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• Born February 1, 1901, Cadiz, Born February 1, 1901, Cadiz, Ohio, U.S.—died November 16, Ohio, U.S.—died November 16, 1960, Hollywood, California) 1960, Hollywood, California) American film actor who American film actor who epitomized the American ideal epitomized the American ideal of masculinity and virility for of masculinity and virility for three decades. An enormously three decades. An enormously popular star during his popular star during his lifetime, Gable was dubbed lifetime, Gable was dubbed the “King of Hollywood.”the “King of Hollywood.”

• The only son of an itinerant The only son of an itinerant oil-field worker, Gable oil-field worker, Gable embarked on an acting career embarked on an acting career while in his early 20s and soon while in his early 20s and soon found himself the protégé of found himself the protégé of veteran actress Josephine veteran actress Josephine Dillon, who coached Gable in Dillon, who coached Gable in poise and elocution and paid poise and elocution and paid for his orthodontic work. for his orthodontic work. Although several years her Although several years her junior, Gable married Dillon junior, Gable married Dillon in 1924, about the same time in 1924, about the same time he began to land small roles he began to land small roles in silent films. His first big in silent films. His first big break came when he was cast break came when he was cast in the lead of the Broadway in the lead of the Broadway play play MachinalMachinal (1928). (1928).

• In 1930 Gable's In 1930 Gable's performance in a Los performance in a Los Angeles stage production of Angeles stage production of The Last MileThe Last Mile brought him brought him to the attention of to the attention of Hollywood producers. Hollywood producers. Although he failed his first Although he failed his first screen test at Metro-screen test at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer—in part Goldwyn-Mayer—in part because producers thought because producers thought Gable's ears too big for a Gable's ears too big for a leading man—his supporting leading man—his supporting performance in the low-performance in the low-budget western budget western The Painted The Painted DesertDesert (1931) convinced (1931) convinced MGM executives of Gable's MGM executives of Gable's talent and screen presence. talent and screen presence. The actor garnered public The actor garnered public attention with his attention with his aggressive, masculine aggressive, masculine performances in such films performances in such films as as A Free SoulA Free Soul (1931) and (1931) and Night NurseNight Nurse (1931); this (1931); this forceful persona—equal forceful persona—equal parts “man's man” and parts “man's man” and “ladies' man”—helped make “ladies' man”—helped make him one of Hollywood's top him one of Hollywood's top stars within a year.stars within a year.

• Among Gable's most Among Gable's most successful films for MGM successful films for MGM during this period were during this period were Red DustRed Dust (1932), (1932), Strange Strange InterludeInterlude (1932), (1932), Dancing Dancing LadyLady (1933), (1933), Hold Your Hold Your ManMan (1933), (1933), Manhattan Manhattan MelodramaMelodrama (1934), and (1934), and Men in WhiteMen in White (1934). (1934). Despite his macho persona Despite his macho persona in such films, Gable's in such films, Gable's screen presence was screen presence was largely nonthreatening: largely nonthreatening: his magnetic smile and his magnetic smile and playful winks rendered playful winks rendered him a charming rogue who him a charming rogue who did not take himself too did not take himself too seriously. Although Gable seriously. Although Gable himself maintained a self-himself maintained a self-deprecating attitude deprecating attitude toward his own talent toward his own talent throughout the years, he throughout the years, he often proved himself most often proved himself most competent in demanding competent in demanding roles and was equally deft roles and was equally deft at romantic comedy and at romantic comedy and epic drama.epic drama.

• As punishment for refusing a As punishment for refusing a role, MGM lent Gable to role, MGM lent Gable to Columbia Pictures—a studio Columbia Pictures—a studio then known derisively as then known derisively as “poverty row”—for the Frank “poverty row”—for the Frank Capra comedy Capra comedy It Happened It Happened One NightOne Night (1934). The (1934). The punishment turned out to be punishment turned out to be a coup for Gable, as the filma coup for Gable, as the film—the story of a spoiled, —the story of a spoiled, runaway heiress (portrayed runaway heiress (portrayed by Claudette Colbert) and the by Claudette Colbert) and the newspaper reporter (Gable) newspaper reporter (Gable) who tries to exploit her storywho tries to exploit her story—swept the Academy Awards —swept the Academy Awards in all five major categories: in all five major categories: best picture, actress, best picture, actress, director, screenplay, and best director, screenplay, and best actor for Gable. Many of actor for Gable. Many of Gable's best films of the Gable's best films of the period were either those he period were either those he resisted doing or those that resisted doing or those that were made on loan-out to were made on loan-out to other studios. other studios.

• He did not feel himself He did not feel himself right for the role of right for the role of mutineer Fletcher Christian mutineer Fletcher Christian in in Mutiny on the BountyMutiny on the Bounty (1935), yet the film proved (1935), yet the film proved hugely popular and earned hugely popular and earned Gable another Academy Gable another Academy Award nomination. He Award nomination. He played Jack London's hero played Jack London's hero in in The Call of the WildThe Call of the Wild (1935) for Twentieth (1935) for Twentieth Century Fox, before Century Fox, before reluctantly accepting the reluctantly accepting the role of rakish political boss role of rakish political boss Blackie Norton in Blackie Norton in San San FranciscoFrancisco (1936), one of the (1936), one of the most praised and popular most praised and popular films of Gable's career. It films of Gable's career. It was also the first movie in was also the first movie in which he costarred with which he costarred with Spencer Tracy; they would Spencer Tracy; they would also team in the hit films also team in the hit films Test PilotTest Pilot (1938) and (1938) and Boom Boom TownTown (1940). (1940).

