Modern Screen (Dec 1949 - Nov 1950)

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Cory Grant and Betsy Drake look loving but thoughtful — as is quite appropriate for a couple on the verge of flying to Arizona to be married. The ceremony, at first planned for a week earlier, took place Christmas. June Haver and Kirk Douglas display the golden apples presented to them by the Hollywood Women's Press Club as 1 949's "most cooperative" actress and actor. "Most 'jncooperotive" were H. Lamarr and H. Boqart. ■ I can tell my readers of Modern Screen that the lovely, blonde Lady Sylvia Ashley Fairbanks Stanley had no idea that she was going to many "King" Clark Gable 48 hours before she did on Tuesday, December 20. The previous Saturday she and Clark had lunched with Minna Wallis, who'd re-introduced them at a dinner months ago. That night they had dinner with Charles Feldman and agreed to dine with him again Tuesday. Tuesday morning, the telephone rang and Sylvia said to Charlie, "Something has happened. We cannot have dinner with you, but you'll hear from us later." The "something" was her elopement with Gable! Charlie didn't know a thing about it until he heard it over the radio. Minna said she was never so surprised in her life. She said that Clark and Sylvia hadn't been with each other very much since their meeting because Sylvia had been in Europe most of the time. She slipped back into town about two weeks before the wedding and then the romance started again. How did Clark happen to marry the threetimes-married Sylvia, called one of the most handsome women in the world and named on every best dressed list? Well, I'll tell you: Sylvia, I think, reminds me a little of Carole Lombard. When he first married Carole, she didn't like to fish, hunt, and was not an outdoors girl. But she adapted herself to Clark's ways, and I think Sylvia will do the same. After all, she is English and she enjoys outdoor life, even though she seems to be a hot-house plant and looks so fragile. Let me tell you a cute little story about the elopement you may not have heard: The morning of the day they secretly planned to drive up to San Luis Obispo and get their license, Clark called his bride-to-be. "Honey," he said, "We are going to have to use your car. Mine was sideswiped driving home from your house last night, and the whole side is smashed in! And that little English car of mine is too conspicuous — they'll spot it!" So King Gable had to borrow his Lady's automobile to rush off and get married. Howard Strickling, head of MGM publicity and Clark's best friend, who was best man, told me: "During the ceremony, tears came into Sylvia's eyes and started to run down her face. When Clark turned to her after the ceremony and started to take her in his arms, he first kissed her eyelids — and if you ask me, that big lug's eyes were moist, too. But happy! I haven't seen Clark that happy in years and years." The whole thing was so sudden, they haven't made up their minds whether they will live in his house, or her house at the beach, or whether they will buy a new place in Beverly Hills. But before he left, Clark left word that the master bedroom suite at his house was to be completely redecorated while they are gone. His instructions were, '"Get my hunting and fishing things out of there, make it look more — frilly and feminine!" All I can add is — I wish them worlds of happiness and joy and I sincerely believe they have found it. (For further derails on Clark Gable's marriage, see page 30. — Ed.) * * * Another major-star marriage — though of course, by no means the surprise that Clark Gable's was — was Cary Grant's to Betsy Drake on Christmas Day. For many months this marriage had been rumored as being about to take place, but while Cary had definitely said that he hoped to make Betsy his bride, she had refused to say publicly whether or not she'd have him for a husband right up to the time of their elopement. But it had been obvious that Cary was the only man in her life. The couple was flown from Hollywood to Phoenix, Arizona, by Howard Hughes in his own private plane and they were married very quietly at a desert home 20 miles from the city. The Reverend Stanley M. Smith performed the marriage rites. The couple had been all set to fly to Phoenix to be married on December 19, but there was such a downpour of rain that flying was unsafe. I heard about this at the time, but considered it to be merely another oi the wild rumors about them. But I did know that they planned to be married sometime in the holidays. I had learned this from something Cary said one afternoon when he and Betsy came to my house for tea. Cary first met Betsy, and was immediately smitten, two years ago when they were aboard ship returning from England. For both of them, this marriage certainly