Evening star., 1941-08-03
It's All Part
Of the Racket
TOGable
Hero Worship of
Stardom Hasn't
Changed Him
By Mayme Ober Peak.
HOLLYWOOD


What's at the bottom of rumors
about Clark Gables injured back?
Is he facing a serious operation,
about which he doesn't want the
public to knoW?>
Wanting to get the facts, visited
the set of M-G-M's "Honky -Tonk," :"
teaming the two-flsted, romantic
Gable and Lana (TNT) Turner.
arrived as scene was being re-
hearSed. Gable, in evening clothes,
was striding up and down the Or
nate dining-room Of his mining
town palace.
Starred as Candy Johnson,
gambler politician, realizing his
dreams of power by electing his own
city officials, he was telling his big
wig guests. including the governor
of the State, how important it was
for them to play ball with him. AS
he put his fist down on the table
covered with a gold cloth and red
roses and wine glasses and gold
plate, he was still smiling his famous
ear-to-ear smile.
The ladies, who supposedly had re-
tired to the parlor, were rubbering
for dear life Not one was resting
on her prerogative of unlacing her
stiff, period basque for a breathing
spell behind the scenes That's
Gable. He gets them all, male and
female of the species!
Happened in Frisco"
He's always been one of my favor
ite people. So when he finally was
able to tuck the tails of his evening
coat through the back of his canvas
chair for brief chat. l unhesitat-
ingly put my question:
CLARK Gable, just what is all this
to-do about your back?'
He replied: Il have what they call
curvicle bone at the end of my
spine. This became enlarged and
affects the nerves in my shoulder
1t caused dull ache. naggine me all
the time. I couldn't do anything
strenuous. At times I could hardly
use one arm.
That's why I went to Johns Hop
kins. They decided against an op-
Grafton and instead gave me exer-
cises to do. They've helped me- The
pain is easing I've been conscious
of trouble ever since wall fell on
my shoulders and head in the earth
quake scene on San Francisco
l got quite jolt
Today's Gable is too precious prop
erty at the box Office to expose to
jolts. He has travelled far since that
day I first interviewed him. EX-
pressing amusement and amazement
at his growing fame, he had said
then:
Part of the Racket.
Funny. what publicity can DO.
All of a sudden I'm claimed to be
such and such. These attributes are
not the gift of God overnight I'm
the same man who begged for extra
jobs not so long ago"
The hero business remains part of
the racket to Clark Gable He hasn't
been changed by Hollywood fame,
except that he's more sure of him.
self, and has allowed his natural
sparkle to come through that de
fense wall he first threw up. Also
he takes great pride in the use of his
acting tools. tRhett Butler did
lot for Clark Gable. the actor.)
When l asked him whether he
wouldn't admit his increasing skill
along this line, the reply of the star
4f lyv
When you are free from worry.
you let her rip. You get in the
rhythm. A lot of fine actors in
Hollywood, who have been out of
work for awhile. have responsible
ties and are short of money know
what l mean. They get a part. In
the back of their mind is the
thought: I've got to do this They
press too hard; they Illustrate what
they are striving for. l knew what
it was to be so worried 1 wasn't able
to do part justice"
Hollywood Broke"
Now Gable is lin the rhythm" He
and his wife, Carole Lombard, are
in the millionaire class. But he has
no delusions of grandeur. They live
on ranch-Carol Gables-and raise
chickens and oranges. Their idea of
a high old time is to pack a picnic
basket and 90 to county fairs with
their chums. the Andy Devines.
Nanny" and 'Pappy" Gable (as
they call each other also take off
in the station wagon for distant
places to hunt and fish. Once they
lost themselves in Mexico and had
all the radios sending out SOS calls.
Instead of being broke in Holly
wood. Gable is Hollywood broke"
Hes used to being mobbed. When
he has to be in crowd. he's swell,
but he is not essentially a social
being. He's not glad-hander. He
never struts. No one has seen him
out of humor An Irishman NAV
quarrel, but never a Dutchman," he
laughs.
He's made of durable stuff. When
I left the set, Clark was saying these
prophetic lines:
Governor, don't like the sound
OF your toast to me as man of the
hour 1t has too temporary a ring!"
And so the Governor lifted his
glass again, and offered this one:
Here's to the man of many a year!"
released by The Bell syndieste Inc.)