In 1935, during the making of Call of the Wild on location in Washington state, Gable and his beautiful leading lady Loretta Young fell madly in love. Young was 23 and Gable was 34. After the film's completion, Loretta Young found out she was pregnant.  A devout Catholic, Young refused a secret abortion that 20th Century Fox insisted upon. She herself realized that it would destroy her career and Gable's as well if the news became known.  Wisely, she took a six month break, took a vacation in Europe and then came back to Hollywood, secretly had the baby, put the child into a foundling home and later adopted the child as an orphan. Only Louella Parsons was privy to the plan. When William Wellman, director of Call of the Wild, saw the child for the first time, he comented on what big ears she had. Gable was aware of the child despite everything. Loretta Young loved her child dearly.

Call of the Wild (1935)
20th CENTURY FOX
Director: William Wellman
Cast: Clark Gable, Loretta Young, Jack Oakie, Frank Conroy, Reginald Owen,
Sidney Toler, Katherine DeMille

In 1950, Gable and Young appeared together again in a romantic comedy, Key to the City. By now, both stars were separately married and were only on friendly terms throughout the film production.

Key to the City (1950)
MGM
Director: George Sidney
Cast: Clark Gable, Loretta Young, Frank Morgan, Marilyn Maxwell, James Gleason, Raymond Burr, Lewis Stone, Raymond Walburn

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