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William Clark Gable
(February 1, 1901 - November 16, 1960) U.S.A.

Clark Gable

Actor

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Clark Gable was born in Cadiz, Ohio. When he was born he was mistakenly listed as a female on his birth certificate. His mother died when he was seven months old, and his father sent him to live with his maternal aunt and uncle in Pennsylvania, where he stayed until he was two. His father then returned to take him back to Cadiz. At the age of 14, he dropped out of school working odd jobs until the age of 17 when he joined a small theatrical stock company.

He worked in stage productions until 1924 when he went to Hollywood and worked in the movies as an extra. It wasn't until after being in the movie Painted Desert in 1931 that his movie career was launched. That year he made 11 movies.

While he was not eligible for the draft because of his mature age during World War II, Clark enlisted as a private in the United States Air Force. He graduated as second lieutenant from Officer's Candidate School and served in the armed forces as a captain until 1944 when he requested to be relieved of duty because he would never be considered for combat.

Once he was out of the service, Clark Gable returned to Hollywood to resume his acting career. Although he acted in over 90 films throughout his acting career, the movie Gone With the Wind is the one that gave him the popularity that he still holds today. Adolf Hitler esteemed the film star above all other actors, and during the war offered a sizable reward to anyone who could capture and return Gable unscathed to him.

His sposes were: Josephine Dillon (13 December 1924 - 1 April 1930) (divorced), Maria "Ria" Franklin Printiss Lucas Langham Gable (19 July 1931 - 4 March 1939) (divorced), Carole Lombard (29 March 1939 - 16 January 1942) (her death), Sylvia Ashley (20 December 1949 - 21 April 1952) (divorced), Kay Spreckles (11 July 1955 - 16 November 1960) (his death) and he had his first child, John Clark Gable. Actress Judy Lewis is Clark's illegitimate daughter by actress Loretta Young.

Anyway, according to Kenneth Anger's "Hollywood Babylon", Clark Gable had several gay encounters during the early days of his career. He is, in fact, reputed to have later developed a hostile relationship with at least one Director who serviced him out of embarassment or shame. He's also supposed to have had a fling with William Haines, a contemporary of his in the early 30s.

He died Los Angeles, California, of heart attack. He was laid to rest beside Carole Lombard at Forest Lawn Cemetery.

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