Carole Lombard.

Jane Alice Peters

Born 6 Oct 1908 Fort Wayne, United States

Died 16 Jan 1942 Potosi Mountain, United States

Citizenship United States

Would Be 118 yr If Living

19 min read

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Sep 30, 2026

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TL;DR

Carole Lombard, born Jane Alice Peters in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in 1908, became a leading star at Paramount Pictures in the 1930s. She received her only Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for My Man Godfrey 1936. She died at 33 in a plane crash on January 16, 1942, while returning from a war bond rally. She is remembered for her screwball comedy roles, including Twentieth Century 1934 and To Be or Not to Be 1942.

Identity & family.

KIN · 4

Names, aliases, and relatives of Carole Lombard — birth name, kin, and personal ties.

Birth Name Jane Alice Peters

Nicknames The Profane Angel, The Hoosier Tornado, The Queen of Screwball Comedy, Carol Lombard

Aliases Carol Lombard, Jane Peters

Parents: Elizabeth Knight Frederic C. Peters
Spouses: Clark Gable William Powell

At a glance.

STATS

Carole Lombard by the numbers — life, work, and family.

33 Years lived

1 Award

2 Marriages

Who was Carole Lombard?

BIOGRAPHY

Carole Lombard — early life, career, personal life, and legacy.

Early life

Carole Lombard was born Jane Alice Peters on October 6, 1908, in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Her parents, Elizabeth Knight and Frederic C. Peters, divorced in 1916, prompting her mother to move the family to Los Angeles. At age 12, a film director discovered her playing baseball in the street, leading to her first film role in A Perfect Crime 1921.

She attended Fairfax High School and Hollywood High School but left at 15 to pursue acting. A natural tomboy, she excelled in track and field and joined a theater troupe. A serious car accident in 1926 interrupted her early film career, scarring her face and requiring reconstructive surgery without anesthetic.

Career

Her first sound film was High Voltage 1929 at Pathe, and her light, breezy voice helped her transition from silent films. In 1931 she co-starred with William Powell in Man of the World, and they married that year. In 1932 she appeared opposite Clark Gable for the only time in No Man of Her Own.

Twentieth Century 1934, directed by Howard Hawks, established her as a screwball comedy star. In 1936 she received her only Oscar nomination for My Man Godfrey, playing the ditzy heiress Irene Bullock. She commanded a top salary of $35,000 per week at Paramount. Her last film, To Be or Not to Be 1942, opposite Jack Benny, was completed just before her death.

Personal life

Lombard married William Powell in 1931, but the marriage ended in divorce in 1933. She later married Clark Gable in 1939, after a long courtship that began with their work as extras on Ben-Hur in 1924. The couple had no children—Lombard suffered a miscarriage in August 1939.

She was a lifelong liberal Democrat and a member of the Baháí Faith, formally declaring in 1938. Off set, she preferred the company of crew members over other actors and swore profanely off camera, earning the nickname The Profane Angel. She was also a natural tomboy who enjoyed athletics.

Legacy

Carole Lombard’s legacy as a screwball comedy star endures through films like My Man Godfrey and To Be or Not to Be, both selected for the National Film Registry. The American Film Institute ranked her #23 on its list of 50 Greatest American Female Screen Legends in 1999. She received a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960.

Her influence extended beyond film; she reportedly inspired Lucille Ball to pursue I Love Lucy after appearing in a dream. Her death at 33, returning from a war bond rally, made her a symbol of Hollywood glamour cut short. She is remembered for her comedic timing, fearless performances, and the irony of starring in a film titled To Be or Not to Be.

Awards & honors.

AWARDS · 1

Every award, honor, and recognition received by Carole Lombard — Grammys, hall-of-fame inductions, civic honors, lifetime achievements.

star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

Notable quotes.

QUOTES · 9

A wall of memorable lines from Carole Lombard — lyrics, interviews, and off-the-cuff remarks captured over a lifetime.

