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Screwball: The life of Carole Lombard
"Her wit and charm made her the social as well as the artistic hub around which Hollywood revolved. She was years before her time, and her independence established her as the oracle of the New Woman...."
Uninhibited, vivacious, and a startling talent, Carole Lombard was the darling of her day. Her wit and charm made her the social as well as artistic hub around which Hollywood revolved during the '30's. She was years before her time in her sophistication, and her independence established her as an oracle of the New Woman. She was an enchanting beauty and a great artist--the supreme comedienne during the high point of American film comedy.
Larry Swindell vividly recreates her career and extraordinary personal life. Her fabled love affair and marriage with Clark Gable are here put into proper focus for the first time.
Told by a master chronicler o f the movies, this is a vibrant biography of the hometown girl who became one of greatest stars of Hollywood's golden age.
Uninhibited, vivacious, and a startling talent, Carole Lombard was the darling of her day. Her wit and charm made her the social as well as artistic hub around which Hollywood revolved during the '30's. She was years before her time in her sophistication, and her independence established her as an oracle of the New Woman. She was an enchanting beauty and a great artist--the supreme comedienne during the high point of American film comedy.
Larry Swindell vividly recreates her career and extraordinary personal life. Her fabled love affair and marriage with Clark Gable are here put into proper focus for the first time.
Told by a master chronicler o f the movies, this is a vibrant biography of the hometown girl who became one of greatest stars of Hollywood's golden age.
324 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1975
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225 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 12 reviews
September 19, 2017
Whereas most Hollywood biographers give you only a photograph of the star in question, Larry Swindell's "Screwball: The Life of Carole Lombard" is more of a gallery painting, its rich and soft hues leaving you with a true impression of its subject that lingers. You really feel like you know Carole Lombard after reading this most extraordinary look at the life of one of Hollywood's most fondly remembered stars of the 1930s and ’40s. Her death was felt on a deeply personal level by the Hollywood community who knew her, and it is no wonder that many point to her tragic passing while on a War Bond drive as the end of an era for Hollywood.
Swindell traces the life of Jane Alice Peters from her time as a tomboy in Fort Wayne Indiana, to her sudden and tragic end. Those unfamiliar with Lombard will discover a wealth of information both surprising and sometimes poignant. Swindell does not gloss over her rocky marriage to Clark Gable, but gives us a very real look at a one-sided affair of which director Mitchell Leisen commented: “Was all give and no receive." Ernest Lubitsch later added: "The romance ended, but the marriage lingered on." Swindell is fair, however, and shows that a guilt-ridden Gable would become the man Lombard always hoped he would, but only after her death; and perhaps because of it.
Lombard's silent film days are covered in detail. Silent cowboy star Buck Jones stated she was the prettiest girl he had ever seen or kissed. It was that beauty, however, which would get her a near miss as one of the girls in Mary Pickford's Little Annie Roonie. Just as she was on the verge of films with Borzage and Barrymore, a serious car accident would scar her face — another revelation — and she would be dumped by Fox. She would also be dumped by Pathe, but landed on her feet at Paramount before MGM eclipsed it as the most prestigious studio. Swindell gives several examples of her kindness and generosity, and her loyalty to old friends once she became a star. He even delves into Lombard’s very poor health, which is not widely known. The big names she took under her wing before they were stars in their own right reads like a who’s who of Hollywood, both in front of, and behind the cameras.
Those unfamiliar with Lombard’s life will be surprised to read who she felt was the greatest lover in Hollywood, and will be even more surprised at who was the great love of her life — which is a quite tragic story. Swindell of course throws a spotlight on her colorfully "blue" and infamous vocabulary, its origins and its intent — he also explains the reason for it, which is quite unusual. Lombard’s entire life is touched upon, including her brief marriage to William Powell and their continuing friendship after the breakup. Through it all, you get a sense of the person she was, warts and all, which is quite rare in an old Hollywood bio of this nature. I'm not saying it is incredibly deep or insightful, I'm saying that it's enough, which in itself makes it stand apart from many.
