Clark Gable: True Love, Personality, and Co-Star Opinions

Few Hollywood stars have ever carried the title “King of Hollywood” as naturally as Clark Gable, yet the man behind the crown was far more private — and complicated — than the swaggering characters he played on screen. By listening to the women who loved him, worked with him, and clashed with him, a more nuanced picture of the real Gable emerges.

Born: February 1, 1901 ·
Died: November 16, 1960 ·
Spouses: 5 ·
Academy Awards: 1 (Best Actor for It Happened One Night) ·
Most Famous Role: Rhett Butler in Gone with the Wind ·
Nickname: King of Hollywood

Seven key facts, one pattern: Gable’s life was a classic Hollywood arc of triumph, tragedy, and complicated love.

Who was Clark Gable’s true love?

The marriage to Carole Lombard

• By most accounts, Carole Lombard was the love of Gable’s life. They co-starred in No Man of Her Own (1932) but did not immediately produce a romance, per The Saturday Evening Post (historical magazine archives).
• They reconnected years later at a party after both were no longer with previous spouses, sparking their relationship. They married in March 1939 after eloping to Kingman, Arizona.
• They lived together on an Encino ranch dubbed the House of Two Gables, where they reportedly kept chickens, rode tractors, and used the nicknames Ma and Pa, as detailed by Vanity Fair (Hollywood history coverage).

Other significant relationships

• Gable was linked romantically with actresses including Jean Harlow, Grace Kelly, and Ava Gardner, according to Neatorama (pop culture trivia).
• Biographical accounts frequently identify Carole Lombard as the greatest love of his life. Lombard died in an airplane crash in 1942, ending what many sources describe as the happiest period of Gable’s personal life.

The implication: while Gable had many relationships, Lombard remains the benchmark against which all others are measured.

Was Clark Gable a nice guy in real life?

Reputation among colleagues

• Opinions vary widely. Some found him charming and generous, while others found him difficult and impatient. A quote collection from Dear Mr. Gable (fan site/quote archive) attributes to Loretta Young the statement that she thought every woman he ever met was in love with him.
• Myrna Loy claimed she and Gable were devoted to each other but not lovers, and that their relationship became more like siblings. Joan Blondell noted that every woman who worked with Gable felt some degree of sexual attraction toward him.

Anecdotes of kindness and temper

• He was known to be generous off-screen, often helping less famous actors. One account from Neatorama (pop culture trivia) describes him as shy and reserved in real life, despite his public image as a swaggering leading man.
• On set, however, he could be brusque. The Vanity Fair account notes that Lombard was bothered by Gable’s miserliness and sometimes criticized his performance as a lover. The same account says Gable cheated on Lombard frequently, and Lombard tolerated it because she believed his status made infidelity inevitable.

The trade-off: His public charm was a professional mask that occasionally slipped, revealing a more reserved, sometimes impatient man.

Why didn’t John Wayne like Clark Gable?

Possible reasons for the feud

• John Wayne reportedly refused to work with Clark Gable. Reasons cited include political differences and personal clashes, according to biographical accounts.
• No direct public confirmation from either man exists. The story remains a point of speculation among Hollywood historians, as noted by Wikipedia (biographical database).
• Some sources suggest Wayne’s dislike stemmed from Gable’s perceived lack of patriotism or differences in their approach to acting and the film industry.

The pattern: Hollywood was a small town, and strong personalities often clashed. The feud between these two titans underscores the competitive nature of the Golden Age.

What did Marilyn Monroe say about Clark Gable?

Marilyn Monroe’s nervousness

I was dreadfully nervous to work with him. He was a wonderful co-star.

— Marilyn Monroe, as quoted by Dear Mr. Gable (fan site/quote archive)

• Monroe admired his professionalism. The two co-starred in Gable’s final film, The Misfits (1961), which was released after his death.
• The film was physically demanding for both actors, and the strain reportedly took a toll on Gable’s health, according to IMDB (film industry database).

What Doris Day said about Clark Gable

He was a gentleman and a wonderful co-star.

— Doris Day, as quoted by Dear Mr. Gable (fan site/quote archive)

• Doris Day described him as a consummate professional who treated his co-stars with respect.
• Her account aligns with those who saw Gable as a kind and supportive presence on set, contrasting with stories of his impatience.

The pattern: The women who worked with him almost universally fell into two camps — those who adored him, and those who were simply too nervous to do anything else.

What was Clark Gable’s cause of death?

Heart attack details

• Clark Gable died of a heart attack on November 16, 1960, in Los Angeles, California. He was 59 years old, according to Wikipedia (biographical database).
• His death came just days after he completed filming The Misfits, a physically grueling role that required him to perform strenuous stunts in the desert heat.

His final days

• Gable’s health had been declining for years. He was a heavy smoker and suffered from heart problems, according to The Saturday Evening Post (historical magazine archives).
• His wife, Kay Williams, found him unconscious in their home. He was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.
• He was buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.

The consequence: Gable’s heart gave out just days after wrapping The Misfits, a film that physically drained him, but cemented his final act as a Hollywood martyr.

Timeline

• 1901: Born in Cadiz, Ohio (Wikipedia)
• 1924: First marriage to Josephine Dillon (Wikipedia)
• 1934: Won Oscar for It Happened One Night (Britannica)
• 1939: Starred in Gone with the Wind; married Carole Lombard (The Saturday Evening Post)
• 1942: Carole Lombard dies in plane crash (Wikipedia)
• 1960: Dies of heart attack after filming The Misfits (Wikipedia)

Clarity: What we know and what we don’t

What co-stars said about Clark Gable

Every woman who worked with him felt some degree of sexual attraction toward him. For more information on Clark Gable’s life, explore Macaulay Culkin valor i família.

— Joan Blondell, as quoted by Dear Mr. Gable (fan site/quote archive)

I adored him. I was overwhelmed by working with him as a lifelong fan.

— Ava Gardner, as quoted by Dear Mr. Gable (fan site/quote archive)

For fans of Hollywood’s Golden Age, the legacy of Clark Gable is a reminder that the men on the silver screen were human, with all the virtues and flaws that entails. The King of Hollywood may have died in 1960, but his reign — and his complexity — remains.

For a deeper look into the King of Hollywood’s personal quirks and relationships, read about Clark Gables true love and bad breath.

Frequently asked questions

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• Cary Grant: Private Struggles Behind the Hollywood Charm
• Judy Garland’s Death: Debt, Hepatitis, and Liza Minnelli