1957-08-31 — Page 8

THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, AUGUST 31, 1957.

The Sylvia Ashley story

the ghost

haunted

Mrs.

Gable

LOCKED OUT OF

HER HOME BY

HUSBAND No. 4

✪ WHERE NOW ? The woman who has boon Lady Ashley, Mrs. Douglas Fairbanks, Lody Stanley of Aldorley, Mrs. Clark Gable, and (currantly) Princoss Djordjadze came back last week to London, to the

tową where she started her climb from obscurity into the international sot. Now, with her fifth marriage in ruins, Sylvia Ashley is alone, once more. What have the glittering yours given har? intrigued. But nothing Strickling as best man. Gablo came of it, because Sylvin had wore n dark-blue business suit. In By back to California next Sylvia wore a navy-blue wool elay Fo take care of sone dress, She gave her age as 39 budines affairs arising from the (she was, in fact 45). Fairbondio estate,

As Hollywood-bound planes fly over the desert, towards was

the peaks between Nevada and California, a scar on the mountainside is visible.

It is never pointed out to you--but I have seen i myself twice.

It is the spot where the beautiful Carole Lombard perished one January evening in 1952 when returning by plane from a War Bond tour.

Clark Gable, her husband, was preparing a welcome on his 22-acte rauch

the San Fernando Valley;

When they told him she was dead he went to pleces.

Gable's Jove DETELER with Lombard and been something unique in tollywood. He adore her. And she, though busteally a boudoir girl, had learned to and shoot and hunt and side sleep on hard ground just to please him.

A SHRINE HOUGH his secretary denies

busier himself looking! after his ranch and making pictures He was rarely seen in the com-

any of women.

He went hunting; he went fishing. And in the evenings he down A contemplative would

and then watch Scotch or two television,

H

that after Carole's death Gable closed her bedroom, enshrilog it with all her things untouched,

she left them....the For Just un

the brushes, perfume batiies, even splash

of powder u

the dressing table.

SO LIKE

That winter. however, thes saw ab of each other Hollywood.

Sylvia wa attracted to Gable for there was so much of Fair lands 12 him...the streng asking teeth, the toothbrush ondache, the heavily-defined eyebrows.

BUY BRITISH

ND Gable knew he was in

love with her. Sylvia-by this time divarecd by Lord Stanley-was inde- pendent. This Cable Tked. He had never hud to chase u tic had woman before-but to chase Sylvia,

And soon he was confession to 16end: "I don't know about 'Eng|bshwomen. But I've heard a lot and read a lot about sirens. And now that I know Sylvia I'm convinced that sirens are an export

product of the Brilish Isles."

Sylvia

In December 1940 and Gable went to a parly. And at 2.30 in the morning they made up their minds.

Du

'FOR KEEPS'

URING the ceremony ncr valce trembled, Her hand shook as she cut the cake, She spilled her champagne, No first- time malden over behaved more like a bride,

The," they both said, "s' for keeps. We

terribly happy.

10

nre

"This is for koops.

We are terribly happy," they both said: Sylvie with Clark Gable,

RODERICK MANN

Sylvia had lost none of her the prince spent some time in touch.

South America, where Sylviu At the beginning of 1834 her joined him. But not for long. mother died in Luton. And in it was not her kind of life. November of that year her A year ago they stopped mce- father died in Norwood,

ing each other. He went down Sylvia spent part of that year to Texas to work for an oli travelling on the Continent firm: she retreated to her home "he with her good friend Lorelle in Califomia.

Hearst

By the time she got back to América she had decided to get

Gable aid at honeymoon," she stated,

was sullen." i want to be She said that after Gable had free. I do not want to be locked her out of their ranch murried to you or anyone else." he also closed all her charge married again.

To columnist Hedda Hopper. accounts. "I tried everything I Gable later explained:—

to keep the marrläge together," she added.

knew

"After I lost Carote I became

I

a lone wolf. I liked my life that way. I liked my own home.

OLD FRIENDS

was, tall,

And a month ago-after New York society columnists had reported that all was not well with the marriage-the prince admitted:-

"It is true. Our marriage la inished. I have not seen my wife for over a year. In fact I refer to her as 'my future ex.'

