Carole Lombard: The Queen of Comedy

At the time, Carole was married to actor William Powell. They had married when Carole was 23 and Powell was 39. The marriage lasted only 23 months, but the pair would remain friends, even working together.

After her divorce, Carole's career caught fire. In a dramatic departure from agonizing melodramas, she took a role opposite John Barrymore in Twentieth Century (1934). She screeched, howled, and tumbled her way to immediate comic stardom. Her giddy performance exploited all the best parts of her slapstick training and she made it look attractive too. Carole made insanity the height of chic and started the true era of screwball comedy.

Carole's success rose with My Man Godfrey (1936). Starring opposite Powell, she shows off her great timing and giddy delivery. It was the only role for which she ever received an academy award nomination. She also artfully stumbled and yelled her way through Nothing Sacred, a sharp black comedy and Mr. and Mrs. Smith, the only comedy Hitchcock ever directed (he did it as a favor for Carole).

Her popularity was explosive and it didn't end with the fans. Everytime Carole came onto the set, there was a roaring chorus of greetings from every single member of the crew. She considered everyone an equal and a pal and for that she was well-loved.

Part two: Carole meets Clark Gable and a legendary affair begins.

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