Gable, Clark, 1901-1960

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William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901 – November 16, 1960), more commonly known as Clark Gable, was an American film actor, often referred to as "The King of Hollywood". He had roles in more than 60 motion pictures in multiple genres during a career that lasted 37 years, three decades of which was as a leading man. Gable died of a heart attack; his final on-screen appearance was of an aging cowboy in The Misfits, released posthumously in 1961.

Born and raised in Ohio, Gable traveled to Hollywood where he began his film career as an extra in Hollywood silent films between 1924 and 1926. He progressed to supporting roles for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and his first leading role in Dance, Fools, Dance (1931) was alongside Joan Crawford, who requested him for the part. His next role, in the romantic drama Red Dust (1932) with reigning sex symbol Jean Harlow, made him MGM's biggest male star. Gable won the Academy Award for Best Actor for Frank Capra's It Happened One Night (1934), co-starring Claudette Colbert. He was again nominated for the award for his roles as Fletcher Christian in Mutiny on the Bounty (1935), and as Rhett Butler opposite Vivien Leigh's Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind (1939). He found continued commercial and critical success with Manhattan Melodrama (1934), San Francisco (1936), Saratoga (1937), Test Pilot (1938), and Boom Town (1940), three of which co-starred Spencer Tracy.

Gable appeared opposite some of the most popular actresses of their time. Joan Crawford was a favorite actress of his to work with, and he partnered with her in eight films. Myrna Loy worked with him seven times, and he was paired with Jean Harlow in six productions. He also starred with Lana Turner in four features and in three each with Norma Shearer and Ava Gardner.

Gable spent two years as an aerial cameraman and bomber gunner in Europe during World War II. Although the movies he appeared in following his return were not critically lauded, they did well at the box office. He experienced a critical revival with The Hucksters (1947), Homecoming (1948) and Mogambo (1953), which also featured newcomer Grace Kelly. Later he starred in westerns and war movies, such as Run Silent, Run Deep (1958) with Burt Lancaster, and in comedies that paired him with a new generation of leading ladies, such as Doris Day in Teacher's Pet (1958), Sophia Loren in It Started in Naples (1960) and Marilyn Monroe in The Misfits (1961).

Gable was one of the most consistent box-office performers in history, appearing on Quigley Publishing's annual Top Ten Money Making Stars Poll sixteen times. He was named the seventh-greatest male movie star of classic American cinema by the American Film Institute.

Archival Resources
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Relation Name
associatedWith Alexander, Dorothy Taylor, 1920- person
associatedWith Armed Forces Radio Service. corporateBody
associatedWith Baer, Leone Cass, person
associatedWith Baer, Leone Cass, b. 1886 person
associatedWith Brazier, Virgil. person
associatedWith Brown, Chamberlain person
associatedWith Brown, Chamberlain. person
associatedWith Connor, Cassie, 1899-1969. person
associatedWith Dees, Mary, 1911-2004 person
associatedWith Faulkner, William, 1897-1962. person
associatedWith Folsom, William J. person
associatedWith Ford, John, 1895-1973 person
associatedWith Frankle, Marvin K. person
associatedWith Hartsfield, William Berry. person
associatedWith Howard, Sidney Coe, 1891-1939. person
associatedWith Hurrell, George, 1904-1992. person
associatedWith Indiana University Center for the Study of History and Memory corporateBody
associatedWith Keller, Kaufman Thuma, 1885-1966. person
associatedWith Kilgallen, Dorothy. person
associatedWith Kurtz, Wilbur G. (Wilbur George), 1882-1967. person
associatedWith Kyser, Georgia Carroll. person
associatedWith Kyser, Kay. person
associatedWith Lovell, Tom, 1909-1997. person
associatedWith Lux Radio Theatre corporateBody
associatedWith Mann, May person
associatedWith Mateja, Harold M., 1925- person
associatedWith Millay, Kathleen, d. 1943. person
associatedWith Montiel, Harold. person
associatedWith Mydans, Carl. person
associatedWith Mydans, Carl|xPhotograph. person
associatedWith Nease, G. S. person
associatedWith Reigle, Pearl J. person
associatedWith Roche, Emeline Clark, 1902-1995 person
associatedWith Samuel Stark person
associatedWith Selznick, David O., 1902-1965. person
correspondedWith Smith, Kate, 1907-1986. person
associatedWith Stark, Samuel. person
associatedWith Stewart, James T., 1921- person
associatedWith Thayer, John Eldon, 1899-1980 person
memberOf United States. Army corporateBody
associatedWith United States. National Archives and Records Administration corporateBody
associatedWith White Studio (New York, N.Y.) corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Hollywood CA US
Cadiz OH US
Subject
Actors - 20th century
Film actors and actresses
Hollywood (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Occupation
Actors
Film Actor
Performer
Activity

Person

Birth 1901-02-01

Death 1960-11-16

Male

Americans

English

Information

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Ark ID: w60d5m8w

SNAC ID: 85671774