Gable Turns 39 and Ponders the Academy Awards

On Thursday, February 1, 1940, Clark Gable blew out 39 candles on his birthday cake. Maybe the wish he wished for on that natal-day anniversary was a Best Actor Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of Rhett Butler in Gone With the Wind. The acting performances...

Clark and Carole’s Gift to Margaret Mitchell

After Gone With the Wind’s Atlanta premiere, Clark Gable and wife Carole Lombard returned to their Encino, California ranch. There the couple wondered how they could show appreciation to Margaret Mitchell for her kindness during their visit to The Peach State. After...

Gone With the Wind Debuts in LA

The next major premiere for Gone With the Wind took place in Los Angeles at the Carthay Circle Theatre on Thursday, December 28, 1939, just three days before the deadline for the film to qualify for 1939’s Academy Awards. Searchlights swept both sides of the San...

The NYC Reviews Are In

On Wednesday, December 20, 1939, the New York Daily News printed two four-star reviews on the same page under the headline “Gone With the Wind in Two Gala Openings.” Kate Cameron, who saw the film at the Loew’s Capitol Theatre, wrote: “There are a dozen or more scenes...

New York City Welcomes Gone With the Wind

Following the Atlanta premiere, Gone With the Wind blew to New York City and hit the Big Apple with hurricane force. Simultaneous “premieres” were held on Tuesday, December 19, 1939, at the Astor Theatre and at the Loew’s Capitol Theatre. The opening night at the...