Classic Stardust.com

Alright, so if you didn't know it before, CLARK GABLE was the first classic star I fell in love with, and really, my love for this man has never left. While I may have discovered other leading men who I also adore (such as Jimmy Stewart and Gary Cooper), I love them all differently, and still am able to find a place for Clark. Really, it was because of him and my searching into his earlier work before "Gone with the Wind" (1939) that led me to find Jean Harlow, who is my favorite actress/woman hands down. And turns out, they were very close friends during their time at MGM, even after doing some *counts on hands* six movies together. At least I think it was six! HAHA.

"Gone with the Wind" was my first introduction to classic film, and when I saw it, I didn't understand it, and I'll be honest--I had to watch the darn thing in school, which killed any enthusiasm for it whatsoever. It aggravated me so much that I didn't get the whole movie (we had to watch the entire thing in parts, completely understandable considering the running time), which confused me even more...and the fact that we had to answer a 40+ trivia sheet about it made it that much more awful. But, it annoyed me that I didn't get it, so I borrowed it from the library and watched it for a second time...and I literally fell in love.

I fell in love with the story, the characters, and more than anything, I fell for Clark Gable. And when I fall? I fall hard. I was twelve at the time, and I started watching that movie every single day for three months straight, 1/2 one night, 1/2 the second night, and began to immerse myself in his Hollywood world and...well, here we are today.

What's not to love about this man? He was the reigning King of Hollywood in his heyday at MGM, and truly, no one else could play Rhett Butler like him. While GWTW is probably his best-known role, he did make a few decent pictures before and after Mr. Butler, but really, you cannot beat Clark Gable. You truly can't.

Clark Gable was born William Clark Gable on February 1st, 1901 in Cadiz, Ohio. So, happy birthday to you, Mr. Gable, however belated it may be, and I hope you're having one Hell of a time up in Heaven! To celebrate, enjoy some eye candy of photographs I was able to scrouge up. I wouldn't necessarily call this a "PIC!spam", it's more like a MINI!picspam, if I was being honest. Enjoy!

(Courtesy of The Art of the Hollywood Photographer by John Kobal)

And truly, I can't do a PIC!Spam without him and Jean, my favorite film couple and real life buddies.

(From 1932's "Red Dust." Courtesy of The Art of Gone with the Wind: The Making of a Legend by Judy Cameron and Paul J. Christman)

(Two "Red Dust" stills. Courtesy of Simply Classics.)

(Jean and Clark on the MGM lot filming 1935's "China Seas." Courtesy of Simply Classics.)

And now, of course, stills from "Gone with the Wind"!

(Clark and Vivien Leigh in a scene from 1939's "Gone with the Wind." Courtesy of Simply Classics.)

(Practicing their dancing! Courtesy of The Art of Gone with the Wind: The Making of a Legend by Judy Cameron and Paul J. Christman)

(Clark and Vivien in a GWTW promotional still. Courtesy of Simply Classics.)

(Viv and Clark on the set of the former "King Kong" set after the burning of Atlanta was shot. Courtesy of The Art of Gone with the Wind: The Making of a Legend by Judy Cameron and Paul J. Christman)

And last but not least! Clark and Vivien meeting the writer of "Gone with the Wind," Margaret Mitchell. Look how small she was compared to him!

Courtesy of The Art of Gone with the Wind: The Making of a Legend by Judy Cameron and Paul J. Christman)