26 interesting facts about Clark Gable

  1. William Clark Gable was an American film actor, nicknamed "The King of Hollywood" in his heyday.
  2. Both of Clark's parents were of German ancestry.
  3. Clark Gable was widely considered for the role of Tarzan in the 1932 Tarzan, the Ape Man, but was deemed to unknown and the role went to Johnny Weissmuller.
  4. In 1999, the American Film Institute named Gable seventh among the greatest male stars of all time.
  5. According to military records released in 2005, Clark's weekly wage was listed as $7,500 for his movie work.
  6. While growing up, Clark Gable wanted to become a doctor.
  7. Gable's most famous role was Rhett Butler in the 1939 Civil War epic film Gone with the Wind, in which he starred with Vivien Leigh.
  8. One of Clark's golf caddies in 1949, was a young high school student later turned movie star himself, Robert Wagner.
  9. Clark Gable was the first and only choice for the character of "Rhett Butler" in the 1939 classic film Gone with the Wind.
  10. In his long film career, Gable appeared opposite some of the most popular actresses of the time. Joan Crawford, who was his favorite actress to work with, was partnered with Gable in eight films, Myrna Loy was with him seven times, and he was paired with Jean Harlow in six productions.
  11. His son, John Clark Gable, was born on March 20, 1961, 4 months after Clark's death.
  12. Four days after finishing his stunt work on the film The Misfits, Clark Gable suffered a heart attack and died 10 days later.
  13. Gable was often named the top male star in the mid-30s, and was second only to the top box-office draw of all, Shirley Temple.
  14. Clark Gable was voted the 8th Greatest Movie Star of all time by Entertainment Weekly in 2000.
  15. Clark Gable was dylesxic.
  16. Clark Gable onced worked as a lumberman in the Wilamette Valley in Oregon during the early 1920's.
  17. Gable was born in Cadiz, Ohio to William Henry "Bill" Gable, an oil-well driller, and Adeline (née Hershelman), who was of German and Irish descent.
  18. In December 1930, Gable was signed a two-year contract with MGM at $350 a week.
  19. In the summer of 1942, Clark Gable enlisted in the army in honor of his late wife, Carole Lombard who had been killed in a plane crash while on tour selling war bonds.
  20. In childhood he was almost always called "Clark"; some friends called him "Clarkie," "Billy," or "Gabe".
  21. At the age of 14, Clark Gable was 6 feet tall and weighed 150 pounds.
  22. Clark quit Edinburgh High School at the age of 16 to work at an Akron tire factory to help out his family.
  23. When Clark Gable was born he was mistakenly listed as a female on his birth certificate.
  24. His mother died from epilepsy when he was only seven months old.
  25. Clark: I'm just a lucky slob who happened to be in the right place at the right time.
  26. Clark Gable was 6'1" tall.
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