Clark Gable
Biography
Clark Gable was an American actor who spent three decades as a leading man and appeared in more than 60 motion pictures. Born in Cadiz in 1901, he began in stock companies and silent films before a Los Angeles stage role in The Last Mile led to a Pathé contract and then a long MGM career. He won Best Actor at the Academy Awards for It Happened One Night (1934) and earned nominations for Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) and Gone with the Wind (1939), in which he played Rhett Butler. He became known for romantic leading roles and later for westerns and adventure films, including Red Dust (1932), San Francisco (1936), Mogambo (1953), The Tall Men (1955), and The Misfits (1961), his final onscreen role. He also received Golden Globe nominations for his comedic performances in Teacher's Pet (1958) and But Not for Me. He produced The King and Four Queens (1956).
59years old at death
- Born Cadiz
- Died Los Angeles
- Star sign: AquariusThe sign runs January 20 to February 18
- William Clark Gable (birth name)Also credited as William Gable and The King of Hollywood
Movie Career
- Films
- 47
- Career span
- 79 years1931 to 2010
Genres
First and latest
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Big break
Clark Gable was loaned out to Columbia by MGM head Louis B. Mayer as a punishment, but the result was his Academy Award win for It Happened One Night.
About the name
Clark Gable adopted the stage name Clark Gable in place of W. C. Gable. He also took extra roles in silent movies, among them The Merry Widow by Erich von Stroheim, The Plastic Age with Clara Bow, and Forbidden Paradise with Pola Negri.
A role that slipped away
For Tarzan the Ape Man, Clark Gable was in the running to play Tarzan, but Johnny Weissmuller won the part thanks to a more imposing physique and better swimming prowess.
First role
Clark Gable's first sound film role was as the unshaven villain in the low-budget western The Painted Desert, after his stage performance in The Last Mile led to a Pathé contract.
Clark Gable movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Jack Conway directed five of these films, Clarence Brown five and Victor Fleming four. Four actors appear in five of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Joan Crawford's page
Myrna Loy's page
Lionel Barrymore's page
Jean Harlow's page
Bess Flowers's page
Frank Conroy's page
Jack ConwayDirector, 5 films, 1934 to 1947
All films by Jack Conway
All films by Clarence Brown
Victor FlemingDirector, 4 films, 1932 to 1945
All films by Victor Fleming
Box office
What Clark Gable's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$455 million
15 of the 47 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 47 films: 15 worldwide figure; 2 us gross only; 1 never in cinemas; 29 figure not found.
- 15Worldwide figure
- 2US gross only
- 1Never in cinemas
- 29Figure not found
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 97% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$402M88.4% of the total
- 2$8.2M1.8% of the total
- 3$5.3M1.2% of the total
- 4$5.0M1.1% of the total
- 5$5.0M1.1% of the total
- 6$5.0M1.1% of the total
- 7$4.5M1.0% of the total
- 8$4.5M1.0% of the total
$15.4 millionfrom the other 7 films with a worldwide figure, 3% of the total
Awards
Eight awards and honors from 1935 to 2001, one of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academy Awards | |||
| 1935 | Best Actor | It Happened One Night | Won |
| Other honors | |||
| 2001 | Golden Boot Awards (posthumous) | Won | |
| Air Medal | Won | ||
| American Campaign Medal | Won | ||
| Distinguished Flying Cross | Won | ||
| European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal | Won | ||
| Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame | Honored | ||
| World War II Victory Medal | Won | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.