The Rest Of The Story … A Star Story

We all know Clark Gable in his signature roll as Captain Rhett Butler in the classic film of 1939, Gone With The Wind. But that was certainly not Gables first film. Did you know? Clark gave his Oscar for It Happened One Night (1934) to a child who admired it, telling him it was the winning of the statue that had mattered, not owning it. The child returned the Oscar to the Gable family after Clark’s death.

He was already good friends with Hattie McDaniel prior to their making Gone with the Wind (1939) together, and wanted her to play the part of “Mammy”, but it was her coming fully dressed and nailing the part that got her the coveted role. When it came time for the premiere on December 15, 1939, producer David O. Selznick attempted to bring along McDaniel. MGM advised him not to because of Georgia’s strict segregation laws, which would have prevented McDaniel from being at the same function, on an equal basis, with whites. Gable was so outraged he told MGM he would not attend the premiere unless she was allowed to attend, also. She eventually convinced him to attend without her.

As head of the actors’ division of the Hollywood Victory Committee, he sent his wife Carole Lombard on one of the first tours, in January 1942, to her home state of Indiana, where she sold $2 million worth of bonds. On the plane trip back to Hollywood the plane crashed, killing Lombard and her mother. Gable drank heavily for six months before enlisting as a private in the Army Air Corps. He served as a combat cameraman in Britain, rose to the rank of major and eventually was furloughed to work at Hal Roach Studios–“Fort Roach”, as the First Motion Picture Unit headquarters came to be known. His discharge papers were signed by then Capt. Ronald Reagan.

And now you know the rest of this star story.

But wait…. we have another, bigger, more important star story to reveal. One of our favorite “stars” celebrated her birthday on Saturday…who is this star? Our very own chum Jackie Page!

Please help me in wishing Jackie a very very happy birthday. May the coming year be filled to the brim and overflowing with love, joy and abundant living! Happy birthday Jackie…from all your chums, here’s to many many more!