Evening star., 1942-01-17
CaroIe Lombard Won
Friends by Dislike
OF Insincerity
Marriage to GobIe Ideal
Romance; Liked Fun
And Practical Jokes
BY HUBBARD KEAvY,
Associated Press stan Writer.

HOLLYWOOD, Jan. 17.-Carole
Lombard was universally liked in
Hollywood because she had an in
tense dislike Of everything that was
artificial or insincere.
wood as is another great figure,
VIII Rogers, who also pricked the
balloons of fakery. Mr.. Rogers died
in an airplane crash.
Carole's likable debunking trait
first came to my attention 10 years
ago. Through a typographical error,
her name came out on the screen
with an e" that never was there
before. The studio, to alibi this,
announced she had consulted a nu-
merologist who told her 13-letter
name was much better than one
of IL. This was Carole's reply when
I asked about numerology:
Don't let 'em kid you, honey.
That's a lot Of bunk, but, since
they're paying me 50 well, don't
care how they spell my name"
Had Colorful Vocabulary.
Few persons In Hollywood had a
more colorful vocabulary. But
Carole never was offensive. She
could be very much the lady. but
when she was among friends, as
she usually was. she spoke as she
pleased.
Not long ago. Carole declared she
wanted to make as many pictures
as she could-just so she could give
her Government more income taxes.
Some criticized her for such state
ment, accusing her Of supreme
egotism.
Carole was unimpressed.
Nuts to EN-" she told me, "if
I can give the Government a quar-
ter of a million bucks a year, who S
better of for 1t? Certainly I'm
no worse OF for working-pardon
me. did say working?-I mean for
doing something like this instead
OF pouring coffee in a canteen"
Her marriage to Clark Gable was
one Of the towns ideal romances.
She wanted very much to have chill
dren but her health would not per-
nit. Her friends warned her that
she and William Powell, her first
husband. were too much alike tenn
peramentally; that they'd never
make a go Of 1t.
Liked Practical Jokes.
Although she and Mr.. Gable ap-
parently were alike in their happy
go-lucky. casual. gag-playing ways,
they complemented each other. Miss
Lombard liked fun and practical
Jokes tshe sent a large ham to Mr..
Gable after their first meeting and
people. Mr. Gable older. is more
settled, the stay-at-home type.
The Gables built an unpretentious
ranch house but they never enter.
tanned large groups, never gave
parties to maintain a front. They
entertained only the people both
liked. When they could, Carole and
Clark went away in their elaborate
station wagon to hunt or fish OF
just to ride.
Great wealth did not impress
Carole. She earned more than $2.-
600 900.
IT hope" she said recently. "that
I never lose the thrill of buying q
new dress. Sure. I could buy a doz-
en- dresses at a time, but what fun
is that? I like to shop around; it.
fun. I like to buy suit and Won
der If 'Pappy' cher pet name for Mr.
| Cable will like it. I like to buy one
hat and hope it'll look silly-but not
too silly"
Always Sure Of Herself.
Carole had a masculine deliberate
ness about her career. She always
was sure of herself. but II role
turned out badly she never shifted
the blame, as is the Hollywood Gus
tom.
Carole, 80, came here from Fort
Wayne, Ind, when she was 7. with
her mother. Mrs. Elizabeth K.
Peters, and her two younger
brothers. When she was 16, and in
high school. Carole got a chance to
work in Mack Sennett comedies.
She played a few minor roles and
then was cast opposite William
Powell in II Take This Woman" !"
Her star began to ascend then.
In 1886, again with Mr.. Powell,
she set the style for the long cycle
of screwball comedies. From then.
her pictures were high successes and
her salary grew to $150,O00 picture.
Her best pictures included True
Confession" Nothing Sacred"
Made for Each Other" Twentieth
Gentry" Vigil in the Night" "Mr
and Mrs. Smith" and They Knew
What They Wanted" Only a few
weeks ago she completed ITO Be
or Not tn Re a comedy with lark