davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1940-05-23
Clark Gable Declares Role
OfRhett Butler Was Chance
OF A Lifetime For An Actor
Famous Star Was Unanimous
Choice for Big Part In
"GOne With Wind.
BY CLARK GABLE
(Appearing as Rhett Butler in
"GOne with the Wind" at the
Parkway Theatre)

My reaction to playing Rhett
Butler is both frank and simple.
''The condemned man ate a hear
ty meal" Now don't get me
wrong. AS an actor I loved it. AS
a character, he was terrific. AS
material for the screen, he was
that 'once in a lifetime" oppor-
tunity. But as Clark Gable, who
likes to pick his spots and found
himself trapped by a series of
circumstances over which he had
no control, I was scared stiff.
This is no alibi. I cannot but
honestly admit that the actual
making of the picture was one of
the most thoroughly pleasant and
satisfying experiences I have ever
known. During the filming, I was
on familiar ground. Once in the
atmosphere of the settings, facing
a camera in costume, playing
scenes that were dramatically
realistic. I felt for the first time
that had an understanding of
Rhett. The long months I, had
studied him and tried to know
him as I know myself made me
believe I was Rhett. These were
things could get my hands on.
They were part of my job as an
actor. 1t was those things I could
MT get my hands on that had me
worried.
Became A Fan, Too
In the interest of truth, 1 be-
came a fan of Miss Mitchell's
with the rest of America after
going half way through the book.
1t was good, too good in fact
Rhett was everything a character
should be and rarely is, clear,
concise and very real. He
breathed in the pages of the book.
He was flawless as a character
study. He stood up under the
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1940-05-23
fine job of it.
Rhett A Real Person


I found upon investigation that
Miss Mitchell, very intelligently,
didn't care a hang what Holly
wood was going to do with her
book. All she wanted was peace
and quiet. She wrote a book be-
cause it was the thing she liked
to do, sand having innocently
caused more excitement than any
author in memory, asked only to
be left alone. When I was told
this, I Immediately felt a sympa-
thetic fellowship with Miss Nit
chell. I was sure we would under
stand one another, for, after all,
Rhett has caused more than a
little confusion in both our lives.
incidentally, I wanted to ask Miss
Mitchell where she met a man
like Rhett. am just guessing, but
to me he must have been the real
thing, with very little fictional
embroidery.
During the months when the
casting of Gone" reached the
proportion of a national election,
and acrimonious debate was be-
ing conducted on every street cor
ner, Rhett became more of a
mental hazard than ever. I was
still the only one who didn't
have anything to say about him.
1 never did have. For when the
time came to get down to bust
ness, I was still out on a limb.
I knew what was coming the
day David O. Selznick telephoned
me- His purchase of the book for
mere $4,000 had started the
riot. Our talk was amicable. I
did the sparring and he landed
the hard punches. David's idea
was to make separate deal,
providing my studio would re-
lease me to make the picture. I
thought my contract was an ace
in the hole. It specified that my
services belonged exclusively to
tro-Goldwyn- Mayer. l told Da-
vid that, adding on my own that
I was not interested in playing
Rhett.
Chance of Lifetime
That didn't stop David. Being a
friend of long standing and know
ing him, I knew that it wouldn't.
He pointed out that no actor ever
had been offered such a chance.
There had never been a more
talked of role than Rhett Butler.
That was exactly my reason for
turning him down. He put his
cards on the table. He was going
to try to get me from M-G-M if
he could. We shook hands on it.
I could have put up a fight, I
didn't. I am glad now that l
didn't. Hollywood always has
treated me fairly. I have had no
reason to complain about my
roles and if the studio thought I
should play Rhett, it was not up
to me to duck cut. I had nothing
to do with the negotiations. I
learned that I was TO play Rhett
in the newspapers. AS a part of
the deal, Neutrality-suspicious.
was to release the picture.
That was a weight off my
mind. There was no longer any
thing to argue about. Now had
a job to do and it was up to me
to give it all I had. I read and
re-read the book until I could
visualize Rhett as Miss Mitchell
had pictured him. How he reac-
ted to every situation. I memoir
lied many of the revealing lines
in the book and it may be of in
terest to know that most of the
dialogue in the script is exactly
. as Miss Mitchell wrote it.
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1940-05-23

vet I do not recall that I was so
terribly tired.
Instead, I think of the day that
Scarlet shoots the desarter, and I
recall that after that. nerve
wracking episode, both Olivia de
Havilland, the wonderful Mela-
nj of the film, and myself were
o. the verge of hysterics-not
al0na from the tenseness of the
scene, but from the too realistic
fall as the dead" man went
down the stairs before us.
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1940-05-23
Wonderful Experience

