November 16: On This Day in World History … briefly
Clark Gable, known the world over as ‘The King of Hollywood’ died at the age of 59. The fact that he was married five times did nothing to dent his popularity with his female fans, who were captivated to the end by his easy manner and impudent grin on the Silver screen.
1960: Heart-throb Clark Gable is ‘Gone with the Wind’
William Clark Gable (born February 1, 1901) was an American film actor and military officer, often referred to as ‘The King of Hollywood’. He began his career appearing as an extra in silent films between 1924 and 1926, and progressed to supporting roles with a few films for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1930. The next year, he landed his first leading Hollywood role, and over the next three decades, he was a leading man in more than 60 motion pictures.
Gable won an Academy Award for Best Actor for It Happened One Night (1934), and was nominated for leading roles in Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) and for his best-known role as Rhett Butler in Gone with the Wind (1939). Gable also found success commercially and critically with films such as Red Dust (1932), Manhattan Melodrama (1934), San Francisco (1936), Saratoga (1937), Test Pilot (1938), Boom Town (1940), The Hucksters (1947), Homecoming (1948), and The Misfits (1961), which was his final screen appearance.
Gable appeared opposite some of the most popular actresses of the time. Joan Crawford was his favorite actress to work with, and she was partnered with Gable 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 with Norma Shearer and Ava Gardner in three each. Gable’s final film, The Misfits (1961), united him with Marilyn Monroe (also in her last completed screen appearance).
Gable is considered one of the most consistent box-office performers in history, appearing on Quigley Publishing’s annual Top Ten Money Making Stars Poll 16 times. He was named the seventh-greatest male star of classic American cinema by the American Film Institute.
Most notable historic snippets or facts extracted from the book ‘On This Day’ first published in 1992 by Octopus Publishing Group Ltd, London, as well as additional supplementary information extracted from Wikipedia.
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