It’s a cliche of our time that highly successful people are arrogant and ruthless. Although there are all too many examples of this, nice guys really do finish first. Clark Gable and Robert Taylor could have been bitter rivals–both jockeying for first place in the MGM world. Instead they were friends, enjoying hunting, trap shooting, golf and motorcycling together. Both died too young, still movie stars and friends. Taylor was a pallbearer for Gable.
The pictures are as follows:
row one: Robert Taylor, Barbara Stanwyck, Clark Gable (probably taken by Carole Lombard)
row two: (1 and 2) Robert Montgomery, Clark Gable, Robert Taylor; 3 Taylor, Eddie Mannix, Montgomery, Gable
row three: (clockwise from left) Irene Dunne, Mickey Rooney, Montgomery, Gable, Louis B. Mayer, Wiliam Powell, Taylor, Rosalind Russell, Lionel Barrymore
row four: Carole Lombard, Gable, Taylor; Taylor, Gable
row five: Gable, Taylor
row six: Taylor, Kay Gable; Spencer Tracy, Taylor
It would have been great to make a movie featuring both of them, don’t you think? Hey! Glad to see my screencap of Charlie in the background. Looks very impressive!
They were scheduled to be in Command Decision in the late 40s but Taylor had to drop out. I do love your screencap–I’m glad you don’t mind my using it. I can credit you if you like. Let me know what to put.
You’re right! I didn’t remember Command Decision. Taylor-Tracy is another MGM male pairing I would have loved to see in a movie, I can share many other screencaps if you like. You’ve got my email, so just contact me anytime. And of course, no credits, please! Best, S.