when Desi replaced it with a bejeweled ring.
• Desi died from lung cancer on December 2^nd, 1986. Two days before, Lucy called Desi up. Lucie was nursing Desi and she heard her parents conversation, for she had to hold the phone to her father’s ear – he was too weak to hold it himself. What Lucy told Desi was, “I love you, I love you Desi, I love you.” To this replied, “I love you too, honey.” Lucy was one of the last people to speak to Desi, for he died forty eight hours later. This conversation had taken place on November 30^th, which would have been their forty-sixth wedding anniversary.
• Lucy made an attempt to divorce Desi in 1944. The day before she was schedule to appear in court, Desi called her up and asked her what he was doing that evening. She said, “You know I’m divorcing you tomorrow,” to which he replied, “Yes, I know, but I’d like to take you out to dinner.” She gave in and he did. They spent the night together. The next morning Desi woke up to Lucy getting herself dolled up for court. “You’re not going to go through with it now, are you?” he asked her. She said, “I’ve got to, the press is expecting me.” She went, got the divorce, satisfied the press, and returned home and instantly annulled the divorce. The law in California at the time was it took a year for a divorce to become final, and if the parties had an affair in that time, it was annulled. 

Happy Valentine's Day!

***

Well, that's it for this Valentine's Day. I love Old Hollywood couples. Celebrity marriages don't have a

habit of sticking, but at least back then it was geninue love and not, you know, lust - and marriages lasted

more than two minutes.

Hope you have a swell Valentine's Day, or, if February 14th isn't really your thing, that you had a good
day anyway :)

xoxo 

Hollywood and the Day that Lived in Infamy

Today is the seventieth anniversary of the day Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, which therefore drew the United States into World War II. (It's also happens to be parents' wedding anniversary - but we're talking about Pearl Harbor today. ;D)

There is a reason that this era we are speaking of is often referred to as "The Greatest Generation." It makes me proud to see the way these people scrimped and pinched and put all of their heart into the war effort. This included Hollywood, too. I got into a discussion with one of my teachers a few weeks back, and I insisted to her that Hollywood was so much different than it was today and they really did make a difference in World War Two. Movie stars were much more accessible and caring (not to mention there wasn't a single one of them that wasn't awesome and don't touch my heart in someway), and they were effected by the War as much as anyone.

Here's just a few things that Classic Hollywood contributed to the war:

• Huge stars like Jimmy Stewart and Clark Gable went off to fight.
• Cary Grant donated much of the salary he made to the war effort.
• Others, from Desi Arnaz to Ingrid Bergman, entertained troops.
• Pretty much every star you can think of sold war bonds. One tour of MGM stars alone included Lucy, Greer, Judy Garland, and Mickey Rooney. Here is footage of a war bond rally. Just by watching it, you can tell the impact the stars had. 
• Carole Lombard was the first female causality of the war, when she was killed in a plane crash on her way back from selling war bonds - she'd sold an outstanding amount. 
• Many, like Bette Davis, served the troops as a member of the Hollywood Canteen.
• Patriotic or wartime films hit an all time high - "Mrs. Miniver" itself was made to encourage Americans to help out the Brits in the war, though by the time it was released in 1942 the States were already immersed in the war.

And this is just a small selection of Hollywood's contributions - really, you could just go on forever. (I think I will do a separate series of posts about that in the near future. Sooo many photos and stories.) And this is all in addition to the fact that going to the the cinema helped Americans get their minds off the war, even for just an hour or two. The movies were an escape for many, just as it had been throughout the Great Depression. 

On this 70th anniversary, I'd like to reflect on Hollywood and the actual bombing of Pearl Harbor itself. This generation of Americans often have a common bond of "where were you when the towers fell?", in reference to the 9/11 bombings. For the past generation, it was very much "where were you when you heard about Pearl Harbor?" So here are passages from classic stars autobiographies or biographies, discussing the day that lived in infamy, accompanied by wartime Classic Hollywood photos (war bond rallies, pinups, wartime movie stills etc.)

Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz:

"December 7th,  1941. Lucy and I were in New York City staying a lovely penthouse apartment which a friend of mine had loaned us. It was there that we heard the word about the Japanese bombing Pearl Harbor.  We made arrangments to fly to Los Angeles immediately and be with our famalies."