Yet when the day came that
meant the film was completed, 1
could not help feeling some little
regret that our parts were done
and that the cast and the crew
who were all so thoughtful and
kind throughout-were breaking
up. Clark Gable, Leslie Howard,
Olivia de Havilland, Tom Mitch
ell, Barbara O'Neil-fine players
all. We should see each : other
again, of course-but never again
would we have the experience of
playing in Gone with the Wind!
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1940-05-23
Out of My Hands

Having read the book enabled
me to see clearly what was in
for if 1 played the part. de-
cided to say nothing. 1t became
more apparent, anyhow, that it
was out of my hands. The pub
lie interest in my doing Rhett
puzzled me. Long before anyone
had been cast for the picture, I
was asked for interviews. When
l refused comment, the column
nists did it for me- My mail dou-
bled and then trebled. / saw my
self pictured as Rhett, with side
burns. I don't like sideburns.
They itch. was the only one, ap-
parently, who didn't take it for
granted that I was going to play
Rhett. 1t was a funny feeling. I
think I know now how a fly must
react after being caught in spi
der web. It wasn't that I didn't
appreciate the compliment the
pubic was paying me. 1t was SIM
ply that Rhett was too big an
order. I didn't want any part Of
him.
To make sure that / hadn't
erred in my first impression, I
read Gone" again. It convinced
me more than ever that Rhett
was too much for any actor to
take in his right mind. But I
couldn't escape him. l looked for
every one. I even considered
writing Miss Mitchell at one
time. l thought it would be great
saying, Il think Clark Ga
BILE would be the worst possible
selection for Rhett Butler" Per-
haps after Miss Mitchell sees my
Rhett, or rather what I've done
to her Rhett, she'll wish she had.
It may be of interest as a side
light that my own sincere choice
for Rhett was Ronald Colman. I
still think he would have done a
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1940-05-23

The. sale of 100000 bushels
of surplus American corn to the
British under newly organized
export subsidy program has been
announced by the U. S. Depart
ment of Agriculture.
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1940-05-23

Farmers of Arson County are
exhibiting an increasing amount
of interest each year in one-va- !
riety cotton communities, reports
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1940-05-23

most careful analysis without ex-
hibiting a weakness. That was
the trouble.
realized that whoever played
Rhett would be up against a
stumbling block in this respect.
Miss Mitchell had etched Rhett
into the minds of millions of peo-
pie each of whom knew exactly
how Rhett would look and act.
It would be impossible to salts
fly them all. An actor would be
lucky to please even the MAORI
ty. It wasn't that I didn't want
to play Rhett. I did. No actor
could entirely resist such chal-
lenge. But the more popular
Rhett became, the more l agreed
with the gentleman who wrote,
Discretion is the best part of va
1or."
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1940-12-27

looked at me with his mouth
open. But then he closed it
and grinned. And he did
what l asked him TO.
EMBARRASSING SPOT
Danny was all apologies.
lie didn't know he had done
wrong. He had come TO see
me because 1 had been his
best friend for five years and
he thought l always would be.
Listen, you mug" my
father said. ''there is never
any real friendship between
a man and a woman espe-
cially when they have been
going together. II Miss Len
don knew you were here to-
night, she would probably
call the police. That would
put my Sally In avery en-
barrassing position indeed.
She would look like a heel
for doing what Marge did,
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1940-12-27


RUT how would you know right That
When The your troubles would he
You'd longer uncertainty.
So he reaSoned-because he
And he began
In the his ahead-took risks-made
eNperments-go mesSes.
How silly they are he himself III they'd keep
cool and be patient they might avoid all this 1t isn't the
least necessary 10 get into such jams
So he waited. And waited.
Jobs along But they exactly the
Naturally he had take them they neverea'
lasted long Something always His bosses
impatient! Why didn't they tell him of blow
ing because he hadn't willing cooperate.
If would plan hiu-tell
him exactly what 10 do and when do it,
But nobody would They all impatient Everything
was such confusion Nobody had plan 1t all SeneesS,
one after another the Jobs fzzled he really
They stopgaps. Presently something
would turn He'd just What To LIES PLAN
WOULD OPEN Up BEFORE HIM LIKE BLUE PRINT
Does the story familiar? OF
lived Perhaps discouraged
have lived story youe-waing-
Life should you o &c.
NEVER SHOWS Us WHAT TO DO
LIFE HAS NO BLUE PRINTS FOR Us TO FOLLOW.
II true that Life has purpose purpose GROWTH
BIT Lie IoI how when where grow
Lie did could would result? We wouldn't grow
We would only make CopyCat gestures.
There only way o 10 learn
how 10 growand that ny living by growing Meaning
Meaning ahead and doing thing Taking
with yourself Making mistakes Swapping going
again?
>udes,s
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1940-12-27

