17. The King of Hollywood
Once known as “The King of Hollywood”, William Clark Gable (1901 – 1960) was one of the silver screen’s greatest legends. He starred in more than 60 movies and is perhaps best known for his role as Rhett Butler in the blockbuster Gone With the Wind, although that one didn’t net him an Oscar. He got one as Best Actor for his lead in It Happened One Night. Other notable films in which he starred and that met both critical and commercial success include Mutiny on the Bounty, The Hucksters, and The Misfits, his last film, as well as that of his co-star, Marilyn Monroe.
Gable had quit school when he was sixteen years old to go work in a tire factory and decided to become an actor after he saw a play. He took acting lessons and worked a variety of jobs, from oil field roustabout to a necktie salesman, until 1924, when he married his acting coach and the couple moved to Hollywood so he could focus on his dream. Gable got his start as an extra in various productions. After years of bit parts and stints in the theater, he got a contract from MGM. It was the start of his rise to stardom – and when he eventually reached the zenith, he gave it up to go kick some Nazi butt.