Lombard was alive and vital — even if not always right — and she leaps off these pages. It is no wonder that Kay Gable, Clark's later wife, had no objections when he asked to be buried next to Carole Lombard. Swindell’s biography succeeds where others fail in giving film buffs both the nostalgia they crave, while at the same time painting a flesh-and-bone portrait of a Hollywood star. In Lombard's case, it is a lovely and human portrait of a star taken in her prime. It’s good to see this older book is finally back in print. A terrific read.
Swindell traces the life of Jane Alice Peters from her time as a tomboy in Fort Wayne Indiana, to her sudden and tragic end. Those unfamiliar with Lombard will discover a wealth of information both surprising and sometimes poignant. Swindell does not gloss over her rocky marriage to Clark Gable, but gives us a very real look at a one-sided affair of which director Mitchell Leisen commented: “Was all give and no receive." Ernest Lubitsch later added: "The romance ended, but the marriage lingered on." Swindell is fair, however, and shows that a guilt-ridden Gable would become the man Lombard always hoped he would, but only after her death; and perhaps because of it.
Lombard's silent film days are covered in detail. Silent cowboy star Buck Jones stated she was the prettiest girl he had ever seen or kissed. It was that beauty, however, which would get her a near miss as one of the girls in Mary Pickford's Little Annie Roonie. Just as she was on the verge of films with Borzage and Barrymore, a serious car accident would scar her face — another revelation — and she would be dumped by Fox. She would also be dumped by Pathe, but landed on her feet at Paramount before MGM eclipsed it as the most prestigious studio. Swindell gives several examples of her kindness and generosity, and her loyalty to old friends once she became a star. He even delves into Lombard’s very poor health, which is not widely known. The big names she took under her wing before they were stars in their own right reads like a who’s who of Hollywood, both in front of, and behind the cameras.
Those unfamiliar with Lombard’s life will be surprised to read who she felt was the greatest lover in Hollywood, and will be even more surprised at who was the great love of her life — which is a quite tragic story. Swindell of course throws a spotlight on her colorfully "blue" and infamous vocabulary, its origins and its intent — he also explains the reason for it, which is quite unusual. Lombard’s entire life is touched upon, including her brief marriage to William Powell and their continuing friendship after the breakup. Through it all, you get a sense of the person she was, warts and all, which is quite rare in an old Hollywood bio of this nature. I'm not saying it is incredibly deep or insightful, I'm saying that it's enough, which in itself makes it stand apart from many.
Lombard was alive and vital — even if not always right — and she leaps off these pages. It is no wonder that Kay Gable, Clark's later wife, had no objections when he asked to be buried next to Carole Lombard. Swindell’s biography succeeds where others fail in giving film buffs both the nostalgia they crave, while at the same time painting a flesh-and-bone portrait of a Hollywood star. In Lombard's case, it is a lovely and human portrait of a star taken in her prime. It’s good to see this older book is finally back in print. A terrific read.
May 21, 2008
My two childhood heroines were Elizabeth I and Carole Lombard. I loved that Carole Lombard was a tough broad and also funny, beautiful, generous, and kind.
I read this when I was ten and still own it, along with The Films of Carole Lombard by Frederick Ott and Carole Lombard by ET's Leonard Maltin. Oddly, I own no books about Elizabeth I (but I've seen all the various PBS and HBO miniseries).
My Man Godfrey is not only a fabulous movie but her way of helping her first husband, William Powell, get over the death of his girlfriend Jean Harlow and resurrect his career. How generous is that?
I read this when I was ten and still own it, along with The Films of Carole Lombard by Frederick Ott and Carole Lombard by ET's Leonard Maltin. Oddly, I own no books about Elizabeth I (but I've seen all the various PBS and HBO miniseries).
My Man Godfrey is not only a fabulous movie but her way of helping her first husband, William Powell, get over the death of his girlfriend Jean Harlow and resurrect his career. How generous is that?
January 19, 2009
Carole Lombard is my favorite actress and one of the reasons why I got into filmmaking. After checking this book out weekly from my local library they finally let me buy it off of them (this was before amazon). My copy is tattered and worn, but I can't part with it. I've read everything I can get my hands on about Lombard and I have to say that Swindell's bio is the most complete. A lot of later books actually use this book as a reference. It's not the greatest bio in the world, but considering the fact that this funny, sassy, talented, beautiful, smart, "Queen of Screwball" is relatively unknown today this is the most complete. Well, until one of us Lombard fans writes a new one.