M>s >HfhbAN from Sir Hubert However. l still
sticking TO Hans Wagner the greatest Irene DUNES birth
December 20 Makes Sagittarian gazers
sagttaans loyal,
That all right On Sagttarans
ARE outbursts of unpleasant
wonder what Irene gets sarcastic and unpleasant about
OLIVER HARDY. OF the whimsical Laurel Hardy.
" the meeting held signalle opening
racing by Dollar Hardy inspired
tremendous applause with his dramatic rendition of poem:
Give partner
Stanley Laurel that pathetic ballad I'm Always Waiting
for Horses That Come assembage o dollar
bettors deeply touched
SNITH is the the United All,
- knew that? What's the second? It's johnson. After
in the Brown Williams, Miller
Wilson, Moore. people named During
TO meet Extensive checking has revealed that
secretaries prefer bunees Most executives
also marry brHettes. There
tressed females dependable
SVOU playing football"
You should played that's game requiring
real skill and endurance But did play In old
nghborhood the kids played everything game
outstanding examples OF selfaery
mothers recently entered daughter look
like sisters Have young appearing mothers
but have would sincerely looked like her
daughters the other
lessne the matter of personal look their daughters
grandmothers
THOMAS JEFFERSON % when he Declaration
Independence. Average of signing 45 We
could good young places Importance
present government Germany prac-
ticaly Am student of appears
the Germany utilized accomplish this startling
resembles
o
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1940-12-27
LET HER FORGET 1T

In SIX weeks, Danny came
around 10 see me. When /
let him in. he walked right
past me into the kitchen
where my father was sitting
with his feet on the table
reading the evening paper.
Listen" he said. Il amt
two-timing anybody by coming
to see Sally. Me and Marge
are all washed up. We didn't
get along. She thinks all
fighters are buns and she told
me that il l didn't give up
fighting. she wouldn't marry
me. So | said I'd keep on
fighting"
Then he came back IN 10
me and he said:
sally. l was a sap. going
for that Marge. She don't
know hook from hay
maker. Will you forget l
ever went with her? II YOU
will, | got a nice rock here in
my pocket. It's set in a soil
taire ring. II YOU say the
word. its yours 10 show every
body that we are engaged"
"All right. Danny" | said
as though nothing had ever
come between us, slip il on
here. I'll wear IL on con
dition. II you win your fight.
I'll marry you. II YOU don't,
I'll give II back and YOU can
marry Marge because YOU
won't deserve any better"
I'll win. all right" he said
and he kissed me.
And he did He knocked
him out in the second. We
we're married -lNeelk-befare
last. You don't think tho
rings too big. do YOU? 1t
cost fifteen 6 all told.
THE END.
Tomorrow's short story:
Let the Prospect Close" by
Isabel Johnston.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1940-12-27

not out of cruelty, but out of a real desire
to protect him.
So the little boy grew and the years
went on Pleasant, placid, programmed
years. with mother. father and teacher al
ways on hand with plan for him to follow.
49, Then presently he was %, out of COL
lege ready to tackle the world. But just
what did "tackling the world mean? He
hadn't the slightest notion. But that didn't
bother him. Some one. or something, had
always turned7up TO point the way. Some
one or something would turn up now.
Life. of course. wasn't like mother or
father or teacher. But life had a purpose
and plan, and place for everybody. Life
didn't tell YOU in so many words. what 10
do But it sent chances your way. All you
had TO do was be eager and willing and
ready TO jump when the right chance
came.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1940-12-27
CLIMATIC THEORY