• Wary of period films after Wary of period films after flopping in the costume flopping in the costume drama drama ParnellParnell (1937), Gable (1937), Gable at first declined the role of at first declined the role of Rhett Butler in David O. Rhett Butler in David O. Selznick's production of the Selznick's production of the Margaret Mitchell best-seller, Margaret Mitchell best-seller, Gone with the WindGone with the Wind (1939). (1939). As the book had been the As the book had been the best-selling novel of all time, best-selling novel of all time, Gable also felt that no screen Gable also felt that no screen adaptation could live up to adaptation could live up to the expectations of the the expectations of the general public. Studio general public. Studio coercion and widespread coercion and widespread public demand compelled public demand compelled Gable to reconsider, and the Gable to reconsider, and the resulting film was, and resulting film was, and remains to this day, one of the remains to this day, one of the most popular movies ever most popular movies ever made. The grand, epic-scale, made. The grand, epic-scale, four-hour Civil War four-hour Civil War melodrama won the Oscar for melodrama won the Oscar for best picture (during what best picture (during what many historians consider to many historians consider to be the benchmark year for be the benchmark year for Hollywood filmmaking), and Hollywood filmmaking), and Gable garnered his third Gable garnered his third Oscar nomination for the role Oscar nomination for the role with which he is most with which he is most associated.associated.

• After two failed marriages, After two failed marriages, Gable found his perfect mate Gable found his perfect mate in actress Carole Lombard. in actress Carole Lombard. The two were married in 1939, The two were married in 1939, but Gable's happiness was but Gable's happiness was short-lived when in 1942 the short-lived when in 1942 the gifted comedienne was killed gifted comedienne was killed in a plane crash while in a plane crash while returning home from a war-returning home from a war-bond rally. The business of bond rally. The business of making movies suddenly making movies suddenly seemed frivolous to the seemed frivolous to the devastated Gable, who walked devastated Gable, who walked away from his Hollywood away from his Hollywood commitments to join the Army commitments to join the Army Air Corps, even though he was Air Corps, even though he was well past draft age. He served well past draft age. He served as a tail gunner during the as a tail gunner during the war, making him a greater war, making him a greater hero than ever in the eyes of hero than ever in the eyes of his fans, and attained the rank his fans, and attained the rank of major. Gable returned to of major. Gable returned to films upon his discharge, but films upon his discharge, but the joyous insouciance of his the joyous insouciance of his earlier performances was earlier performances was largely absent in the films he largely absent in the films he made after Lombard's death.made after Lombard's death.

• Gable made several good Gable made several good films during the 1940s and films during the 1940s and '50s, but none rank as '50s, but none rank as classics. With the possible classics. With the possible exceptions of exceptions of The HuckstersThe Hucksters (1947) and (1947) and MogamboMogambo (1953), the best of Gable's (1953), the best of Gable's later films were those he later films were those he made near the end of his made near the end of his career, including career, including Band of Band of AngelsAngels (1957), a Civil War (1957), a Civil War potboiler in which he played potboiler in which he played a plantation owner; a plantation owner; Run Run Silent, Run DeepSilent, Run Deep (1958), a (1958), a tense submarine adventure tense submarine adventure in which Gable costarred in which Gable costarred with Burt Lancaster; and the with Burt Lancaster; and the romantic farces romantic farces Teacher's Teacher's PetPet (1958) with Doris Day (1958) with Doris Day and and It Started in NaplesIt Started in Naples (1960) with Sophia Loren. (1960) with Sophia Loren. His final film, His final film, The MisfitsThe Misfits (1961), was his best in many (1961), was his best in many years and features one of years and features one of Gable's finest performances, Gable's finest performances, but it is a film clouded by but it is a film clouded by tragedy. tragedy.

• It was the final film for both It was the final film for both Gable and Marilyn Monroe, Gable and Marilyn Monroe, two of Hollywood's most two of Hollywood's most enduring icons, and it was enduring icons, and it was one of the last films for the one of the last films for the gifted Montgomery Clift. gifted Montgomery Clift. Gable, who insisted on doing Gable, who insisted on doing his own stunt work for his own stunt work for grueling scenes involving the grueling scenes involving the roping of wild horses, died of roping of wild horses, died of a heart attack within days of a heart attack within days of the film's completion. the film's completion. The The MisfitsMisfits, in which Gable , in which Gable portrays a cowboy out of portrays a cowboy out of place in the modern world, place in the modern world, was a fitting final movie for an was a fitting final movie for an actor who epitomized actor who epitomized Hollywood's Golden Age and Hollywood's Golden Age and who himself was something of who himself was something of a misfit in the era of a misfit in the era of television and method actors. television and method actors. Upon his death, several Upon his death, several newspapers throughout the newspapers throughout the country displayed the same country displayed the same banner headline: “The King is banner headline: “The King is Dead.”Dead.”