Ginger Rogers:

" I was working on Roxie Hart when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941, and the United States entered World War II. With our country now at war, whether we wanted to be or not, the sound stages were filled with radios giving out fresh information. The sound booth had to block out the squeaking from midget radios in the middle of a take, and much film was wasted during the time because we were so eager to hear the news... I remember what a shock it was, and my heart went out to anyone who had to be involved in any way, anywhere, in a war, and in particular to our American troops."
- "Ginger: My Story,"
by Ginger Rogers

Robert Mitchum:

"On December 7th the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and America found itself at war. Many of the young men at the plant went into the service. 'Bob didn't get in,' said Jim Dougherty. ' He said they wouldn't take him in the military because he had false teeth. That's what he told me'."

- "Robert Mitchum: Baby, I Don't Care"

by Lee Server

Myrna Loy:

"On December 7th, 1941, Japan invaded Pearl Harbor, and FDR subsequently declared war. Myrna happened to be in New York with her close friend Natalie Visart... She learned about the Japanese invasion via a phone conversation with Arthur's [her husband] first wife, Juliette. Juliette, who was living on the East Coast, told Myrna, "We've been attacked!" 

-"Myrna Loy: The Only Good Girl in Hollywood,"

by Emily W. Lieder 

Clark Gable:

"Clark Gable heard on the radio. Japanese planes had attacked and bombed the U.S Navy Base at Pearl Harbor near Honolulu, Hawaii. The Gables returned to the house and stuck close to the radio to follow the breaking story. For reasons of security and public morale, the broadcasts were censored and the details were sketchy, but it became plain that the death toll and loss of American ships and planes were catastrophic."

-"Clark Gable: a Biography"

***

That's all for today. Try and take a moment and remember the brave souls of World War II.

Happy Halloween! ♥

Hello readers,

I'm having a great day. I discovered that I got one of the leads in the school play, and it also happens to be Halloween, which is one of my favorite holidays! ♥


Though now I'd probably have to list Christmas as my favorite holiday, when I was a little kid Halloween was my favorite. Trick or treating always seemed so exciting - though, to be fair, it was never the candy I cared about. Yes, I love candy (I'm a confessed chocoholic), but for me it was more fun to dress up and just that I had the opportunity to run around the neighborhood at night, in the cool Autumn air, thrilled me.


I still love Halloween, only now that I'm older and not trick or treating, you kind of grow out of the fun of it. But I still love the spookiness, the crisp Autumn air (all the snow has melted, but it's still nice and chilly outside), snatching candy and seeing all of the neighborhood dressed up in costumes and decorations (though let's be fair: my neighborhood is a little on the dull side. A pumpkin and maybe a wreath of glittery leaves is enough to cause excitement).


Anyway, in honor of Halloween I did a review for one of those classic, cheesy, but still fun horror flicks for yesterday's SMR (you can read it here) and today here's my attempt at scrapping up some Halloween/classic movie related stuff.


A lot of these photos have been circulating around the blogosphere lately for Halloween; nothing really original but it's hard to find Halloween/classic movie stuff so I gave it my best! :) 

Lucy! <3

Joan Crawford

Judy Garland

Pier Angeli

Debbie Reynolds (sorry for the blurriness!)

Carole Lombard, Clark Gable and company [they're dressed up, so I guess it counts as a Halloween photo..]

Carole and Vivien with black (well, blackish for Vivien..) cats.

And, one of the most awesome Halloween stories ever about Lucy, told by her daughter, Lucie Arnaz --

HAVE A HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! ♥

Caroletenniel (+3) || My 5 Favorite Things about Carole

Happy Birthday, Carole! 

This is my contribution for the Caroletenniel(+3) blogathon at Carole and Co. The blogathon runs from today until the 9th so stay tuned at the Carole and Co Blog (link up there) for the other great posts. I decided to write my post on Carole's actual birthday. My topic will be the five things I love about Carole the most, in no particular order. <3

***

#5: She was the screwball queen.

Though plenty of actresses did screwball comedy and were quite wonderful at it, Carole excelled in the genre and I would have to say her best films were of this sort - "To Be or Not To Be"? "Nothing Sacred"? "My Man Godfrey"? This is not to say, of course, that Carole couldn't do drama. I'm not all that acquainted with her lesser known films and there might be dramas sprinkled throughout there, but as they say, comedy is harder than drama. She was just really brilliant in playing those glamorous tomboy roles, if that even makes sense. Her screwball comedies are always fun and refreshing. I'm going to have to go with "To Be or Not To Be" as my favorite Carole Lombard picture. Her last film; an excellent screwball comedy, provoking laughter and light in a heavy time in history without being obnoxious or disrespectful. Carole carries an air of more subtle comedy in that film versus the more familiar "let's misbehave!" attitude of screwballs, but hilarious and lovely none the least.

