Clark Gable is considered one of the most important actors in Hollywood history and one of the most famous male icons of the 1930s, officially crowned as the “King of Hollywood.” He starred opposite the most famous actresses of that time, such as Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford, Ava Gardner, and Vivien Leigh. Even in his last film, The Misfits, he appeared alongside the famous star Marilyn Monroe, with many of his fellow stars claiming that they had a romantic relationship.
Clark Gable was born on February 1, 1901, in Ohio to his parents, William Gable, who was an oil well worker, and his wife Adeline, who passed away ten months after his birth. He lived with his grandparents until his father remarried and took him to live with them in Hopedale, Ohio. During his teenage years, he showed a great interest in acting, but his father never supported his decision to become an actor, calling acting a “scary” profession. Nevertheless, Clark was determined to achieve his dream. At the age of twenty-one, he decided to head west to start working in the field. Although he wasn’t the best actor, he stood out with his deep voice, charming smile, and handsome looks, which earned him popularity and admiration from both women and men alike. It was only natural that, in a short period, he solidified his status as a big star, becoming a Hollywood icon. He starred in 67 films, the most famous of which was Gone with the Wind, one of the most famous films in cinematic history, which established Clark Gable as one of the most important actors of that era, not just in the United States but worldwide.
Due to his fame, Clark had many fans, including the German leader Adolf Hitler himself, who loved watching his films in private screenings. During World War II, Hitler offered a reward of $5,000 to anyone who could capture Clark Gable and bring him safely to Germany.
This may surprise you, but it actually happened, and there’s a story behind it. After the death of Clark Gable’s beloved wife, Carole Lombard, in a plane crash in 1942 during a tour to support the war effort, Clark was devastated and began drinking heavily. He eventually thought that joining the army might help him recover and overcome his grief, so he quickly sent a telegram to President Franklin Roosevelt asking for a role in the war effort. Despite Roosevelt’s attempts to dissuade him from the decision and convince him to stay in the United States, Gable was determined to join the military. Roosevelt had no choice but to grant his request, and Gable was enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces in August 1942 as a second lieutenant and aerial gunner. His unit needed to produce a propaganda film to encourage people to volunteer for combat, so Gable was sent to the United Kingdom to participate in a film titled Combat America.
The Germans learned of Gable’s presence in Britain and decided to kidnap him, but he wasn’t an easy target. He participated in many combat missions and nearly lost his life during one of the German raids. The Germans failed to capture him, which frustrated Hitler, who then instructed Hermann Göring to offer a $5,000 reward to anyone who could bring Gable to Berlin alive. When Gable heard the news, he feared that the Germans might capture him, put him in a cage like a gorilla, and send him on a tour across Germany. However, they ultimately failed in their efforts, and Gable continued to fight with the American forces, earning several medals and commendations for his bravery. He was promoted to the rank of major until he was discharged from service in June 1944 at his request, returning to the United States to continue his work in American cinema, while Hitler lost the war and even his attempt to kidnap Gable.
