--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Gary Cooper called to invite me to a…" description: "\"“Gary Cooper called to invite me to a dinner party he was giving for Clark Gable at his house. When I accepted and he asked if I would mind picking up ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d2/farley-granger-60540_barbara-stanwyck_gary-cooper-called-to-invite-me-to-a-din_2839302.jpg" --- # Gary Cooper called to invite me to a dinner party he was… ![“Gary Cooper called to invite me to a dinner party he was giving for Clark Gable at his house. When I accepted and he asked if I would mind picking up Barbara Stanwyck, I was delighted. I had always thought she was one of the greatest. The Lady Eve and Double Indemnity are two of my favorite films…” quote by Farley Granger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d2/farley-granger-60540_barbara-stanwyck_gary-cooper-called-to-invite-me-to-a-din_2839302.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d2/farley-granger-60540_barbara-stanwyck_gary-cooper-called-to-invite-me-to-a-din_2839302.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d2/farley-granger-60540_barbara-stanwyck_gary-cooper-called-to-invite-me-to-a-din_2839302.jpg) > ““Gary Cooper called to invite me to a dinner party he was giving for Clark Gable at his house. When I accepted and he asked if I would mind picking up Barbara Stanwyck, I was delighted. I had always thought she was one of the greatest. The Lady Eve and Double Indemnity are two of my favorite films and feature two of the many terrific performances she gave through the years. I arrived at her door promptly at 6:30 P.M., a huge bouquet of pink peonies in hand. The maid said she would be right down, took the flowers, and offered me a glass of champagne. Barbara came down a few minutes later, looking terrific in something silver and slinky. She carried on about the flowers as the maid brought them in and joined me for some champagne. I was anxious to get things off to a good start with the right kind of small talk, but unfortunately I was out of touch with the latest gossip. I asked how and where her husband was. An expletive told me how she felt about her husband: “That son of a bitch ran off with some kraut starlet.” As I struggled to pull my foot out of my mouth, she started to laugh and said, “Don’t worry about it, baby, he’s not worth sweating over,” and the rest of the evening went like gangbusters. We arrived at 7:30 on the dot and were met at the door by Rocky, Mrs. Gary Cooper, who hugged Barbara and said, “He’s going to be so glad to see you.” Cooper and Stanwyck had made a couple of great films together, Meet John Doe and Ball of Fire, the latter for Sam Goldwyn, whom she liked even though she referred to him as “that tough old bastard.” Rocky sent Barbara out to the garden to see Coop, took my arm, and showed me around their lovely home. As we walked into the garden, I spotted him laughing with Barbara. Rocky took me over to meet him. He was tall, lean, warm, and friendly. The thing I remember most about him is the twinkle in his deep blue eyes, which were framed by thick dark lashes. He was a movie star.”” [Farley Granger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farley-granger/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A vivid anecdote about a glamorous Hollywood dinner, highlighting charm, humor, and the social dynamics among film stars of the era **In simple terms:** A Hollywood dinner party with famous actors, humor, and social interaction Key Takeaway Embrace spontaneity and humor in social settings Themes celebrity culture humor social dynamics Mood lighthearted nostalgic entertaining Type anecdotal celebrity social. When to use this quote - networking events - celebrity gatherings - social introductions - conversation starters Key Concepts Hollywood golden age celebrity interaction personal storytelling Questions to Reflect On - What does this reveal about the importance of humor in awkward moments? - How might such social rituals influence personal relationships? A Different Perspective The story glosses over deeper personal struggles of the individuals involved ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Barbara-stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barbara-stanwyck/) [Clark gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clark-gable/) [Cooper Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cooper-stanwyck-3713865/) [Dinner party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dinner-party/) [Double Indemnity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/double-indemnity-221891/) [Gary Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gary-cooper-1461509/) [Goldwyn Liked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goldwyn-liked-3713866/) [Movie star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie-star/) [Small talk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-talk/) [Stanwyck Couple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stanwyck-couple-3713863/) [Stanwyck Delighted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stanwyck-delighted-3713864/) ## Related quotes > [“As Titanic began production, there was an immediate chemistry between Barbara and myself—a lot of looks across the room. At this point Barbara Stanwyck…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/as-titanic-began-production-there-was-an-immediate-chemistry-between/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [“I took Miss Stanwyck home and had a great time listening to her dish the party and everyone there. We went in for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farley-granger/i-took-miss-stanwyck-home-and-had-a-great-time-listening-to-her-dish/) [Farley Granger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farley-granger/) > [“Barbara and I had arrived early, so I got to admire everyone’s entrance. We were seated at tables around a dance floor that had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farley-granger/barbara-and-i-had-arrived-early-so-i-got-to-admire-everyone-s/) [Farley Granger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farley-granger/) > [“With William Wyler off in the Army, the fact that the Goldwyn Studio flourished during the war years was an accomplishment for which a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farley-granger/with-william-wyler-off-in-the-army-the-fact-that-the-goldwyn-studio/) [Farley Granger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farley-granger/) > [“Double Indemnity, Gaslight, Saboteur, The Big Clock . . . We lived in monochrome those nights. For me, it was a chance to revisit old friends; for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-finn/double-indemnity-gaslight-saboteur-the-big-clock-we-lived-in/) [A.J. Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-finn/) > [Double Indemnity is one of my all time favorites. Thats my favorite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alaina-huffman/double-indemnity-is-one-of-my-all-time-favorites-thats-my-favorite/) [Alaina Huffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alaina-huffman/) > [“Goodbye, Baby. Walter Neff (Fred McMurray) Double Indemnity”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-wilder/goodbye-baby-walter-neff-fred-mcmurray-double-indemnity/) [Billy Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-wilder/) > [Barbara Stanwyck movies drove me nuts, like 'Ball of Fire' and 'Double Indemnity.' I used to go cuckoo when I would see those films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lagravenese/barbara-stanwyck-movies-drove-me-nuts-like-ball-of-fire-and-double/) [Richard LaGravenese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lagravenese/) > ['Double Indemnity' is one of my all time favorites. That's my favorite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alaina-huffman/double-indemnity-is-one-of-my-all-time-favorites-that-s-my-favorite/) [Alaina Huffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alaina-huffman/) > [“She had an old friend from the vaudeville days named Buck Mack who lived with her. Buck had been part of a vaudeville team…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/she-had-an-old-friend-from-the-vaudeville-days-named-buck-mack-who/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [“I was in love with her. She was very loving, very caring, very involved with me, and highly sexed. Making love with her was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/i-was-in-love-with-her-she-was-very-loving-very-caring-very-involved/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [ “Barbara \[Stanwyck\] and me in our only scene alone in Titanic. It wasn't much of a scene, but it sparked one of the most… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/barbara-stanwyck-and-me-in-our-only-scene-alone-in-titanic-it-wasn-t/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [“Looking is an important part of Stanwyck's acting: many performers have beautiful eyes (for example, Henry Fonda), or use their eyes expressively (most remarkably,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-klevan/looking-is-an-important-part-of-stanwyck-s-acting-many-performers/) [Andrew Klevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-klevan/) > [ “Spending time around her house, I came across a cache of 16mm movies in her basement. It turned out that Barbara \[Stanwyck\] had a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/spending-time-around-her-house-i-came-across-a-cache-of-16mm-movies/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [“Toward the end of her life a burglar broke into her house and pistol-whipped her. She was an elderly woman by then, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/toward-the-end-of-her-life-a-burglar-broke-into-her-house-and-pistol/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) ## More by Farley Granger > [“Barbara and I had arrived early, so I got to admire everyone’s entrance. We were seated at tables around a dance floor that had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farley-granger/barbara-and-i-had-arrived-early-so-i-got-to-admire-everyone-s/) [Farley Granger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farley-granger/) > [“The group that evening turned out to be almost a who’s who of Hollywood royalty, many of whom were Brits and all of whom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farley-granger/the-group-that-evening-turned-out-to-be-almost-a-who-s-who-of/) [Farley Granger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farley-granger/) > [“With William Wyler off in the Army, the fact that the Goldwyn Studio flourished during the war years was an accomplishment for which a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farley-granger/with-william-wyler-off-in-the-army-the-fact-that-the-goldwyn-studio/) [Farley Granger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farley-granger/) > [“I took Miss Stanwyck home and had a great time listening to her dish the party and everyone there. We went in for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farley-granger/i-took-miss-stanwyck-home-and-had-a-great-time-listening-to-her-dish/) [Farley Granger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farley-granger/) [Explore all 5 Farley Granger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farley-granger/) ## More Barbara-stanwyck quotes > [“Toward the end of her life a burglar broke into her house and pistol-whipped her. She was an elderly woman by then, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/toward-the-end-of-her-life-a-burglar-broke-into-her-house-and-pistol/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [ “Spending time around her house, I came across a cache of 16mm movies in her basement. It turned out that Barbara \[Stanwyck\] had a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/spending-time-around-her-house-i-came-across-a-cache-of-16mm-movies/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [“Looking is an important part of Stanwyck's acting: many performers have beautiful eyes (for example, Henry Fonda), or use their eyes expressively (most