#4: The men she married.

Carole twice married, and to two very awesome people. The first was William Powell, who I love for sure, but the second was Clark Gable. I love it when awesome people hang out together (I've mentioned this several times), but also when they get married! Clark and Carole are an exceptional example of this amazingness and they are really quite adorable together. They made several films but their relationship did not  turn romantic until 1938. In fact, the story goes that Clark Gable only did "Gone With the Wind" so he could get the money to divorce his wife and marry Carole. (It has also been said a while earlier, Carole sat down with GWTW, read it, loved it, and sent a copy to Clark with a note saying, "Let's do it!"... Clark took this as an advance and scoffed when he learned she meant for them to do the movie with her playing Scarlett and he Rhett. "I'll never do a picture like that!"). He called her Ma, she called him Pa, which I love. They had their differences - for example, he was staunch Republican while she was staunch Democrat - but they were married at the time of her death and I would have liked to think had she not died so tragically and early, they would have stayed together. Here are some of their home movies:

#3: Her colorful way of speaking.

When Carole got to Hollywood, she decided she didn't want to be pushed around by sexist men who controlled the production studios and companies. She thought that if she had a sailor's mouth, men in power would understand she was a woman who could not be shoved around and therefore she asked her brothers to teach her all the swearwords they knew. Now, I am not the world's biggest fan of profanity. On occasion it is okay if it really needs to be used to express a certain point of frustration, though at the same time I'm not one of those people who will openly tell someone to stop swearing (my shyness, I suppose). It annoys me to hear slang and profanity stabbed through scripts of every single television show and movie today -- though to be fair, even if Classic Hollywood never swore onscreen if you'll look at their bloopers (many of which can be found on Youtube), you'll discover that even the sweetest (like Olivia de Havilland) had their moments of... swearing. HOWEVER, I think if I ever met Carole I'd make an exception for her because it became a part of personality and made her stand out. Lucy in her autobiography wrote that Carole had "a very lively vocabulary", but she got away with it. It must have really shocked the pants off some sexist bigwigs, too, so Carole wins brownie points for that.

#2: Her friendship with Lucy.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find a photo of Lucy and Carole together, so we'll just have to settle for this photo of Lucy clutching a magazine with Carole's face from an episode of "The Lucy Show"

Lucy loved Carole Lombard, admired her style of comedy and everything. It is has been said that Carole was her favorite actress (along with Katharine Hepburn) and if you've read her autobiography (PLEASE read it if you haven't because it's AH-MAZ-ING), you can tell her affection for the star - she calls Carole her "idol". The two became great friends. Carole and Clark would come over to the Desilu Ranch all the time and spend weekends with other friends full of swimming and music and good food (cooked by Desi). They even threw Lucy and Desi a wedding party at Chasen's after the two eloped. Lucy felt awful upon learning of Carole's death, but would say that later in life she would ask herself the question "What would Carole do?" if she needed to make a decision. Carole helped out in a very important one: whether or not Lucy should wander into the risky world of television. Carole appeared to Lucy in a dream and told her to "Give it a whirl!". Thanks so much, Carole!!  This is one of my favorite things and I think it's awesome that they were such good friends.

#1: Her patriotism.

Carole selling bonds before that ill-fated trip home. 

Just about everyone knows how Carole died. She was on a plane back from selling war bonds and the plane crashed someplace in Nevada; everyone on board was killed, including Carole. It was January 1942 and the country was barely a month into World War 2; thus making Carole the first official female causality of the war, as the reason for her plane trip was to sell war bonds. Carole sold, I believe, more than $2,000,000 in bonds on that trip. She was posthumously awarded the Medal of Freedom by the President, and I think Carole was a true patriot - putting effort into selling the bonds, never minding that part of her salary went to taxes because she knew it was all for good causes. What a kind heart she must have had.

***

Well, there it is for you, my top 5 favorite things about Carole. I am sure there are more and I couldn't include them all (like, for example, her love for animals or the fact she did not request dressing rooms, preferring to chat with the cast and crew). Happy 103rd, Carole, and don't forget to stay tuned with Carole and Co for the entries! This was so much fun to be a part of! (As all blogathons are).