Title: The Controversial Secret: Was Loretta Young’s Daughter a Result of Date Rape?

Loretta Young's daughter-in-law has made a stunning claim, suggesting that the illegitimate daughter of Young and Clark Gable may have been a product of date rape.

This revelation came to light after Young's death when her daughter-in-law disclosed that the actress had revealed this possibility before her passing.

At the age of 23, the glamorous movie star Loretta Young found herself working alongside Clark Gable in the film “The Call of the Wild.”

Gable, a married Hollywood heartthrob, became the center of attention when Young discovered she was pregnant.

To hide her pregnancy, Young orchestrated an intricate plan, pretending to be ill and exhausted to explain her absence from public view.

Eventually, she returned to Hollywood with a supposedly adopted daughter named Judy.

The scandalous story and secret birth captivated the town, but it wasn't until Young released her memoirs in 2000 that the truth emerged.

However, it appears that there is more to the story than initially believed.

In a recent Buzzfeed article, Linda Lewis, Young's daughter-in-law, revealed a conversation she had with Young in 1998.

While watching “Larry King Live,” the topic of date rape arose, prompting Young to ask Lewis and her biographer friend Ed Funk for clarification.

Lewis, recognizing Young's conservative nature, carefully explained that date rape occurs when someone you trust or are on a date with disregards your non-compliance or refusal.

She emphasized that it doesn't have to involve violence or force, but rather the lack of consent.

After absorbing this information, Young made a shocking revelation.

She admitted, “That's what happened between me and Clark.”

Lewis recalls that their discussion did not lead to anger toward Gable but rather provided Young with a new perspective that alleviated her guilt.

Young recounted that she and Gable were on an overnight train journey home from filming when he entered her sleeping compartment.

She never disclosed this to anyone, not even her daughter Judy, until many years later.

According to Linda Lewis, Young kept this truth hidden to protect her daughter from the knowledge that she was not conceived in love.

Biographer Ed Funk adds that Young carried an immense burden of guilt throughout her life, blaming herself for being unable to resist Gable's advances.

Lewis has decided to share this revelation now that Judy, who passed away in 2011, is no longer around to hear it.

She believes it is crucial to shed light on the prevalence of s**ual assault and the impunity that often accompanies it.

While some Hollywood historians express skepticism about the story, others consider it entirely plausible.

Director William A. Wellman, who worked with Gable and Young on “The Call of the Wild,” previously mentioned there was suspicious behavior between the two actors.

On the other hand, film historian David Stenn suggests that Young's Catholic guilt may have influenced her perspective over time.

Regardless, the story reflects the tragic and unjust attitudes of that era, where Young endured the shame of premarital s** and the burden of an unwanted pregnancy.

Loretta Young passed away in Santa Monica in 2000 at the age of 87, while Clark Gable never acknowledged Judy as his daughter.

The truth behind their past remains a captivating and controversial mystery.