Clark Gable
The mustachioed, charismatic 'King' whose rakish charm defined Hollywood leading men for a generation.
1901–1960 (age 59)·American actor·Birthday: February 1·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Clark Gable didn't just act in Hollywood's golden age; he embodied its masculine ideal. After a rough-and-tumble youth and stage work, he landed at MGM, where his ears were deemed too big but his presence was undeniable. He smoldered in pre-Code films like 'Red Dust' with Jean Harlow, projecting a rough-hewn, confident sexuality that was new to the screen. His career apex came with 'Gone with the Wind' in 1939, and his line 'Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn' became cinematic legend. Gable's off-screen life was as dramatic as his roles, including a highly publicized marriage to Carole Lombard, whose tragic death in a plane crash devastated him. After serving as a bomber pilot in World War II, he returned to a changing Hollywood, but his place as the archetypal, tuxedo-clad rogue was permanently secured.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Clark was born in 1901, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Clark Was Born
The biggest hits of 1901
Clark's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1901Born
Queen Victoria dies, ending the Victorian era
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1906Started school
San Francisco earthquake devastates the city
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1914Became a teenager
World War I begins
President: Woodrow Wilson
1917Could drive
Russian Revolution overthrows the tsar; US enters WWI
President: Woodrow Wilson
1919Could vote
Treaty of Versailles signed; Prohibition ratified
President: Woodrow Wilson
1922Turned 21
King Tut's tomb discovered in Egypt
President: Warren G. Harding"April Showers" — Al Jolson
1931Turned 30
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1941Turned 40
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1951Turned 50
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1960Died at 59
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
Key Achievements
- Won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in 'It Happened One Night' (1934).
- Starred as Rhett Butler in 'Gone with the Wind', one of the most famous roles in film history.
- Served as a B-17 bomber pilot in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II, flying combat missions.
- His career spanned over three decades, with leading roles into the 1950s.
Did You Know?
He was a skilled mechanic and loved working on cars and motorcycles.
He refused to wear undershirts, which reportedly caused a decline in undershirt sales after he appeared bare-chested in 'It Happened One Night'.
He lost the tip of a front tooth during a fight scene in the film 'San Francisco' and never had it fixed.
His final film, 'The Misfits' (1961), was also the final film for co-stars Marilyn Monroe and Montgomery Clift.
“The only reason they come to see me is that I know that life is great, and they know I know it.”
