Clark Gable and Joan Crawford

Lovemaking never felt with anyone like what it did with Clark." ~ Joan Crawford

Some say that Clark Gable was the love of Joan Crawford`s life. Some even say that the two were close to being married. Some speculate the affair never happened at all. Whatever the case there was no denying the onscreen chemistry between Crawford and Gable. Their affair lasted off and on for over 20 years and they remained close right up until Gable`s death in 1960. The two stars were so much alike, cut from the same cloth and had both been huge stars at MGM. It is a shame they are not referred to as such big on screen duos like: Hepburn & Tracy and Rogers and Astaire. Crawford & Gable were just as big as any one-screen duo. Regardless of the lack of mention of their pairing on screen the two stars would go down in history as legends.

Let`s start in saying Crawford and Gable were two of a kind. They were both from mid to lower class families, both not very educated and both were extremely insecure people. Crawford first encountered Gable while watching him on the set at MGM and she predicted he would become a huge star. She was right. She requested him for their first picture together, "Dance, Fools, Dance" (1931). Joan hated this film but there was no denying that Crawford and Gable clicked in this movie. An affair had started almost immediately between the two stars. Everyone at MGM, especially Louis B. Mayer, saw this and he was anxious to get them teamed up in another picture. "Laughing Sinners" (1931) was already being filmed and Mayer fired Johnny Mack Brown and replaced him with Gable. "Laughing Sinners" was a hit for the two of them, mostly due to the amounting onscreen chemistry between them. It was in their next film that an onscreen explosion would erupt!

You would have to be blind not to notice the sparks and sexual chemistry between Crawford in Gable.

"Possessed" (1931) was probably one of Joan`s best pictures of the 1930`s. Her look had changed showing off a new hairstyle and makeup, it was a stunning look for Joan. Joan also fell in love while making "Possessed" with Clark Gable. Joan at the time was married to Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Gable was married at the time to a much older woman. It is rumored that the two talked about marriage but they both knew they were too much alike to get married. The affair was hot and heavy with trips and secret getaways planned. "Possessed" would go on to be one of the best films the two icons made together. In one scene in the film, Joan sings a song to Gable called "How Long Will it Last?" it was rather ironic that this song was used but it came across so very meaningful when Joan sang it...I believe she meant every word of it. In 1932 Joan wanted Gable to star opposite of her in the film "Letty Lynton" but Mayer flat out said "No", he was worried that the affair the two were having would ruin Joan`s career and her marriage to Fairbanks Jr., so Nils Asther starred with Joan in "Letty". The public was hungry for another Crawford/Gable combo and Mayer gave in, he knew their onscreen chemistry meant big box office dollars.

The next film the duo would make together was "Dancing Lady"(1933) by this time Joan and Gable had somewhat cooled, Joan had filed for divorce against Fairbanks Jr. and she had started a romantic relationship with her future second husband, Franchot Tone. Joan knew her and Gable would never be a true "couple" and on the set of her 1932 movie "Today We Live" she met Tone. Tone was very different than any man she had been with before; he was very educated and mature. He introduced Joan to new and exciting things and this attracted Joan. "Dancing Lady" teamed Joan up with her lover, Gable and her other lover Tone, she was enjoying both men while filming "Dancing Lady." Joan also was reported to have had several miscarriages with Fairbanks and Tone some even speculate with Gable. Some question the reason she was having miscarriages was because of a few abortions she had with Fairbanks Jr. child or was it Gables child? At any rate, Joan would never have any children of her own, we all know she adopted but a little Clark Jr. would have been nice:-) Joan originally did not want to star in the movie but reconsidered when she was challenged whether she could pull it off and was threatened to be replaced by Jean Harlow. "Dancing Lady" would go on to be one of MGM`s biggest blockbusters for many years to come. "Chained"(1934) soon followed and once again the Crawford/Gable sexual magnetism was alive on the screen. There was no denying that these two had feelings for each other and it showed in "Chained." Joan and Gable had cooled yes, but Joan still loved Gable even though she was ready to head down the aisle with Franchot Tone. In 1935, Joan did marry Tone and she also made another picture with Gable,