Rack of Loretta: At the 'bu.

Old Hollywood’s biggest hypocrite.

A decent, if not great, actress. Started out playing tarts in film, progressing to gooey romantic heroines. Her forte seems to have been righteous indignation.

Born Gretchen Young, Hollywood contemporaries referred to her as “Gretch the Wretch.” It was no secret in Hollywood that she’d secretly borne Clark Gable’s daughter, then pretended to adopt the girl, despite the growing girl being a mirror image of the mother. Which wasn’t so bad except that she adopted a stance of being morally and religiously above her co-workers.

Marlene Dietrich (no stranger to heavy-duty sinnin’ herself) complained to daughter Maria Riva (whose memoir of her mother, by the way, is a MUST read) that every time Loretta Young sinned, she built a church.

On the set of her TV show, Young installed a “swear jar.” Offending parties had to contribute an amount of cash based on the offense. One of her guest stars got so fed up seeing her wave the jar around, he stuffed a bill in the jar and told her, “There’s ten dollars, now fuck off, Loretta.”

Obvious appeal.