The King of Hollywood

Just finished reading the Warren Harris bio of Clark Gable, an American icon if ever there was one. I'm particularly drawn to those whose life and career stretch across several eras, and manage to not only survive, but retain their signficance and attraction to the movie going public. "The King of Hollywood" got his start in bit parts during the silent era of the mid '20s, became a genuine star at the start of the 'talking' era, and maintained his leading actor star status in films right into the Kennedy era.


Gable is probably best known for his role of Rhett Butler in Gone With the Wind. Understandably so; MGM re-released it every ten years or so, making money for MGM during lean periods (both the studio's, and Gable's...and he had some lulls.)

Without rehashing his whole life (and it's definitely the most fascinating film star biography I've read), I'm struck by how impossible this guy is to pin down; he might be called a hero (he flew combat missions in WWII) but he was no saint, and the number of female companions he managed (besides his five wives) might be a three-digit number (if you include just the famous ones.)

Some items about the man which stick in my head upon finishing the book...

• His preoccupation with being 'manly'; he thought crying was for sissies, and you'll find next to none of it in any of his roles.
• He spent most of his life at MGM, helping to lead the 'king' of the early studios to prominence; he was rejected by rival Warner Brothers because studio head Darryl Zanuck thought his ears were too big.
• Women found him seemingly irresistable, even later in life when he was physically out of shape, and despite those ears.
• His co-stars included Clara Bow in the silent era, and Marilyn Monroe, in his last film, The Misfits, released in 1961. Other pairings included Joan Crawford, Jean Harlow, Lana Turner, Norma Shearer, Greta Garbo, Claudette Colbert, Myrna Loy, Sophia Loren and Ava Gardner. (Nothing like trying to replicate success...he was in 8 films with Crawford, 7 with Myrna Loy, 6 with Jean Harlow, and 4 with Lana Turner.)
• Though he is most often associated with MGM, he won his only Oscar when he was 'loaned' out against his will - a common practice during this 'studio' era' - to Columbia, where he won Best Actor for It Happened One Night in 1934. He was nominated for Mutiny On the Bounty (1935) and of course Gone With the Wind (1939) but fell short each time.
• His daughter Judy Lewis, did not know Gable was her father until after his death. Nor did she know that Loretta Young was her real mother, not her adopted mother.
• His second wife (and the one with whom he was most happy) Carole Lombard was proclaimed by FDR "the first woman to be killed in action in the defense of her country" in WWII; she died flying home from a tour to raise war bonds. Lombard's mother, a believer in numerology, begged her not to fly because she believed the number 16 was an omen of death, and that 3 was an unlucky number. The crash took place on January 16th, 1942, on a DC-3, on Flight No. 3, with a total party of 3 on board; and Lombard was 33 years old.
• Despite his lengthy career, Gable died at the relatively young age of 59. His last film, The Misfits was released on his 60th birthday. His only son, John Clark Gable, was born to his fifth wife Kay, four months after his death.
• During filming The Misfits, Gable would become so angry at waiting around for Marilyn Monroe, who was suffering from personal problems at the time, that he would 'do anything to keep himself occupied', including many of his own stunts in the movie; his wife Kay claimed that this was a contributing factor to his heart attacks and death soon after. When reporters asked Monroe if she felt guilty about Gable's death, 'it dawned on her, and she became deeply disturbed, wondering if she'd done it subconsciously to punish the absentee father whom she confused with Gable...After several frustrated attempts at suicide, she finally succeeded in the summer of 1962.'

Fascinating stuff. I'm looking forward to watching more of the King's movies with Joan.
Also wouldn't mind catching some of those classic Warner Bros. cartoons which lampooned the old-time Hollywood stars to perfection in the 40's, including Gable, ears and all.

Jim