THE lucky man

bondseme Prince Dmitri However, I won't be taking Djordjadze (pronounced George- gul action. I look upon that nd-See).

He was 53, a white as a woman's prerogative." Russian aristocrat, and worked Would he,

that the as assistant to Colonel "Serge

over, carc to Obolensky, president of Newv. marriage was

denne 'Sylvia's attraction? What York's Ambassador Hotel.

did this one woman have that

now

HE was lonely, and the great omply ranch-house munde bim Joneller. The well-stocked

They went on honeymoon to their dopanent, ber, the five bathrens, the huge

Honolulu, where they wore leis, lunch one day-- portrait of Carole la the gun

dived in the sea, and lay in the "Sylvia reminded

sun. It was all very blissful. bin of what he had lost.

Happily, Sylvla showed photo- Then he met Sylvia,

graphers Cable's wedding And she took his breath away,

present her....a bracelet the Bkeness Carole

10

with three diamond hearts. Lombard was extraordinary.

But a few moonths after the

She was awarded £3,231 os a I was at a New York party

wedding, when they returned girea by Elsa Maxwell, Sylvia

cach seitlement, 10 per cent of in Hollywood, Gable knew don't like a family underfoot Gable's carnings for one year 'To forget her, he Joined and be ald

square danec

they had made a mistake. not even my own. the Air

In together. Force, serving

In Next day, in Santa Barbara,

while Sylvia's sister and seven per cent for the four the words of his friend "A

sive Europe. The back

She once

looked particularly they were married — with Howard Strickling.

children didn't live following years or until "Gable is and her

remarried. aggela in Hollywood, he beautiful that night, and Gable M.G.M. publicity chief Howard strictly ment-and-potatoes much at the ranch, they were rema

A reporter, noticing the But Sylvin was not a there a good deal of the time. muy. mcat-und patalbes girl. Far A man's home is his castle, diamond ring on her engage

ment finger, even though mine is a ranch." froni t

which she kept

They had known each other so many did not? rubbing throughout the She tried hard to please.. When Gable went on location

and remembering

met the young for 20 years, having frst

Sald the prince "She Is alde Government House

in at the Le Mans races in 1935. beautiful and intelligent and for his pleture Across the Wide

"You can see," said Sylvin, always good fun to be with. Alissouri Sylvia went with him, TN April 1031 Sylvia flew af Nassau, asked if that morelage and did her best to seem happy.

"this is no spur-of-the-moment But unlike most to Nassay to think things might be soon.

other women When she came back she Sylvia refused to comment.

affair. I know all his Hikes and with these qualities she is not She even did an oil painting of over. him on the trip, and later hung found herscit shut out of the

The divorce over, Sylvia put dirliktes, his hablis and his hersy or bossy. She is very it in their room.

rench, Gable had changed the her Santa Monica beach hobbies. That is essential for feminine."

home up for sale, together with any wife. She must know her But at the ranch she had been locks. far from happy.

She moved into the Santa £90,000 worth of antiques and man. For Carole Lombard's ghost Monien bench house with Vera paintings.

"The end the two children. Tim and was always present.

posters advertised the The place

was full of Laurelta. And from there, in place as belonging to "Lady memories. There

the May

led mult for Sylvia Ashley" in big black was waxed pine table that Gable bree.

type. In tiny print underneath

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རྩྭ་

then

LOCK OUT

1951, she

she becomes a

case.

"Marriage is only real when it is shared." she continued. "If there is true love, there is problem. Lovers share everything even thought.

סת

princess

And now? 'Our marriage

is finished'...

says the prince

and Carele and

slubs and marred

beaten with "I am caly taking this action. chains, burned with cigarette after it became evident that all`

for with knives my efforts

reconciliation.

to make it look antique... were fruitless," she said. there were the mugs and the Then, tears

streaking her

brass that they had polished cheeks, she ombarked on George together.

Vanderbilt's yacht Pioneer for

On their return from the fitro a month's cruise, to Honolulu.

location Sylvia began going over Gable wint home and watch- the ranch She spent a lot of ed TV. money. She added 0 Fuest

A month later, he asked thes

house, the feminized the rooms Hollywood, Superior Court to with new drapes and masses of refuse alimony to Sylvia, say- flowers, tho brought in new. Ing: She is a millionaire." furniture.