This book docs moi mention
tho theory NJ Or Clarence Mills
of Cincinnati that weather az
fects growth.
For years, until recently. the
temperature climate of the globe
has been getting colder and for
so years college freshmen have
been getting taller.
Lately, warm spell has Set
in and Doctor Mills reported
that records Of height and
weight for university freshmen
were tending downward.
Doctor Mills thinks that II
body heat is rapidly disposed of.
As IN a cold climate. II stim-
ulates the body cells 10 grow
faster.
THE growth Of the body"
wrote {. B. Davenport. "is The
resultant OF several growth
promoting internal stimuli: They
act at different timeSsand upon
different organs. III different
races. the relative activity Of
these stimuli is diverse so that
some races are leng-legged and
others rt-legged, etc"
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1940-12-27
Daily Short Story
By CHARLES McGUIRK

could be a professional fighter.
Maybe she had heard some
body say that and Marge was
no girl 10 think for herself if
she could get anybody to do
il for her.
l had been away for a
month. over 10 Jersey, where
an aunt had died and / had to
keep house for my uncle till
he got a woman TO come in
every day. There we're two
kids. II was while l was
away that Marge got her
work in with Danny.
/ didn't blame Danny so
much because you can't let a
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1940-12-27
DIET IMPORTANT

The effects Of the ductless
glands. foods and exercises are
discussed in different chapters
by Mr. Gerling. DR. J. c. Mea-
kins of McGill University IS
quoted as saying
Given a normal pituitary and
thyroid function. with proper
supply Of Nitamin Is. amino
acids. ample food supply and
physical exercise, between theN
ages of ) and 20, the stature Of
race may be increased to the
optimum OF Greek perfection.
Comparison of different races
Of differing stature shows strik-
ing differences in the consump-
ton of milk. milk products and
meat TO a degree that il consid-
cred significant.
Improvement in the dietary
standard IL responsible for the
increased growth of Chinese
children who have migrated to
Hawaii"
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1940-12-27
THE LEOPARD'S SPOTS

pounded and scar tissue had
formed around them. And
then ! looked at the rest of
him. Broad sloping shoulders
and a good chest and no waist
at all Every move of his
was like a cats because he
was an athlete, never far
away from training.
l said 10 myself:
Listen, il YOU had any
pride, you'd Just tell this bum
fighter TO brush off and live
his own life" But / didn't
have any pride / had been
going around with Danny for
five years. And he wasn't
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1940-12-27

IVES. IT is a very nice rock.
i Il cost a grand by itself
and the setting stood Danny
MAYER five hundred more. But
Danny says it's worth II and
he laughs at anybody when
they say 1t is a little large for
an engagement ring. DO you
think 1t looks too big on me?
You're right. No ring can
be 100 big 10 tell the world
you're ono mans girl. espc-
cially if the man IS Danny.
Lies funny. anti mean
isn't-it? Three months ago.
Id have told you that me and
Danny were all washed up.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1940-12-27

As a matter OF fact, Danny
told me we were. Told
me. Can YOU imagine that?
And for a couple of weeks l
believed him. Which iuSt
goes 10 show you what a
dummy a girl can be. if and
when she's in love with a guy.
We'll. anybody'd believe il,
wouldn't they, If a guy came
to them and said:
Listen. Sally, I amt going
m puff any punches because
I told YOU once that I'd tell
you. If I ever thought I wasn't
in love with you any more.
Well, | don't think l am. I
wish l was, but I don't think
i am"
| said:
20. IL. Danny, IL YOU amt.
YOU amt. Is il somebody
else >"
lie said, yeah. Sally, and IL
looks like l got a new deal
coming all around. II looks
as though ] was going to he
a different sort of guy"
LOOKED LIKE APE
l looked al him and tried
10 wonder what | ever saw IN
him. He had a tin car and
his nose had been Dashed in
so many times that il was fiat
against his face. His mouth
was spread out. too. with the
S-ounce gloves. Maybe he
looked like a gorilla or like
the fighter he was. l looked
at his eyes that were smaller
than they should have been
because they had been
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1940-12-27
Better Health
By DR.. Logan Clendening

Variations in tho height of
human beings Is A good deal Of
mystery IN spite of much re-
search and the accumulation ri
some individually scientific facts
At most, il IS pmlosophic
speculation. but for the too
short person IL is a very imme-
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1940-12-27

parents may have comparative
giants for sons and daughters.
There is a tendency for this
characteristic 10 skip a genera
ton or so. But DR. Franz Boas
the well-known American an
thropologiSt, states that hereditv
IS not prime factor IN a per-
sons stature. and that such
things as behavior. diet and
living conditions play much
more important DaftS
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1940-12-27
HE FALLS FOR 1T


