Clark Gable: Portrait of a Misfit

by Jane Ellen Wayne

Recounts the life and career of a larger-than-life Hollywood legend, including his ruthless ambition and his affairs with stars such as Joan Crawford and Carole Lombard. By the author of Marilyn's Men.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Audiobook

319 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1993

Reviews

[Baba · Rating 3 out of 5]

The seemingly uncensored, no holds barred story of the 'King of Hollywood' during the Golden Era, with Lombard, Tracey, Taylor, Kelly and all; and all a bit of a gossip fest, with uncorroborated quotes and looking for all the drama, even if they have to brush it up (make it up?) to tell their story. An insightful read, for a tabloid perspective of the Golden Era though. Three Stars, 7 out of 12.

2010 read

[Sean Peters (A Good Thriller) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clark Gable, an iconic screen actor, known as "The King of Hollywood", an alcoholic, heavy smoker, a scoundrel, a bland lover, and much more.

Named The King Of Hollywood in a 1937 magazine poll, these title stayed with him for the rest of his life, but he was also a womaniser, loved to party chased women constantly whether married or not.

A heavy ambition to make it to the top, his love of the Hollywood life of the 30's, it was like a full time party life, ruled by the film studios, especially MGM.

This book offers details of his love life more than anything, his womanising, his battled with MGM, but less about the male co-stars and more about every female co -star.

Not so detailed are his friendships with the many great co stars, which is a part I always like to know and read about.

The many autobiographies and biographies that have opened my eyes to the real Hollywood, the parties, the power all the film studios had over the film stars, those studios made careers and broke careers.

Clark Gable was one of the longest actors to stay with MGM studios, only Robert Taylor stayed loyal to MGM for longer.

A who's who of so many great actress's are mentioned in this book, and Clark Gable slept with most of them, some he may have loved, one especially he adored was Carole Lombard, which I do not think he ever recovered from her death, his long standing affairs with actress's like Joan Crawford, Grace Kelly, and over the years, Audrey Totter (1949), Paulette Goddard (1949), Ann Sothern (1948), Slim Hawks (1948), Joan Blondell (1945), Anita Colby (1945 - 1947), Dolly O'Brien (1944), Virginia Grey (1942 - 1949), Hedy Lamarr (1940), Virginia Bruce (1937), Merle Oberon (1936 - 1938), Loretta Young (1934 - 1935), Katherine DeMille (1934 - 1935), Claudette Colbert (1933), Jean Harlow (1932), Mary Astor (1932), Joan Crawford (1930 - 1936), Corinne Griffith (1924 - 1925), Franz Dorfler (1920 - 1921), Pauline Frederick (1919 - 1920), Elaine White, Dorothy Granger, Barbara Weeks, Millicent Rogers, Edie Adams, Veronica Lake, Doris Lilly and Joan Harrison to name a few.

Great stories, great battles, and health problems especially near the end of his life a well told story.

Through the years one actor stood out as a friend, often when fishing and hunting with him was Robert Taylor. One actor stood out as great competition for him and did not get on with was Gary Cooper. Good friends also with Spencer Tracy.

So many of the great actors of the golden era died so young, Clark Gable, Humphrey Bogart, Gary Cooper, Error Flynn, Tyrone Power, Robert Taylor, Spencer Tracy such a shame.

Finally found happiness with his last wife, longed for a child and found out his wife was pregnant on the set of The Misfits which ironically he said he would retire after, but died of a heart attack before the birth of his son.

As a mad film buff loving the heyday of the cinema I will always enjoys these books, could have been better, but still good.

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a Kitty Kelley-type of biography, all sleaze and prurience. What I found just as bothersome, though, was invented dialogue, presented with quotes, as if the author overheard every word of conversation from more than fifty years ago, which of course she didn't. Save your time and read a more professionally written account of Gable's life.

[Josh Avery · Rating 3 out of 5]

My fascination with old Hollywood brought me to this book and honestly, it was better than I thought. He was, according to the author: "Not well endowed, a horrible lover with big ears and chronic bad breath." He was also, the king of Hollywood in the 20's, 30's and 40's under the old studio system making MGM millions of dollars because of films like Gone With the Wind. Married 5 times, his great love, Carole Lombard, died in a plane crash when she was only 27, and he never touched her room at his ranch for the rest of his life. He was sick when he did The Misfits (great movie) with Marilyn Monroe, which turned out to be both of their last movies, and in both cases, their best. He died 4 months before his only son, John Clark was born, and his grandson Clark, was the host of Cheaters before he passed away from a drug overdose. It was seemingly par for the course for stars to drink heavily and be married multiple times in the studio days. Interesting guy, and an interesting book.

B

[AttackGirl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a very nice book at all. Young man starving to death will go with whatever woman has money and take the mother figures to wife but only at the approval of the movie bosses.

Really how many marriages was that only to know he was gay, well what if you didn’t before reading the book?

What was the whole bit about his doctor told him “he should never marry” and then tell us all about one marriage after another and another with no story from the man himself.

[Purdeyblackcat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable but trashy. I've read better written and more balanced accounts of Clark Gable. This is semi fictionalised in places with streams of imagined dialogue between Gable and others. No sources listed at all and some basic facts about other film stars are wrong. It's an easy, enjoyable read but more gossipy than gospel.

[Katherine Thornton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting! Learned a lot about him. King of Hollywood!

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished it and quickly. The book delves into the fast lived life of a Hollywood King- Clark Gable. The man bedded anyone and everyone. The man made a ton of films- good and bad. He hunted and fished, drank and drank some more, traveled the world over, and married 5 women. Gable, an Oscar winner, had a 30 year long affair with Joan Crawford. He lived an extraordinary, however at times lonely life. I was intrigued and am still interested in learning more about him. I plan to TIVO some Gable movies soon (poor Chris). The book was slanted to portray him in a lovely and an appreciative light. I just happen to agree with the author.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was just gossipy entertainment. Mostly it covered Gable's love affairs and marriages and some interesting quotes. Although one learns that he had a difficult relationship with his father and a hard time as a child, there isn't too much detail in the telling. At times some assumptions are made that are kind of ridiculous as when he is dating a biracial actress and the author assumes he wouldn't have dated her if he knew about this because of the thinking at the time. There is no way to know that. The book is written a bit like a gossip column and was interesting and light read. I just wouldn't call it historical by any means.

[W. Frazier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diving into old Hollywood, this Clark Gable biography delivers the glory, the legends and the lore. It’s very conversational in writing style, full of facts, rumor, and studio spin. In tracing Gable’s life, the author includes a lot of the ins and outs of Hollywood and MGM. The side stories shed an interesting perspective to the world of movie making - the casting negotiations, power deals, and personalities. Also amusing is the constant shuffling of players, not only in studio contracts, but in marriages, divorces and affairs. It’s a nostalgic glimpse at a bygone era. The audio book held my attention, a fun ride.

[Lynn Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really engrossing biography of the man and the movie star. His sexual exploits figure prominently but it does give a good depth of characterisation as well showing behind the glamour and the image portrayed by the MGM movie system.