I’ve Lived by a Man’s Code Designed to Fit a Man’s World, yet at the Same Time, I Never Forget That a Woman’s First Job Is to Choose the Right Shade of Lipstick.
I Think Marriage Is Dangerous. the Idea of Two People Trying to Possess Each Other Is Wrong. I Don’t Think the Flare of Love Lasts. Your Mind Rather Than Your Emotions Must Answer for the Success of Matrimony. It Must Be Friendship – a Calm Companionship Which Can Last Through the Years.
I Enjoy This Country. I Like the Parks and the Highways and the Good Schools and Everything That This Government Does. After All, Every Cent Anybody Pays in Taxes Is Spent to Benefit Him. I Don’t Need $465,000 a Year for Myself, so Why Not Give What I Don’t Need to the Government for Improvements of the Country. There’s No Better Place to Spend It.
I Know It’s a Sweet Deal, but the Story Stinks… I Don’t Care If It Is the Studio’s Money, I Don’t Like It.
An At-home Costume or Hostess Gown Is Absolutely Essential for the Woman Who Entertains, and for Two Reasons. First, This Type of Costume Is Extremely Flattering, and That Does Wonders for Any Woman’s Poise, and Secondly, It Eliminates the Possibility of Appearing Overdressed in Case a Guest Shows up in a Simple Daytime Outfit. If a Woman Has a Limited Wardrobe, It Would Be Wise to Sacrifice a Second Dinner or Evening Frock for One Hostess Gown. She’ll Soon Rate It the Most Valuable Asset in Her Clothes Collection.
Personally, I Resent Being Tagged Glamour Girl. It’s Such an Absurd, Extravagant Label. It Implies so Much That I’m Not.
I Can’t Imagine a Duller Fate Than Being the Best-dressed Woman in Reality. When I Want to Do Something, I Don’t Pause to Contemplate Whether I’m Exquisitely Gowned. I Want to Live, Not Pose!
When It Comes to Your Personal Life, Such as Love and Romance, Girls Should Take a Tip from the Men and Keep Their Affairs to Themselves. Any Man Worth His Salt Regards His Private Life as His Own. to Kiss a Girl and Run and Tell Would Mark Him as a Cad. Why Doesn’t That Apply to Girls Also?
A Woman Has Just as Much Right in This World as a Man and Can Get Along in It Just as Well If She Puts Her Mind to It.

Did you know?

FACTS · 50

Little-known facts about Carole Lombard — origins, oddities, and behind-the-scenes details from a public life.

