Carole Lombard (October 6, 1908 – January 16, 1942) remains the enduring queen of the screwball comedy, remembered for her razor-sharp wit, infectious energy, and a “profane angel” persona that captivated both audiences and critics alike. Born Jane Alice Peters into a wealthy Indiana family, she was raised in Los Angeles, where she was discovered at the age of twelve by director Allan Dwan. Though a car accident at age sixteen left her with a facial scar and led to her being dropped by Fox, Lombard’s resilience saw her through fifteen short comedies for Mack Sennett, a period that allowed her to master the physical comedy and timing that would later make her the highest-paid star in Hollywood.
The definitive turning point in Lombard’s career came with Howard Hawks’ Twentieth Century (1934), where her frantic, hilarious performance as Lily Garland established her as a comedic force of nature. She followed this success with a string of definitive hits, including a popular screen partnership with Fred MacMurray in Hands Across the Table (1935) and her Academy Award-nominated turn in the social satire My Man Godfrey (1936). Off-screen, she was one half of Hollywood’s most celebrated “supercouple” following her marriage to Clark Gable in 1939, a union that captivated the public and remains one of the most legendary romances of the studio era.
As the 1930s closed, Lombard sought to expand her repertoire into more dramatic territory, but she ultimately returned to her comedic roots with spectacular results. She starred in Alfred Hitchcock’s only foray into American comedy, Mr. & Mrs. Smith (1941), and delivered what many consider her finest performance in Ernst Lubitsch’s biting anti-Nazi masterpiece, To Be or Not to Be (1942). In these roles, she showcased a sophisticated blend of satire and warmth that solidified her status among the American Film Institute’s greatest female stars of all time.
Carole Lombard’s brilliant life and career were tragically cut short on January 16, 1942. While returning from a tirelessly successful war bond tour in her home state of Indiana, she was killed in an airplane crash on Mount Potosi, Nevada. She was only 33 years old.