remarkably,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-klevan/looking-is-an-important-part-of-stanwyck-s-acting-many-performers/) [Andrew Klevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-klevan/) > [“Barbara and I had arrived early, so I got to admire everyone’s entrance. We were seated at tables around a dance floor that had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farley-granger/barbara-and-i-had-arrived-early-so-i-got-to-admire-everyone-s/) [Farley Granger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farley-granger/) > [ “Barbara \[Stanwyck\] and me in our only scene alone in Titanic. It wasn't much of a scene, but it sparked one of the most… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/barbara-stanwyck-and-me-in-our-only-scene-alone-in-titanic-it-wasn-t/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [“I was in love with her. She was very loving, very caring, very involved with me, and highly sexed. Making love with her was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/i-was-in-love-with-her-she-was-very-loving-very-caring-very-involved/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [“She had an old friend from the vaudeville days named Buck Mack who lived with her. Buck had been part of a vaudeville team…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/she-had-an-old-friend-from-the-vaudeville-days-named-buck-mack-who/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [“Barbara Stanwyck and I began our relationship on Titanic, although we had actually met years before. For a time, my father had an eight-acre…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/barbara-stanwyck-and-i-began-our-relationship-on-titanic-although-we/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [“As Titanic began production, there was an immediate chemistry between Barbara and myself—a lot of looks across the room. At this point Barbara Stanwyck…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/as-titanic-began-production-there-was-an-immediate-chemistry-between/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [“With William Wyler off in the Army, the fact that the Goldwyn Studio flourished during the war years was an accomplishment for which a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farley-granger/with-william-wyler-off-in-the-army-the-fact-that-the-goldwyn-studio/) [Farley Granger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farley-granger/) > [“Stanwyck was slim, and remained so over her career. Regardless of the obligations and pressures regarding size and shape for women in Hollywood, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-klevan/stanwyck-was-slim-and-remained-so-over-her-career-regardless-of-the/) [Andrew Klevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-klevan/) > [“After the picture had been shooting for a couple of weeks, Jean had a party at his house on a Saturday night. I escorted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/after-the-picture-had-been-shooting-for-a-couple-of-weeks-jean-had-a/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [ “Barbara \[Stanwyck\] was the first woman I ever loved.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/barbara-stanwyck-was-the-first-woman-i-ever-loved/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [“I took Miss Stanwyck home and had a great time listening to her dish the party and everyone there. We went in for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farley-granger/i-took-miss-stanwyck-home-and-had-a-great-time-listening-to-her-dish/) [Farley Granger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farley-granger/) > [ “Because I was so involved with Barbara \[Stanwyck\], I was off-limits for other women, which was something of a problem for the studio. They… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/because-i-was-so-involved-with-barbara-stanwyck-i-was-off-limits-for/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) [Browse all 20 Barbara-stanwyck quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barbara-stanwyck/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Gary Cooper called to invite me to a dinner party he was giving for Clark Gable at his house. When I accepted and he asked if I would mind picking up Barbara Stanwyck, I was delighted. I had always thought she was one of the greatest. The Lady Eve and Double Indemnity are two of my favorite films and feature two of the many terrific performances she gave through the years. I arrived at her door promptly at 6:30 P.M., a huge bouquet of pink peonies in hand. The maid said she would be right down, took the flowers, and offered me a glass of champagne. Barbara came down a few minutes later, looking terrific in something silver and slinky. She carried on about the flowers as the maid brought them in and joined me for some champagne. I was anxious to get things off to a good start with the right kind of small talk, but unfortunately I was out of touch with the latest gossip. I asked how and where her husband was. An expletive told me how she felt about her husband: “That son of a bitch ran off with some kraut starlet.” As I struggled to pull my foot out of my mouth, she started to laugh and said, “Don’t worry about it, baby, he’s not worth sweating over,” and the rest of the evening went like gangbusters. We arrived at 7:30 on the dot and were met at the door by Rocky, Mrs. Gary Cooper, who hugged Barbara and said, “He’s going to be so glad to see you.” Cooper and Stanwyck had made a couple of great films together, Meet John Doe and Ball of Fire, the latter for Sam Goldwyn, whom she liked even though she referred to him as “that tough old bastard.” Rocky sent Barbara out to the garden to see Coop, took my arm, and showed me around their lovely home. As we walked into the garden, I spotted him laughing with Barbara. Rocky took me over to meet him. He was tall, lean, warm, and friendly. The thing I remember most about him is the twinkle in his deep blue eyes, which were framed by thick dark lashes. 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