The Jack Benny radio show that followed her death was cancelled because Benny, a good friend and admirer, was grief-stricken. The time was filled with music instead.
Her film To Be or Not to Be 1942 was in post-production when she died in a plane crash, and the producers decided to leave out a part that had her character ironically saying what can happen in a plane.
She had a little dachshund named Commissioner that ignored Clark Gable completely. After her death in 1942, the dog would not leave his side.
Part of her honeymoon with Clark Gable was at the Willows Inn in Palm Springs, CA. The Inn continues to operate and anyone can stay in the same room, called The Library Suite. The room remains largely unaltered since the Gables stayed there more than 60 years ago.
Lucille Ball said she finally decided to go ahead with I Love Lucy 1951 when Carole, who had been a close friend, came to her in a dream and recommended she take a chance on the risky idea of entering television.
She preferred the company of the grips, electricians and other off-camera workers to that of other actors. In her conversations with them, she could and did swear like a trooper.
After her death in a plane crash while returning home from a War Bond drive event, a Liberty ship was named for her. That ship was christened by Costa-Gavras.
She and Clark Gable first met in late 1924 while working as extras on the set of Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ 1925. They would make three films together as extras–Ben-Hur, The Johnstown Flood 1926 and The Plastic Age 1925–and star together in No Man of Her Own 1932, but not become romantically attached until 1936.
The plane crash that killed her took place less than a month before the Oscars. Despite her mother’s premonition of the disaster, she refused to take a train to Los Angeles. She was reputedly in a rush after getting wind of an alleged affair between her husband Clark Gable and Lana Turner who were filming Somewhere I’ll Find You 1942 at the time. The decision to take the plane was decided literally by the flip of a coin, with Carole winning the toss.
Offered the lead role in a proposed melodrama, Smiler with a Knife, to be directed by a newcomer at RKO Radio Pictures named Orson Welles. She turned down the role, opting to return to screwball comedy in Mr. & Mrs. Smith 1941. Welles refused to make Smiler without her; instead, he began work on Citizen Kane 1941.
After her death, the Van Nuys News ran an unusual front page tribute saying that deep down, those who knew her knew she wanted to be a model housewife and a good neighbor, and that she was a loveable person at home in denims or furs.
She was flying on Transcontinental and Western Airlines Flight 3 en route from McCarran Field, Las Vegas, Nevada, to Lockheed Air Terminal, Burbank, California, when it crashed approximately 33.1 miles or 53 kilometers southwest of Las Vegas at 7:20 pm on January 16, 1942. The aircraft flew into an almost vertical rock cliff, near the top of Potosi Mountain in the Spring Mountain Range. The three crew members and 19 passengers were all killed. The official accident report states that the crash was caused by the failure of the captain after departure from Las Vegas to follow the proper course by making use of the navigational facilities available to him.
She once raised over $2 million in war bonds in one day.
A 1926 automobile accident badly cut her face. Advanced plastic surgery and adroit use of make-up covered the scars. At the time, the belief was that using anesthetic during the operation would leave worse scars, so she endured the reconstructive surgery without an anesthetic.
According to Garson Kanin, she never had a dressing room when shooting a movie. Instead, she preferred to socialize with the cast and crew members during her breaks.
Turned down the role of Ellie Andrews in It Happened One Night 1934. Claudette Colbert was then given the role and won a Best Actress Oscar for her performance.
Became pregnant by her husband Clark Gable, but suffered a miscarriage in August 1939.
Considered by many to be the prototype for the icy blondes in Alfred Hitchcock’s films.
A natural tomboy with athletic prowess and spirit far exceeding her size, she was a petite child who stood 5 feet 2 inches with shoes, and the future screen star frequently joined her brothers in roughhousing.
Listed in the credits of Safety in Numbers 1930, her first Paramount release, as Carole instead of Carol as in her previous billings. They decided that this would now be the official spelling and she went along with it. She legally changed her name to Carole Lombard in 1936. Only in her first film, A Perfect Crime in 1921, did she use her real name, Jane Peters.
Just before her relationship with Clark Gable began in earnest, Carole read and loved the book Gone With the Wind. Excited, she sent a copy of the book to Gable, with a note attached reading Let’s do it!. Gable wrongly assumed she was making a sexual advance to him, and called Carole to organize a date. When he found out Carole wanted to make a film of the book with him as Rhett Butler and herself as Scarlett, he refused, and kept the copy of the book she had given him thereafter in his toilet.
She has appeared in four films that have been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being culturally, historically or aesthetically significant: Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ 1925, Twentieth Century 1934, My Man Godfrey 1936 and To Be or Not to Be 1942.
Interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, CA, in the Great Mausoleum, Sanctuary of Trust.
She was credited with the invention of the slang terms she’s so blonde and dumb blonde, due in part to the fact that she played several blonde scatterbrains during the 1930s and mid-1940s.
In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked Carole Lombard #23 on their list of 50 Greatest American Female Screen Legends.
She did a screen test for Charles Chaplin’s comedy-drama film The Gold Rush 1925.
In 2006 her performance as Maria Tura in To Be or Not to Be 1942 was ranked #38 on Premiere magazine’s 100 Greatest Performances of All Time.
Profiled in the book Funny Ladies: 100 Years of Great Comediennes by Stephen M. Silverman 1999.
Was a second-generation Baháí who formally declared her membership to the Baháí Faith in 1938.
Both of her husbands, William Powell and Clark Gable, starred in Manhattan Melodrama 1934.
According to Penny Stallings’ Flesh and Fantasy, Lombard drew a shadow along her natural cleavage line and lightened the top of her breasts to make them look larger.
Second cousin of Howard Hawks, Kenneth Hawks and William B. Hawks.
Twice turned down opportunities to play a newspaperwoman, in Mr. Deeds Goes to Town 1936 and His Girl Friday 1940. The roles brought their respective actresses Jean Arthur and Rosalind Russell considerable attention.
She was often doubled by her old school friend, Dixie Pantages. Dixie had an even more unusual background than Carole herself did: she was born in extreme poverty, but when her mother died, she was adopted by the wealthy Pantages family so that their own daughter, a childhood playmate of Dixie’s, could have a sister. When that happened, her name changed legally from Dixie Nelson to Dixie Pantages as a result of the adoption becoming legal.
Posthumously awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6930 Hollywood Blvd. on February 8, 1960.
As a 40th birthday present in 1941 for Clark Gable, Carole Lombard presented Gable with 16mm film prints of ten of his MGM feature movies, including A Free Soul 1931, which she had asked the MGM labs to print up.
During the tour of Hearst’s Castle in San Simeon, California, visitors are shown a second-floor bedroom where, the story goes, Lombard and Clark Gable spent their wedding night. It’s a room with a beautiful view, and a huge water storage tank rests hidden above it. The water was gravity-fed from an adjoining hill to provide water to the estate.
Cousin-in-law of Mary Astor, Athole Shearer, Bessie Love, Dee Hartford and Eden Hartford.
Was portrayed by Jill Clayburgh in Gable and Lombard 1976, by Sharon Gless in The Scarlett O’Hara War 1980, by Denise Crosby in Malice in Wonderland 1985, by Anastasia Hille in RKO 281 1999, and by Vanessa Gray in Lucy 2003.
Both of her marriages were childless.
She is referenced in the feature film Pretty Woman 1990, when her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is shown.
Attended and graduated from Fairfax High School in Los Angeles, California in 1927. Was elected May Queen in 1924. Quit soon thereafter to pursue acting full time.
Lombard shared her first screen kiss with Buck Jones in Durand of the Bad Lands 1925.
Attended Virgil Junior High School on Virgil Avenue in Los Angeles, CA, in the early 1920s. The school currently exists as Virgil Middle School on Vermont Avenue, one block from the original school.
Carol Lynley, born as Carole Jones a month after the actress’ death, was named after Lombard.
She was the daughter of Elizabeth Jayne Bessie Knight and Frederick Christian Peters. She had German, English, some Swiss-German, and distant Welsh, ancestry.
Due to deadlines for syndicated columns, On the Sets with Reed Johnston reported on 20 January 1942 that Lombard and Mickey Rooney would be making appearances at Defense Bond and War Fund rallies, four days after her death in an airliner crash. The San Bernardino Daily Sun, San Bernardino, California, Tuesday 20 January 1942, Volume 48, page 6.
She was a lifelong liberal Democrat.
Carole Lombard’s Paramount publicity still code number was P1202.
One of her classmates at drama school was Sally Eilers.