Anyone who doesn't know her work should check this fireball out. Some of my favorite films of hers are "Twentieth Century," "My Man Godfrey", "Nothing Sacred," and sadly, her last film "To Be or Not to Be." Oh, wait and there's "True Confessions," "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" Hitchcock's only comedy... Just watch them all!
Anyone who doesn't know her work should check this fireball out. Some of my favorite films of hers are "Twentieth Century," "My Man Godfrey", "Nothing Sacred," and sadly, her last film "To Be or Not to Be." Oh, wait and there's "True Confessions," "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" Hitchcock's only comedy... Just watch them all!
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July 20, 2021*spoiler alert*
Swindell falls into the photoplay gossip trap of the day. There’s a lot of misinformation in the book. Carole never said Columbo was the love of her life. Carole’s brother Freddie planted that after Gable died as he despised Clark Gable and blamed him for the destruction of his family. She ran from Columbo. They had ended the relationship when she went to Tahoe. She didn’t even attend his birthday party. Of course his death shook her up. She was fond of him. There is no such article in print where she says that. She was with Gable and that kind of thing gets around, even off the record. Her relationship with Gable was much too important to her.
With all of this misinformation skip it. I read Fireball which is much better but even Matzen falls into the trap of ridiculous stories, EG Alice Marble’s spy story and marriage which never happened. She was a lesbian but kept it very, very quiet. I do wish there was a biography that did justice to Carole. Sadly, there is not.
Swindell falls into the photoplay gossip trap of the day. There’s a lot of misinformation in the book. Carole never said Columbo was the love of her life. Carole’s brother Freddie planted that after Gable died as he despised Clark Gable and blamed him for the destruction of his family. She ran from Columbo. They had ended the relationship when she went to Tahoe. She didn’t even attend his birthday party. Of course his death shook her up. She was fond of him. There is no such article in print where she says that. She was with Gable and that kind of thing gets around, even off the record. Her relationship with Gable was much too important to her.
With all of this misinformation skip it. I read Fireball which is much better but even Matzen falls into the trap of ridiculous stories, EG Alice Marble’s spy story and marriage which never happened. She was a lesbian but kept it very, very quiet. I do wish there was a biography that did justice to Carole. Sadly, there is not.
July 22, 2015
A well-researched, informative biography, but somehow lacking a personal touch.
February 8, 2013
How can you not love a woman who tells the press that Clark Gable isn't circumcised? That and many other zany stories are in this amazing book about Carole.
October 3, 2013
I really liked this book. It covered her life from beginning to end. If you are a Carole Lombard fan, I highly recommend this book.
September 29, 2021
Carole Lombard was at the height of her career when she tragically died in a plane crash in 1942 in fact, you could say she was the biggest star in Hollywood at that time. Larry Swindell’s Screwball is a pretty straight forward biography about the talented actress.
Swindell is very good at transporting the reader into early Hollywood and the trials and tribulations that came with being a young woman trying to make it in the pictures.
You will also learn where Hollywood gets its sleazy reputation of what women had to go through to get their “break”. And why Lombard is so great, she refused to play that game and instead went a different route. She decided to be one of the guys, cussing like them and having a wicked sense of humor.
I highly recommend this book and of course Lombard’s films. She’s one of a kind.
Swindell is very good at transporting the reader into early Hollywood and the trials and tribulations that came with being a young woman trying to make it in the pictures.
You will also learn where Hollywood gets its sleazy reputation of what women had to go through to get their “break”. And why Lombard is so great, she refused to play that game and instead went a different route. She decided to be one of the guys, cussing like them and having a wicked sense of humor.
I highly recommend this book and of course Lombard’s films. She’s one of a kind.
June 28, 2019
A very well written and well researched telling of the life of a very talented woman who died tragically & much too soon.
May 21, 2024
3.5 stars rounded up
June 20, 2020
Carole Lombard had a wonderful life, tragically cut short by a plane crash in 1942. It is an interesting biography, though occasionally marred by awkward hokey writing, for example: "Anyway, it kept her occupied, and out of Clark Gable's hair when the fictional events of Tara and Atlanta provided all the dandruff he could abide." The author did a great deal of research, and clearly admired his star, but he definitely should have chosen a more flattering photo for the book's cover!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 12 reviews