The way Danny got the
idea of quitting the ring, ne
got A pretty bad beating
around the eyes in his fight
with Tony CumiSky and the
doc SAID ne could never fight
again without the chance of
going blind an account Of
that scar tissue. So Margc
said that was all right. Fight
ing was very vulgar anyhow
and Danny could get a Job a
A gym instructor or some
thing And poor Danny fell
for IT.
Well. I don't mind telling
you that when he LETT my
house that night after giving
me the air I'd have sold my
: future for a used tin can. /
went back into the kitchen
where my father was sitting
with his feet up on the table,
reading the sports section Of
the evening paper My father
Is Mike Skclton and he was a
fighter till his legs gave out,
and then he got on the police
force and raised three of Us.
| was the youngest and,
maybe, his favorite. lie
looked at me and saw tears
in my eyes and he said:
Fighting again. Why
don't somebody tell Danny 10
do all his fighting in the ring
or wait till you're married :
Your have plenty of IL then
CAN'T CHANGE SPOTS
SO then / told him what
Danny had told me about
giving up fighting and getting
respectable job. My father
laughed heartily
1--WE heard that one n
million times" he chuckled,
II used 10 pull II myself when
was in the ring. And be-
-lieye il. -ENer& fighter is
always quitting the ring for
something easy, but he never
gets around to IL until he has
To. Don't worry about Danny
quitting the ring. \ leopard
never changes his spots. And
il YOU are going 10 let dim
wit like Marge LendOn take
YOUR man away from you,
you're no daughter of mine"
! thought that over and the
next day ! went 10 see Ivy
MulinSky. DanHNS manager
He was ia a state lie said
thai Danny was a damn liar
about being IN danger Of
going blind. lie said the doc
had told HIM that he'd have
10 have the scar tissues cut
away from his eyes and II
would take about six weeks.
When II was cut away
Danny would be as good as
ever. But this new girl of his
was a Scrcwball and she had
persuaded him thar he was
made out Of sugar and spice
or something. and as far as
Ivy was concerned. he could
go jump in the bay
About -Mcek- after that.
Danny dropped in 10 sec me
and you can bet that ! gave
him plenty of ice. | got up
after he had been sitting
there about 10 minutes and l
went into the kitchen.
II want You TO order Danny
out Of here" ! told my father
II want YOU 10 ask him what
he means by coming To see
me when he Is engaged 10
another woman" My father
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1940-12-27

taking You away from the girl
who thought she was engaged
10 YOU"
SO Danny went out with a
very uncertain look in his
eyes and l didn't see any
more of him for six weeks.
But heard plenty Ivy came
to me week after my father
had put Danny out and told
me that he had signed Danny
up 10 fight Jack BcmiS. a
very good boy, in the Bronx,
in three months. He was 10
get three grand. Danny was
now IN the hospital getting
ready for the doc 10 cut away
no q lam a -.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1940-12-27

d a I Q a n d
p a c tie A |
trouble
He " a n IS
10 be taller
and he wants
u right now
r O = I he : .
people a book
h a s recently
h 2 Q n pub
lished. Short
Stature a n d
Height In
crease, by C.
! Gerling
I'll q ~ o & +
House. pub
llSherSl IL
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1940-12-27

tells about AT There IS 10 tel on
the subject
The factor that seems 10 be
most operative in height deter
mlnation is heredity. 1t is true
that the mechanism of heredity
being what II Is. II doesn't al
ways seem TO work, and little
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1940-12-27
Elsie Robinson
Life Has No Blue Prints

HE'S waiting For 30 he has been waiting for or
- something TO tell him what TO do.
When little mother and father always told him
do They told him carefully detail They
ished him he did anything reckless They did this
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1940-12-27

man run loose by himself
But l did blame her for being
a two-timer until l realized
that. being one, she couldn I
help it.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1940-12-27

broken. That is unless Ann Sherdans
next husband becomes president. Ann re-
Gently stated: II want 10 get married again
and have Is children" Most common
names chosen for girls today arc Shirley,
Gloria Joan. Sylvia and Barbara. For boys,
Bernard Herbert Howard Leonard. Martin
and Alfred. Hollywood influence might
account for the feminine name selections
but what is the cause of the colorless
cognomens wished on todays innocent I'M
suspecting male children issa mystery 10
me. My first name is Edgar. ] don't care
for it. If you're my pal. call me by my
second name which is Vincent.
DIFFERENCES: J. Edgar Hoover prefers
turtle soup above all. Ill take Coney
Island clam chowder. Says Damon Run
yon: 'Ty Cobb was the greatest ball PLAYER
I ever laid eyes on" This is indeed praise