In 1937, Franchot celebrated his 32nd birthday on the set of They Gave Him a Gun. Costars Spencer Tracy, Gladys George, and Woody Van Dyke surprised him with a cake covered in candles imbedded in revolver cartridges (keeping with the theme of the film) and a birthday note written in pink icing across the top. Franchot was reportedly very happy with the surprise and ordered ice cream to go along with it.
In 1938, Joan Crawford threw a surprise party for Franchot at the Trocadero. Ethel Merman, Norma Shearer, Cesar Romero, David Niven, and George Murphy attended.
In 1941, Franchot shared a birthday party with Joan Bennett, his co-star in She Knew All the Answers and later The Wife Takes a Flyer. Joan requested that a cake be arranged for Franchot as a surprise. Little did she know that Franchot had approached the movie's prop man for the very same arrangement for Joan. On the day of their shared birthday, Franchot and Joan arrived on set to discover one table with two surprise cakes.
Joan B. and Franchot enjoyed a joint birthday celebration so much that the following year they threw a massive birthday party for servicemen who were also born on February 27th. Attendees (reported at between 25 and 30 total) played games, ate a buffet, and danced with "a throng of screen actresses, were presented with surprise birthday gifts and carved a huge birthday cake topped by 27 candles."
Happy Birthday, Franchot! The world was made better because you existed in it.
Sources:
"Birthday Epidemic." Los Angeles Times. March 9, 1941.
"Birthday Party Cake Provides Arsenal." Los Angeles Times. March 14, 1937.
"Film Stars Fete Service Men with Same Birthday." Los Angeles Times. February 28, 1942.
"Franchot Tone Tendered Surprise." Los Angeles Times. March 6, 1938.
*gifs above are from Sadie McKee and The King Steps Out.
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