Evening star., 1942-01-18
Hollywood Shocked
By Caro|e Lombard's
Sudden Death in Plane
Stors, Studio Mognotes
And loborers Voice
Grief at Movies Loss
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
HOLLYWOOD, Jan. 1.-THE Aim
capital, shocked and saddened by
the plane-crash death Of Carole
Lombard, was quick today to pay
tribute to the actress 1t counted as
one of its favorite daughters.
Elsewhere, too, were heard express
sions of sorrow and esteem.
From Secretary Morgenthau came
the simple eulogy that she died in
service to her country.
Mr.. Morgenthau sent this tele-
gram to her husband, Clark Gable:
My deepest sympathy goes to you
today. Your wife died in the service
Of our country. Her brilliant work
for the Treasury this week in SELL
ing Defense bonds in Indianapolis
will be long remembered and hon.
ored by us all
Here studio magnates and labor
ers on the big stages joined with
the movie-going public in voicing
genuine grief. Miss Lombard's roll
Of friends was as diversified as her
acting ability.
One of her closest friends was
Madeline Fields, or "Fieldsie," who
was Carole's secretary and inti-
mate friend for years before becom-
ing Mrs. Walter Lang. the wife of a
director. She was reported pros
trated with grief.
Actors Are Sh0cked
There is nothing one can say-it
Is too terrible" commented Robert
Taylor.
The hand of every actor in Hol-
lywood is extended to Clark Gable,
their associate and friend" said Ed
ward Arnold. president of the Screen
Actors Guild. 1T is doubly tragic as
Miss Lombard was returning from
important patriotic duty in connec-
ton with national defense"
Spencer Tracey added, so little
can be put into words when a trag-
edy of this kind strikes" A SOM
ber-faced Walter Pidgeon agreed
and said. 81 am too shocked to ex-
press anything but the deepest
grief"
Ginger Rogers, whose dressing
room adjoined Miss Lombard's at
R-K-O studio, said. The world has
lost a star who brought joy to mil
lions and her associates have lost a
wonderful friend"
Can Never Be Replaced.
Harold Lloyd, who had known
Miss Lombard for many years. OBJ
served. Like all great personalities
in pictures who have passed on, she
can never be replaced" Another
old-time friend. Lupe Velez, cried,
"It's too awful. The tilm world
will never forget her"
Gloom was cast over Columbia
Studios. where the star was to have
started work February on COM
edy with Melvyn Douglas.
At Palm Springs. william Powell,
Miss Lombard's former husband,
was 80 unbelievably shocked that
I don't know what to say"
MY wife and I have been up all
night waiting for reports" Mr.. Pow
ell said. Our deepest sympathy
goes to Clark Gable and Carole's
two brothers.
Miss Lombard and Mr.. Powell
were married in 1881 after playing
together in films. She divorced him
two years later in Reno.
Indiana Grieves.
mo daughter of any State has
made more glorious contribution
to her Nation" was the message
Of coincidence telegraphed to Clark
Gable by Gov. Henry F. Schricker
as an expression Of Indiana's grief
over the death Of the Hoosier- born
Aim star.
The governor. who two nights ago
shared the platform with Miss Lom-
bard at a Statewide Defense bond
rally in Indianapolis, said when
told of the plane crash:
"She came out here to do her
duty. I am profoundly distressed
about it."
In his message to Miss Lombard S
husband, Gov. schricker said:
Il am profoundly shocked and
grieved to hear of the arplane
tragedy. Her return to Indiana
not only endeared her to the people
here, but her gracious presence at
the first great national Defense
bond rally struck a blow for victory
that will never be forgotten.
mo daughter of any State has
made q more glorious contribution
to her Nation. Such unselfishness
and heroic service will live forever
in the hearts of our people"
Sold Two Million in Bonds.
The blonde screen star, born at
Fort Wayne, Ind. october 6, 1908,
as Carol Jane Peters, sold ST.
O17,5l3 worth of Defense bonds
Thursday at the Indiana Statehouse
and spoke that night to 10000 per-
sons at war rally.
She was accompanied there from
Hollywood by her mother, the for
mer Miss Elizabeth Knight OF
Logansport, Ind, who became Mrs
Frederick c. Peters of Fort Wayne
Miss Lombard left Fort Wayne wher
she was and had lived since in Los
Angeles. A plaque marks the house
in Fort Wayne where she was born
At New York, Will H. Hays, presi-
dent of the Motion Picture Pro-
ducers and Distributors Of America
said, "Carole Lombard has given heI
life in the service of America. She
is a frst-line casualty of the war.
Sends Wire to Gable.
Mr.. Hays disclosed he had talked
with Miss Lombard just before she
left for the airport at Indianapolis
where she had opened defense
bond sales campaign which netteo
more than s2,000,000 the first day
four times the quota set
In a telegram Thursday to Mr.
Gable, Mr.. Hays said he told the
film stars husband, "Carole was
perfect. She was gay and radiant
but tears came to her eyes as she
voiced her appreciation Of the re.
ception she had received from the
people Of her home State.
Miss Lombard wanted to serve
and help her Nation In this hour o1