American heart throb Clark Gable was born today in 1901, the same day, coincidentally, that Queen Victoria died. Conspiracy theorists are sure there is a plot involved somewhere, but as I write, they are not sure what - give them time, they'll come up with something eventually.
It may be that I'm too male and too young to appreciate Gable, but I never quite took to him. Those huge ears, that silly moustache and an essential inability to act, should have precluded him from Hollywood stardom. Apparently, he had bad breath as well, but that was really just an issue between him and his leading lady. Incidentally, did you know that his famous last line of Gone With The Wind (the most over-rated film in history apart from, arguably, The Sound of Music) was originally 'Frankly, my dear, I don't really care.'
Well done to whoever insisted on changing that - although it didn't amount to a hill of beans as regards improving the film.
In other news ...
Seventy years ago today, Vidkun Quisling became Prime Minister of Norway under German occupation. So detested was he, at home and abroad, that his name became synonymous with treachery and traitorous behaviour. So, if you really want to offend someone, all you have to do is say 'You Vidkun,' and watch them react with horror.
