Clark Gable
“The King of Hollywood, whose rakish grin defined leading-man charisma for a generation.”
In 1934, Gable starred in Frank Capra's 'It Happened One Night,' a runaway-bride comedy that swept the major Oscars and won him the Academy Award for Best Actor. The role transformed him into Hollywood's top leading man, later crowned the 'King of Hollywood.'
Ohio to MGM
Born in Cadiz, Ohio, Gable worked his way up through silent films before signing with MGM in 1931. The studio quickly built him into a leading man across dramas, comedies, and adventures.
Crowning the King
His Oscar-winning comedy 'It Happened One Night' and his unforgettable Rhett Butler in 'Gone with the Wind' cemented his stardom. Audiences and the press soon dubbed him the King of Hollywood.
War and Final Years
After his wife Carole Lombard died in a 1942 plane crash, Gable enlisted in the Army Air Forces. He returned to films and worked until 'The Misfits,' dying of a heart attack days after its completion in 1960.
Career Timeline
- 1901Born in Cadiz, Ohio
- 1924Begins appearing in silent-era films
- 1931Signs with MGM, rising to stardom
- 1934Wins Best Actor for 'It Happened One Night'
- 1935Oscar nominee for 'Mutiny on the Bounty'
- 1939Plays Rhett Butler in 'Gone with the Wind'
- 1942Wife Carole Lombard dies in plane crash
- 1942Enlists in the U.S. Army Air Forces
- 1953Stars in 'Mogambo' opposite Ava Gardner
- 1960Films 'The Misfits,' his final role
- 1960Dies in Los Angeles of a heart attack
Biggest Hits
- His final 'Gone with the Wind' line, 'Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn,' is among the most famous in movie history.
- Gable reportedly considered boycotting the segregated Atlanta premiere until co-star Hattie McDaniel asked him to attend.
The Moment You Remember
At the close of Gone with the Wind, Rhett Butler turns from Scarlett, and Gable delivers his famous parting line with a weary finality. It was a moment of screen bluntness audiences had rarely heard, and it sealed his legend in a single sentence.
Portrait: New York Daily News Color Studio (Harry Warnecke) · Public Domain · via Wikimedia Commons