You wanted to know.

FAQ · 40

Quick answers to the questions readers ask most about Carole Lombard.

When was Carole Lombard born?

Carole Lombard was born on October 6, 1908. She was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana as Jane Alice Peters.
Where was Carole Lombard born?

She was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA. Her birth name was Jane Alice Peters.
When did Carole Lombard die?

Carole Lombard died on January 16, 1942. She was 33 years old at the time of her death.
How old was Carole Lombard when she died?

She was 33 years old when she died. She died on January 16, 1942 in a plane crash.
Where did Carole Lombard die?

She died near Potosi Mountain, Nevada, USA. The plane she was on, TWA Flight 3, crashed into a cliff near Las Vegas.
How did Carole Lombard die?

Carole Lombard died in an airplane crash. On January 16, 1942, TWA Flight 3 crashed into Potosi Mountain, killing all 22 people on board.
What was Carole Lombard's real name?

Her real name was Jane Alice Peters. She legally changed her name to Carole Lombard in 1936.
What did Carole Lombard do for a living?

Carole Lombard was an actress, assistant director, and soundtrack artist. She was a leading star at Paramount Pictures in the 1930s.
What nationality was Carole Lombard?

She was American. She was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and spent most of her life in the United States.
What language did Carole Lombard speak?

Her native language was English. She was a native English speaker from the United States.
Who were Carole Lombard's parents?

Her parents were Elizabeth Knight and Frederic C. Peters. They divorced in 1916, and she moved to Los Angeles with her mother.
Who was Carole Lombard married to?

She was married to actors William Powell from 1931 to 1933 and Clark Gable from 1939 until her death in 1942.
Where did Carole Lombard go to school?

She attended Fairfax High School and Hollywood High School. She also attended Virgil Junior High School in Los Angeles.
What awards did Carole Lombard win?

She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame posthumously in 1960. She was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for My Man Godfrey 1936.
How many awards did Carole Lombard win?

She won one major award: a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She was also nominated for an Academy Award.
What is Carole Lombard best known for?

She is best known for her roles in screwball comedies like My Man Godfrey 1936 and To Be or Not to Be 1942. She was ranked #23 by the American Film Institute on its list of 50 Greatest American Female Screen Legends.
How tall was Carole Lombard?

