Clark Gable – The Complete Biography of Hollywood’s King

Clark Gable, born William Clark Gable on February 1, 1901, in Cadiz, Ohio, became one of the most recognizable stars of classical Hollywood cinema. Known as the “King of Hollywood,” he built his reputation on commanding leading-man roles and remained at the center of American film for nearly four decades. Wikipedia identifies him as one of the biggest stars of the era.

His career moved from extra work and small supporting parts in the 1920s to a dominant position at MGM in the 1930s. Over roughly 37 years, he appeared in more than 70 feature films, with landmark roles in Gone with the Wind and It Happened One Night.

Gable died on November 16, 1960, in Los Angeles at the age of 59. His death closed a career that had kept him in the public eye for almost four decades.

What Was Clark Gable’s Cause of Death?

The reported cause of death was coronary thrombosis following a heart attack. Biographical references, including Britannica and IMDb, cite the same cause. Medical records and multiple credible biographies confirm the diagnosis.

Several facts about Gable appear across most biographical accounts:

• His death from a heart attack at 59 shocked the public and fueled comparisons with the tragic heroes he played.
• His only son, John Clark Gable, was born a few months after his father’s death.
• He served in World War II as a gunner with the U.S. Army Air Forces and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
• He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for It Happened One Night (1934).
• He appeared in more than 70 feature films during a career of roughly 37 years.
• His gap-toothed smile was a frequent subject of fan curiosity, though it was natural rather than the result of false teeth.

These facts form the standard biographical snapshot:

Who Was Clark Gable Married To?

Gable was married five times. The most frequently discussed marriage in biographical accounts is the one to Carole Lombard, while Kay Spreckels was his fifth and last wife.

How Many Times Was Clark Gable Married?

The number five is consistent across reference materials. Of these marriages, Carole Lombard remains the most widely covered: she was killed in a plane crash in 1942. Kay Spreckels married Gable in 1955. The full dating of his earlier marriages is not covered in detail in most biographical accounts, so the public record centers on these two relationships.

John Clark Gable: The Only Son

John Clark Gable is the son of Clark Gable and Kay Spreckels. He was born in 1961, a few months after his father’s death, and is the best-known of Gable’s children in modern references. He later worked as an actor and producer.

What Are the Best Clark Gable Movies?

Gable’s screen career spans more than 70 feature films and several short films, from the silent era through 1960. His filmography shows a steady rise from extra and supporting work to the top ranks of MGM’s leading men.

Gone with the Wind (1939)

Gable’s best-known role is Rhett Butler in Gone with the Wind. The performance is so closely tied to his public image that discussions of Gone with the Wind and Clark Gable often treat the actor and the character as inseparable.

It Happened One Night (1934)

It Happened One Night earned Gable the Academy Award for Best Actor. The film is routinely cited alongside his It Happened One Night Oscar win as a defining achievement of his career.

Other Notable Films

Later films listed in his filmography include The Misfits and It Happened in Naples, both released in 1960. His earlier work at MGM in the 1930s established the persona of the commanding leading man that defined his stardom.

Where Was Clark Gable Born and What Was His Early Life Like?

Birth and Family in Cadiz, Ohio

Gable was born on February 1, 1901, in Cadiz, Ohio. He was the only child of William Henry Gable and Adeline Gable. His family background was working class; some accounts describe his father as an oil-field worker or a farmer who turned to oil drilling. Turner Classic Movies and Encyclopedia.com both cover his Ohio upbringing and his parents’ circumstances.

Early Career and Rise to Fame

Gable began his screen career in the 1920s, taking extra and supporting work before breaking through as a leading man. By the 1930s he was a major MGM star, and the nickname “King of Hollywood” took hold during this period. His rise from the edges of the industry to the center of the studio system is a standard part of his biographical record.

How Did Clark Gable’s Life and Career Unfold Over Time?

1. 1901 — Born in Cadiz, Ohio, to William and Adeline Gable.
2. 1930 — Signed with MGM and entered the studio system.
3. 1934 — Won the Academy Award for Best Actor for It Happened One Night.
4. 1939 — Starred as Rhett Butler in Gone with the Wind.
5. 1942 — Joined the U.S. Army Air Forces after Carole Lombard’s death.
6. 1944 — Honorably discharged with the rank of Major.
7. 1955 — Married Kay Spreckels, his fifth wife.
8. 1960 — Died of a heart attack in Los Angeles at age 59.

His service in the U.S. Army Air Forces is part of the standard biographical record, and the National WWII Museum is among the institutions that document the wartime history of that era. Media retrospectives on his death continue to cite the same medical details.

What Is Known for Certain About Clark Gable — and What Is Not?

Why Was Clark Gable Called the King of Hollywood?

The title was not simply a publicity slogan. At MGM, Gable was the studio’s top box-office draw for more than a decade, and his name carried uncommon cultural weight. His Hollywood Walk of Fame profile and Biography.com both place this period at the center of his public story.

His marriage to Carole Lombard has taken on a near-legendary status in accounts of classic Hollywood. The story of their relationship, and of her death in a 1942 plane crash, added a layer of gravity to Gable’s later image and led directly to his military service during World War II.

When Gable died in 1960, the moment carried symbolic weight. For many fans, his death marked the end of Hollywood’s Golden Age, closing the era he had helped define. Institutional archives, including the American Film Institute, continue to treat his career as central to classical American cinema.

What Did Clark Gable and His Contemporaries Say About Him?

“I’m just a lucky slob from Ohio who happened to be in the right place at the right time.”

Clark Gable

“He was the King of Hollywood and he never let it go to his head.”

Esther Williams

The two remarks offer a consistent picture of Gable’s public persona: a star who treated his own success with a measure of distance.

What Is Clark Gable’s Lasting Legacy?

Clark Gable defined the Hollywood leading man of his era and left a body of work that has outlasted the studio system that made him famous. He is remembered for Gone with the Wind, honored for It Happened One Night, and cited consistently as one of the most important figures of classical American cinema.

What Do People Want to Know About Clark Gable?