The Clark Gable Blogathon: The Early Years of the King of Hollywood
Clark Gable is undoubtedly one of the most iconic actors of the Classic Hollywood era. With or without moustache, he captivated audiences as a leading man for three decades, and continued to do so even after his death. From his Oscar-winning role in It Happened One Night (1934) to his dashing Rhett Butler in Gone with the Wind (1939) and his aging cowboy in The Misfits (1961), he established himself as «The King of Hollywood.» But like every self-made king, he had to fight a few battles in order to win the throne. Clark Gable is often referred to as «The King of Hollywood.» William Clark Gable was born on February 1, 1901, in the small coal-mining town of Cadiz, Ohio. His father was William Henry «Will» Gable, a tall and good-looking oil-driller and wildcatter, with a reputation as a womanizer and a boozer. His mother was Adeline «Addie» Hershelman, a striking dark-eyed brunette plagued by a mysterious illness. Both Will and Addie's ancestors had migrated from Germany to Amer...