Tuesday, September 5, 1933

School started today and Pauline came by for me. I am a sophomore now (at Central High School). Daddy got my books. Had chicken for supper.

William Horatio Powell (July 29, 1892 – March 5, 1984)
American actor
Born: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Died: Palm Springs, California

1912 graduate of Central High School, Kansas City, Missouri

An only child, Powell showed an early aptitude for performing. In 1907, he moved
 with his family to Kansas City, Missouri, where he graduated from Central High School
 in 1912. His motion picture career began in 1922 in silent pictures. Powell's voice served
him well when the "talkies" arrived in the late 1920s and he went on to make 95 pictures.
 Among them were "The Thin Man" series with Myrna Loy, “Life With Father” in 1947,
“How to Marry a Millionaire” in 1953 and “Mr. Roberts,” his last film, in 1955. After
 that he retired to Palm Springs, California.

In Kansas City, the Powells lived a few blocks away from the Carpenters, whose daughter
Harlean evolved into Jean Harlow, although Powell would not meet her until both were
 established stars. Powell fell in love with Harlow but, after two divorces (from Eileen
Wilson and Carole Lombard), he wasn't ready to marry again. Harlow's sudden death
in 1937 plunged Powell into remorse. Powell's third marriage to Diana Palmer lasted
44 years, until his own death at the age of 91.

Thursday, August 31, 1933

We all (Daddy, Mother and I) and Rita Mae went up to Aunt Nellie's for dinner and supper. Went over to Marie's. Gladys stayed all night.

Carole Lombard (October 6, 1908 - January 16, 1942)
Born Jane Alice Peters in Fort Wayne, Indiana
Spouses: William Powell (divorced); Clark Gable (widowed)

Queen of the 1930s screwball comedies

After her parents divorced, Lombard's mother took her three children
to Los Angeles. Lombard appeared in her first film at the age of 12,
when director Allen Dwan saw her playing baseball in the street and cast
her as a tomboy in A Perfect Crime. Lombard went on to appear in 60 movies
(including movies with both her husbands) and numerous shorts before her
death in a plane crash following a war bond rally in her home state of Indiana.

The Liberty ship SS Carole Lombard was named in her honor.
It launched on January 15, 1944 with a still-grieving Gable in attendance.

Friday, July 21, 1933

I went swimming today with Gweyn and Pauline in the afternoon. I got my Beginner's Button. Mother is sick. Uncle L(aten) is sick.

Release Date: July 21, 1933
Directed by: John Cromwell
Produced by: Merian C. Cooper
Written by: Edward Poor Montgomery (Play) and Jane Murfin
Distributed by: RKO Pictures
Running Time: 69-70 minutes

A woman (Harding) tricks a playboy (Powell) into marrying her and then
 tries to make him legitimately fall in love with her.

Note: On 4 April and 11 April 2007, Turner Classic Movies premiered six films
produced by Cooper at RKO but out of distribution for more than 50 years.
Among the six films was Double Harness.