Show MARILYN MONROE TELLS: Thousands have asked her about the ‘‘King’’ but she has remained 1 ! silent now she tells Family Weekly readers about the man who was her “only hero" as a lonely child — and as a famous star By VICTOR SEBASTIAN IT ’ has been hard for Marilyn Monroe to bring to talk about Clark Gable Since that shattering 4 am phone call from a reporter who awakened her to announce Gable’s death she has resisted press efforts to discuss what are very poignant memories to her She made one stunned horrified statement at the time of the tragedy about what a wonderful man he had been— what a rich and rewarding experience it had been to work with him But that was all Now she has been persuaded that there are many people who not fortunate enough to have known him personally feel deeply about him and were grieved at his passing So she agreed that if her own memories have such meaning to people she would talk about him This is what she recalls most vividly about Holly- wood’s beloved “King”: “There was never any impatience or annoyance in Clark There was only concern— real concern for me I remember the flowers Kay (Gable) and Clark sent to me when I was in the hospital— a huge bouquet very elaborate I remember there were pink doves— many of them And such a sweet warm note “I’ll remember these things And I’ll remember his cheerfulness arriving at work early in the morning when nobody is cheerful And his jokes— he always had a joke for me I looked forward to them “He appreciated women I think that was one of the strongest elements of his attraction to them Nobody was more of a man’s man than he was— but he appreciated women “Most of all he was a man don’t mean just that he was virile exciting vibrant—he was all of those I things But he had sensitivity too and tenderness and he wasn’t afraid of those qualities” AS MARILYN monroe talked about Clark Gable it was obvious that this wasn’t just an actress talking about an actor who had played opposite her in a movie: Clark Gable meant much more than that to Marilyn 'Monroe Actually he never fully realized what it meant to his blonde costar to be ing opposite him in “The Misfits” “I always thought some day when Clark and Kay and I were sitting together—some relaxed time— I’d be able to tell him I don’t know how he would have reacted if he had known how important he had been to me all those years I think he would have understood That was a wonderful thing about Clark He understood me I don’t know why He cared about everything I think he knew that I cared too” (Continued on page 17) Family Weekly February 26 1961 5 |