But the gap between them was too wide to bridge. She did not enjoy his hunting tips and fishing trips, though she went along on some of them; he could not stand her social gadabouling, though he accom- panied her whenever possible. (In their first year, he later claimed, they spent more money than he carnet. And his salary was £150,000 a year.)

ON CRUTCHES

}

The following January, while motoring along a road through Osken' Älsport," another car hit them

A kayuga, kond Tart { Age With husband No. 417,- Ulark Gable.

About the time he was say-

ing this, the very feminino Balvin was on her way to the South of France,

Alone once more.

Last week she was in Londor again. I saw her at the private screening of m new film..

n Hollywood comedy. Her spectacles thrust up over her forehead, she appeared gay, carefree, and full of life.

But she is not, I would say, a happy woman. Nothing about the way she lives or the things she does suggests a woman who la content.

On the contrary. She seems to live with an almost

patho-

logical fear of her background being revealed

or discussed. One would have thought that having accomplished so much she might have been proud of her humble origins.

But no:

BLOTTED OUT

course, it would be naive to nosume that the Princess Djordjadze of today and, the Loule Hawkes of yesterday are one and the same. They are not..

Long, long ere, in 1927. Louie Hawkes turned her back on the mean part of London' where the grew up and all it stood tor. She bolted it out of her

Www.mind, and today, for Sylvia, it

does not exist,

I doubt, if you asked her, whether she could remember were the words: "Formerly

Dougies the names of any of her old "My marriage to Mrs Clark Gable."

Fairbanks was like that," so school friends; though they Once again Sylvia plunged went on. "Oh, I was perfect. back into the social round sho He was Ideal-gay, intelligent, naturelly, remember her. canal, the coal-heaps, kcved so well.

charming; I was no problem the railway lines....Gateforth ground....the pony-trap and drinks at the Welsh Harp.... they were all part of another

SOCIAL SUCCESS

other

The

world.

In June 1953 she was at the to keep him happy. We junt School, with its tiny play. Blenheim wedding of Lady wanted to be together." N Sylvia was in Nassau Rosemary Spencer-Churchill to

What about her sgak... being seen every- Robin Muir.

husbands? where with the governor's alde. "And a month lator she made

"It would not be dignified 23-year-old Captain Stuart a triumphant

She never liked that world. reconquest of

to discusa pem." Bald Sylvia.

or she would not have worked Mayfair. Symingtum.

Almost at the same ume, o desperately to

escape it. "Mito" Djordjadze was saying: Those struggles, "whatever aho Umro happy. Sylvia is may say, have been fascinating. wiity, vitni, vivacious.I' know. For unlike Eliza Doolittle, CHE borrowed Lord Astor's I'm really, in love."

whorn Shaw created in similar Sylvia'e Jeft ankle was house at 46, Upper Grøs.

mould, Sylvis had no help in fractured, and she

They were married In her climb to the top. vetor Street to give a tremendous December 1954 in New Jersey. WAS down back

She did all alone, using to seven-hour party in honour of Sylgja signed the register as only her poturai gifts. The fact IN June 1950 Sylvin came to mediately

Loudon for n brief vialt hospital in New York.

her 18-year-old niece: Lauretta Sylvia Edith Louise Gable, and that she has not yet achieved with her nephew, Timothy There, Gably went to visit Bleck. It was a dazzling offor gave her age as 44 Calid was happiness is nothing to do with Bleck-thio 17-year-old BOT of her.

And they agreed to call More than 200 people turned 50). JARE her sister Vera

quits.

up: hmong them the Duke of She seemed quite happy. But In April that year Sylvia Marlborough, the Duchess of

woman.

"She is a rather remarkable by that time it was clear to Hamped"**"into court en Angll, tha" Earl and" Countess moon in Nassau, which the

between crutches, charging Cable with of Dalkeith, Lord Porchester FROM 12 NOON TO 5 P.M. friends that the rift

her and Geblo was widening. inflicting gilovous mentat Everyone voted it a splendid

"Almost Little more then a year after cruelty.

from our social meSTER.

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THE RIFT

im

Then off they went to hoper

knew so weMA

"That inerrings, too, is now

in taltors. After their wedding

THE END