Carole Lombard Fans?

[Phillyrich]

I recently watched the 1939 melodrama "In Name Only" and was quite taken by Carole Lombard's performance in a straight dramatic role. She makes an otherwise routine part, shine, expressing both sensitivity and intelligence.
Not much written about her in recent years, There appears to be only one standard, full biography of her, by Larry Swindell in 1975. Pricey, on the web.
Is it true she had facial scars from an accident?--I didn't notice anything in her close-ups. Was she about to marry Russ Columbo when he died in a bizarre shooting accident in 1934? Boy, bad luck must have followed her around.

[entredeuxguerres]

She lost a Crooner, but caught a King.

Many fine performances beginning in the late '30s convey the impression that she was a naturally gifted actress. NOT SO!, if you watch such early work as Big News, 1929, a hoot for many reasons...not least Big Butch, the society editor.

[missdupont]

Yes, she had a slight scar on one side of her face from a car accident, but makeup virtually hid it during filming. And yes, she was seriously involved with Russ Colombo before his tragic death.

[entredeuxguerres]

And yes, she was seriously involved with Russ Colombo before his tragic death.

Doubt that match-up would have lasted long anyway...not unless Russ possessed a lot more snap, crackle, & pop than he displayed in Broadway Through a Keyhole. Virginia O'Brien seems more his speed. (Ain't knocking neither, like both.)

And by the way, any firearms expert worthy of the name KNOWS "the accident" could NOT have happened as described in the press; that story clearly was made up out of whole cloth to conceal, probably, some act of stupid or drunken horseplay, a boyish prank, etc.

[drednm]

The scar is almost always noticeable despite makeup and lighting. But nothing detracts from this glorious star.

[R Michael Pyle]

May I recommend the biography Carole Lombard: The Hoosier Tornado by Wes D. Gehring. It was published by the Indiana Historical Society in 2003, and it's a very well written, albeit straightforward piece of work.

[All Darc]

Funny short with Carole:

[s.w.a.c.]

I remember a ripple of gasps when they showed one of those colour Mack Sennett shorts at Cinefest a while back, Carole's outfit was quite...uh, clingy. Some details popped out that weren't visible in my laserdisc copy of Nothing Sacred, which had the short as a bonus.