Clark Gable was an American actor best known for his role as Rhett Butler in the epic historical romance film Gone with the Wind. One of the top Hollywood stars of the 1930s and 1940s, he was often referred to as "The King of Hollywood" or simply "The King." Over a career spanning more than three decades, he starred as the leading man in over 60 motion pictures. A heartthrob on screen, Gable was known for his charismatic presence and rugged masculinity. Off-screen, he had a reputation as a womanizer. The son of an oil-well driller, he decided as a teenager to pursue acting, despite his father’s wishes for him to work on farms. After years of struggle, he found work in theater companies and began his career as a stage actor. A theater manager named Josephine Dillon became his mentor, guiding him into Hollywood and helping him refine his image. Initially criticized for his unconventional looks, Gable soon emerged as one of Hollywood’s most charismatic leading men. He was cast alongside some of the era’s most prominent actresses, including Joan Crawford, Jean Harlow, Norma Shearer, and Ava Gardner. Gable remains one of the most consistent box-office performers in history and was named the seventh-greatest male star of classic American cinema by the American Film Institute.