Carole Lombard was 5 feet 6 inches tall, which is 1.68 meters. She was described as a petite child who grew to average height.
Why was Carole Lombard called 'The Profane Angel'?

She was given the nickname The Profane Angel because of her habit of swearing like a trooper off-camera, despite her glamorous on-screen persona.
Why did Carole Lombard use the name Carol initially?

She was credited as Carol Lombard in early films. In 1930, Paramount changed the spelling to Carole, and she officially changed her name legally in 1936.
What happened to Carole Lombard's face in 1926?

She was seriously injured in an automobile accident that scarred the left side of her face. She underwent reconstructive surgery without anesthetic to avoid worse scarring.
Did Carole Lombard have children?

No, both of her marriages were childless. She suffered a miscarriage in August 1939 while married to Clark Gable.
Was Carole Lombard in Ben-Hur?

Yes, she appeared as an uncredited slave girl in Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ 1925. She also worked as an extra on that film with Clark Gable.
Did Carole Lombard win an Oscar?

No, she was nominated once for Best Actress for My Man Godfrey 1936 but did not win. She received a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
What was Carole Lombard's last film?

Her last film was To Be or Not to Be 1942, opposite Jack Benny. She died before its release.
Why did Carole Lombard turn down roles in Mr. Deeds Goes to Town and His Girl Friday?

She turned down opportunities to play a newspaperwoman in both films. The roles went to Jean Arthur and Rosalind Russell, respectively.
Did Carole Lombard raise money for war bonds?

Yes, she once raised over $2 million in war bonds in one day. She was on her way home from a war bond rally when she died.
Was Carole Lombard related to Howard Hawks?

She was a second cousin of director Howard Hawks, as well as his brothers Kenneth Hawks and William B. Hawks.
What religion did Carole Lombard practice?

She was a second-generation Baháí and formally declared her membership in the Baháí Faith in 1938.
Did Carole Lombard and Clark Gable star in a film together?

Yes, they starred together in No Man of Her Own 1932. They also appeared as extras in Ben-Hur and two other films.
Who portrayed Carole Lombard in films?

She was portrayed by Jill Clayburgh in Gable and Lombard 1976, Sharon Gless in The Scarlett O’Hara War 1980, and others.
What is Carole Lombard's legacy?

She is remembered as a screwball comedy star, ranked #23 on AFI’s 50 Greatest American Female Screen Legends. Her films My Man Godfrey and To Be or Not to Be are in the National Film Registry.
Did Carole Lombard inspire Lucille Ball?

Yes, Lucille Ball said that Carole Lombard appeared in a dream and encouraged her to take the risk on I Love Lucy 1951. They were close friends.
What happened to Carole Lombard's dog after her death?

Her dachshund Commissioner, who had ignored Clark Gable during her life, would not leave Gable’s side after her death in 1942.
Why was the Jack Benny radio show cancelled after her death?

The show was cancelled because Benny was grief-stricken over the loss of his good friend Carole Lombard. The time was filled with music instead.
Did Carole Lombard have any siblings?

She had brothers, as she frequently joined them in roughhousing as a child.
What was Carole Lombard's political affiliation?

She was a lifelong liberal Democrat. This is noted in her biography.
Is Carole Lombard's honeymoon suite still available?

Yes, part of her honeymoon with Clark Gable was at the Willows Inn in Palm Springs. The room, called The Library Suite, remains largely unaltered.
Did Carole Lombard invent the term 'dumb blonde'?

She is credited with popularizing the slang terms she’s so blonde and dumb blonde due to her roles playing blonde scatterbrains in the 1930s.
What was Carole Lombard's salary at her peak?

At one time she was reported to be making $35,000 a week, one of the top salaries in the business.
Where is Carole Lombard buried?

She is interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California, in the Great Mausoleum, Sanctuary of Trust.

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Audited & updated by

Michael is the last person to read a profile before it goes live, which makes him the one who catches what everyone else missed. 5 years as a copy editor has given him a sharp sense for what's off. A wrong year, a vague credit, a sentence that almost makes sense but doesn't quite. He's especially thorough with filmographies. He'll tell you that's where most of the errors hide. He's right.

Published on September 30, 2026

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