Clark Gable Purchased Mickey Rooney’s House For $50,000 and Was Later Sold For $587,500

We’ve all seen the sprawling estates that many Hollywood actors name house — extravagant mansions about 10 occasions the scale of a traditional home. Though it appears to be a Hollywood development to personal lavish houses with extra space than anybody may probably use, that wasn’t all the time the case. Again within the ’30s, many well-known actors have been choosing smaller, cozier, extra personable houses. 

Clark Gable and his spouse Carol Lombard have been one couple who didn’t really feel the necessity to construct an ostentatious home to flaunt their success. As a substitute, they opted for an enthralling ranch house set on 20 lovely acres of land in Encino. The house in query had really belonged to a different wildly profitable actor — Mickey Rooney. 

Gable purchased Mickey Rooney’s home for $50,000 in 1939

In 1939, Gable married his lovely spouse, Carol Lombard. The couple moved to Encino, which was a quiet city on the time. In accordance with Country Living, they bought their new house for $50,000, and it occurred to be the previous house of the legendary Mickey Rooney. Rooney was a younger star on the time, taking Hollywood by storm. 

Architectural Digest describes the agricultural property as having a nine-room home, plus citrus groves, alfalfa fields, stables, and a pigsty (with no pigs). Lombard labored on redecorating the house whereas Gable was filming Gone With the Wind. The white brick and wooden facade was vibrant and inviting, and crimson brick terraces added a splash of coloration to the grounds. 

Lombard had the inside of the house adorned with Early American influences. A sunny yellow and white coloration scheme made the rooms open and ethereal, and snug outsized couches and chairs have been excellent for Gable (he was a giant man). The one a part of the house that oozed luxurious was Lombard’s lavatory. She departed from the comfy theme of the remainder of the house and as an alternative selected to make the toilet an opulent area with white marble partitions, enormous mirrors, and silver and crystal lighting fixtures.

Gable’s spouse died in a tragic accident in 1942

Gable and Lombard beloved nation residing, and their publicists used the gorgeous house to make Gable appear extra down-to-earth. He was photographed performing a wide range of duties, together with milking cows, fixing fences, and using his tractor. The couple was very completely happy till tragedy struck in 1942, just some quick years after they moved into the home. 

In accordance with the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Lombard was coming back from a conflict bond drive to assist her nation throughout WWII when her aircraft crashed and exploded on Potosi Mountain. The crash was horrific, a fiery explosion that despatched wreckage flying all over the place. Search and rescue groups have been dispatched to the positioning, solely to seek out that nobody may have survived the crash. 

The fateful journey was the results of a coin toss. Lombard was in a rush to get house however was additionally touring along with her mom and Gable’s press agent–neither of whom preferred to fly. So she advised a coin toss to find out how they’d journey–if she received, they’d fly house on the following flight. In the event that they received, they’d take a prepare. 

After profitable the coin toss, Lombard realized that there have been three open seats on the following flight, on account of cancellations. Just a few last-minute adjustments within the flight plans resulted in a tragic accident that took the lives of the 22 individuals on board. 

The house offered within the Seventies for $587,500

Upon listening to of the crash, Gable instantly raced to Las Vegas. He prayed for a miracle whereas the rescue groups sifted by way of the rubble. The actor was completely crushed when rescue employees recovered his spouse’s stays, and many say he by no means totally recovered from her loss of life. 

Quickly after Lombard died, Gable left their house behind to affix the armed forces. He spent the following two years as an Military Air Corps pilot, incomes a Distinguished Flying Cross and acquiring the rank of Main. Individuals speculated that he had given up on life, and flew these planes in order that he would die the identical means she did. 

Regardless of his anguish, Gable finally returned to the Encino house and lived there till he died. In accordance with Britannica, Gable married his fifth spouse, Kay Williams, just some years earlier than his loss of life. The actor died whereas filming his final film, The Misfits. The home offered within the Seventies for $587,500 — greater than 10 occasions what Gable and Lombard had paid for it. 

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