BORN: January 6, 1913
DIED: August 12, 2000
AGED: 87 yrs from cancer
REAL NAME: Gretchen Young
MARRIAGES: 3 times-the last to designer Jean Louis
AFFAIRS: Spencer Tracey, Clark Gable etc... (both men were married)
LOVE CHILD- With Clark Gable-refused to tell her daughter til near the end of her (Loretta's) life
Strong catholic, prude, image was all, hypocrite, sanctimonious (can you tell she is not my favourite). When she got pregnant with Clark Gable's child, it was not the sign of the times to have a child out of wedlock so she left due to illness and came back 9 mths later with a baby she "adopted" . She would never reveal to her daughter her real father until much later in life. Clark Gable never had a say in raising his child. When he finally married and his wife became pregnant he died a few months before he was born. She would have a swear jar always on the set and if anyone swore they had to place money in the jar. Once Robert Mitchum was so angry he slammed $5 in it and let it rip-lol She had 2 sons whom she favoured over her daughter. The one son, later on, was arrested for child porn(yuck). She had a TV show in the 1950's and appeared at the beginning of each show in a beautiful gown. When NBC tried to reshow these episodes later on, she took them to court because the gowns were now out of style and she felt this would hurt her image. Hmmm-reality TV star comes to mind. Louise Brooks(see the letter B) said the best thing she ever saw was when a director got pee o'd at Loretta and threw a chair at her.
OSCAR: The Farmer's Daughter
FILMS: Laugh, Clown, Laugh, A Man's Castle, Call of the wild, The Bishop's Wife
Eww. What a nasty critter. She's almost as nasty as Joan Crawford - although no one can be nastier than that b***h.
ReplyDeleteI agree on that one but Loretta loved the image
DeleteI found this so interesting because I remember how much my mom admired Loretta Young compared to other Hollywood stars back in the fifties, because of the image. I need to go back and read all your A to Z posts, as I missed a few and I have found this topic fascinating to me. I'm of the age where I only remember these stars when they were older, or from reputation and impressions from my parents and grandparents. I like getting the real info on them.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Yes I was liking ms Young at first as she seemd so lady like and loved her gowns...and then i read more and more. An excellent book is the book written by her daughter who is no spiteful but give s a pretty good account of her life with Loretta Young. Loretta was so fearful of what people might find out that when her daughter showed prominent ears like her dad she would tape them back on her daughter
DeleteNothing like good, solid Catholics like Spence and Loretta. Yuck! Is there a stronger word than hypocrites?
ReplyDeleteI know I can somehow, forgive Spencer as he was guilt ridden but I am not one for phony. i have met some true blue people who are firm believers in their religion and are so warm and not judgemental and their faith is true but I don't feel this lady wa sone of them from all the readings i have done about her
DeleteWow. She sounds like a few people I've known... I think that hypocritical, judgmental behavior is dissipating with each generation, but there are a few older people I've known who have nothing better to do than sit around and judge others while pretending they're perfect!
ReplyDeleteOh met those people to and I prefer to ignore them as that is what they hate the most
DeleteWow, she didn't tell her daughter until the end?
ReplyDeleteYou are right, She did not tell her until the end ansd then she tried to recant. All her life she had no idea until she started dating her future husband who said it matter of factly and was surprised she didn't know since it was like an open secret. Her mother would keept denying almost her whole life.
DeleteA love child with Clark? wow. Interesting post.:-)
ReplyDeleteDeb@ http://debioneille.blogspot.com
Yup and it was a shocker when it was revealed. She wrote a good book about her life and her mom. It was not a nasty book like Joan Crawfords' or Betty Davis's daughters. It was more in touch with reality and giving her assessment which was not cutthroat.
DeleteInteresting that she was such a hypocrite! I really didn't know anything about her before.
ReplyDeleteYup she is not my favourite and I just find it a shame in life when someone doesn't use all that is given in a better sense
DeleteWow, I'm crushed. Boy do I feel stupid. I thought she was so terrific. Actually, I really enjoyed her movies, so I'm glad I didn't know. I think sometimes it's better if we don't. For instance, someone on TV once said, you can tell a lot about an actor by their friends. She didn't have any, right? Neither does Angelina Jolie.
ReplyDeleteOh goodness don't feel stupid. She was beautiful and she was a very good actress. There is good and bad in everyone it just depends what seems more. I read books on her and I don;t recall her having tons of friends. She was very, very close to her sisters and mother. I think her mom really influenced her in regard to men and not in a good way. Funny-John Wayne's first wife was Loretta Young's sister.
DeleteI did not know any of this. I think my favorite of her movies was The Truth About Youth where she played the ingenue.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like she was a very insecure person. This is how they appear to the world around them.
Liz A. from Laws of Gravity
Oh she probably was quite insecure and such a shame when one thinks of it
DeleteI had no idea she was such a diva. Maybe that's why I don't care too much for seeing movies that star her. I often get her mixed up with Ida Lupino.
ReplyDeleteDiva all the way!!!! I can take her in The Bishop's Wife but I too want to throw a chair at her:) Poor Ida Lupino-I don't know much about her and want to know more as she was a rarity-not only an actress but a director! I also read that, due to the old ways they coloured hair and gave perms all her hair fell out so when we see her she is wearing wigs. I wonder though if she suffered from Alpecea (I don't know how to spell this) I know someone who has this and all the hair falls out and the Dr's don't know why
DeleteHmmm, that could be why the Mama's hair is very thin. She has colored her hair the past 40 or so years. She wishes that I would, but if I do it'll be to see how I look as a tawny blonde. :-)
DeleteWow, she sounds like...um...a real character. There, that was fairly diplomatic, right? LOL. A swear jar? REALLY? Yikes.
ReplyDeleteNo, I haven't found the episode about the El Dorado - do you remember what it was called? I'll keep looking!
I will search for you about that episode because now I must find it. This is when I wish I had the old TV Guides. Yes she had a swear jar...I would be going broke:)
DeleteMy memories of Loretta Young are from the television show. Fascinating post!
ReplyDeleteI have never seen her TV show except for some quick excerpts. Thanks!
DeleteInteresting person.... : )
ReplyDeleteOh she was a laugh a minute-lol
DeleteThat's something. When I looked at her picture I thought how beautiful. After I read your description I changed my mind and thought something very different. What a sad way to go through life.
ReplyDeleteI know-she was quite beautiful but I always want to take a pin and puncture her cheeks-lol
DeleteShe sounds as though she was truly miserable and wanted everyone else to be too. Once again another fascinating post.
ReplyDeleteThanks-I think she had a lot of daddy issues and was a mixed up girl
DeleteHow many stories are there behind each of the masks the famous people wear on screen! This is what I am getting from your posts, Birgit!
ReplyDeleteOh so many had skeletons and they were covered up by the studios which doesn't happen much any more
DeleteI always think "glamorous" when I think of Loretta Young. Not too surprised at the other, but did not know about Clark Gable's and her baby. Thanks, Birgit.
ReplyDeleteSharon @Shells–Tales–Sails
Glamour yup-in spades and yes it was a shocker when it came out. I always felt bad for her daughter and Clark Gable
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