Year of Ann Dvorak: Day 182

I’ve been collecting Ann Dvorak memorabilia for over 15 years, and there are a handful of items that I would consider “holy grail” pieces. Her honeymoon photo scrapbook that somehow found it’s way to me last month is one of them, and this photo of Ann with Clark Gable is another.

This snapshot ran in the November 1932 issue of Modern Screen, which is where this scan is from. The article was the second of two parts that was “written” by Ann’s mom, Anna Lehr, with the help of a staff writer. When Ann first started making headlines after landing the role in Scarface, Lehr relished in a semi-return to the spotlight following the demise of her own career in silent films. Once Ann married Leslie Fenton, Mama Lehr was pushed to the side, but when the Fentons looks off on an 8-month honeymoon abroad, Lehr was more than happy to talk to the press and share Ann’s letters, along with family snapshots. The quality of this photo isn’t great, so I am guessing it was probably from Lehr’s personal collection.

My guess is that the photo is from 1931 when Gable first signed with MGM and Ann, who was fed up with chorus girl roles, was getting ready to leave. It’s possibly from around the time of Dance, Fools, Dance, a Joan Crawford vehicle featuring Gable, where Ann served as a dance instructor. Despite this early meeting, I am not under the impression that they crossed paths later on.

I have a photo of a nine-year-old Ann, that ran in the Modern Screen article, so it is possible that this photo of Dvorak and Gable is floating around somewhere. If it is, you can bet your bottom dollar that I’ll eventually find it!