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Clark Gable & Carole Lombard
News photo of Clark and Carole after their elopement | March 1939
Forest Lawn Glendale
Great Mausoleum, Sanctuary of Trust
The celebrated marriage between popular film stars Clark Gable and Carole Lombard came to a tragic end when she died in a plane crash enroute home from a war bond tour in January 1942. With her died her mother, MGM publicist Otto Winkler, 15 servicemen and three crew members. Five years earlier, horrified by the media circus that surrounded the untimely death and funeral of fellow movie star and friend Jean Harlow, Carole told Clark that when it was her time to go she wanted a simple, private burial. Despite the shock and worldwide press attention given to her equally untimely death, a grief-paralyzed Gable managed to fulfilled her wishes.
Clark survived Carole by another 18 years. He married twice afterward, and finally found happiness with Kathleen "Kay" Spreckles and her two children from a previous marriage. When he died after suffering a heart attack at the age of 59, a pregnant Kay buried him alongside his beloved Carole. On her other side is the crypt of her mother, Elizabeth "Bessie" Peters. Bessie, who knew a thing or two about numerology, reportedly saw warning signs in the date of the flight as well as recurring number 3s (Carole's age was 33, the flight number was 3...) but was unsuccessful in talking her daughter out of them boarding the plane. A lesson for us all to listen to our mothers. It's surmised that the passengers didn't know what hit them, but if they had any clue can you imagine that I Told You So moment?
Crypts of Clark Gable, Carole Lombard and Bessie Peters | 9/28/2004
Last known photo of Bessie & Carole | Gable & Lombard by Warren G. Harris, 1974
Carole's Mother "Bessie" Peters | 9/28/2004
Kathleen "Kay" Gable was a former model and actress who met Clark in 1944 during her troubled marriage to sugar heir, Adolf Spreckles. They happily reunited a decade later and were married in July 1955. He became an enthusiastic stepfather to her son and daughter, and they were expecting their first child together when he died. Four months later, Kay gave birth to their son, John Clark Gable. When she passed away 13 years after Clark she was interred two spaces over and one row down from her husband.
Kathleen & Clark Gable | Clark Gable by Warren G. Harris, 2002
Last wife of Clark Gable and mother of his son, John Clark Gable | 9/28/2004
Also at Forest Lawn Glendale
Otto Winkler was a MGM press agent who served and protected one of his best friends, "The King of Hollywood," Clark Gable. He was escorting Carole and Bessie on the war bond tour as a favor to Clark and was killed in the same plane crash on Table Rock Mountain outside Las Vegas, Nevada. They had just raised over $2 million dollars in bonds in Indiana and were scheduled to take the train back to Los Angeles, but Lombard was anxious to get home. The story goes that Winkler was against the flight but lost a coin flip with Lombard over how they'd get home. Otto is interred in the Great Mausoleum, one floor below the Gables.
Otto Winkler | Great Mausoleum, Sanctuary of Comfort | 7/25/2005
Carole's older brothers, Fred and
Stuart Peters are also buried at Forest Lawn Glendale in other areas. Special thanks to That Other Carole for providing their locations! Little is known about their lives after her death. I've never seen a picture of Stuart and his headstone indicates that he was married but I don't have any information about his wife or where she is buried. The space next to him is either unmarked or empty.
Clark with Fred Peters | Long Live The King by Lyn Tornabene, 1976
Carole's Brother & His Wife | Freedom Mausoleum, Sanctuary of Humility | 8/28/2005
Carole's Brother | Sunrise Slope, Lot 3254, Space 4 | 3/5/2006
Additionally, singer and actor Russ Columbo and Carole dated until his controversial death from a gunshot wound in 1934, ruled an accident. Russ' crypt is also in the Great Mausoleum not far from her. I'll be doing a page for him in the future.
Additional Links of Interest
Internet Movie Database pages for Clark Gable and Carole Lombard
Wikipedia biographical references for Clark Gable and Carole Lombard
The Clark Gable Foundation in Cadiz, Ohio
The Carole Lombard House in Fort Wayne, Indiana
Carole Lombard: A Woman For All Seasons by Warren Beath
Carole Lombard and the Crash of TWA Flight #3 by Kyle J. Wood
Lombard Crash Site Details by Chris McDoniel
Tales of Vegas Past: The Death of Carole Lombard by Gregory Crosby
Clark Gable's father, William Henry Gable, is interred at Hollywood Forever Cemetery which is located next door to where Carole worked, Paramount Studios.
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