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EdgarRivero. says on 6/Mar/10
Well, i still think he was bettwen, 6ft and 6ft 1in, in fact 6ft .5in is just and fair, and yes he was a star, with a big precense, and tha make him bigger ii person, i see alot of his movies and photos and for that rason, i make that conclusion, for the 1930s and 40s, was a big guy.
Aleks says on 4/Mar/10
Well, I said "at least" because there is claims of him losing height.
He had a good 4 inches on Eli Wallach.
Whether he was 5'11" or 6', Mr. Gable was a legend. Movie stars today lack the charisma, on-screen presence and star power Hollywood had in the 40s-50s.
Off the top of my head, I can only think of Harrison Ford, Jack Nicholson and Clint Eastwood. But they're all past their prime. EdgarRivero. says on 3/Mar/10
no way to look 5ft 11in in the misfits, he was huge comparate to robert montgomery, he was still in the 6ft range, he is not even hunched, he every tmes mantain his perfect posture, a fair good proportionated person, and important, unlke montalban or robert montgomery, he never had injuries, really serius, montalban brke his back in across the river(film with clark gable), and robert nearly kill himself in that car crash. theres no reason for shirnk more tan a half inch or only one of his 6ft 1 peack. Aleks says on 1/Mar/10
Six-feet peak, at least 5'11" when he made his last film, THE MISFITS. EdgarRivero. says on 21/Feb/10
he was not shorter than 6ft, probabli the 6ft 1in mark in his yount, and also have a perfect posture every time, the only actors whit a similar straight posture are christopher lee and ricardo montalban(this guy give me pain only looking his posture). Terry says on 10/Dec/09
How did you know Clark Gable, i am very interested in knowing? Patrick says on 26/Oct/09
You're very lucky Andrea! Andrea says on 25/Oct/09
I knew Clark Gable very well. He was definitely 6 foot. No taller, no shorter. Patrick says on 22/Oct/09
No matter how he looks on this picture. Clark was evidently very and naturally muscular.
Take the beach scenes in Bounty Mutiny and look how thick are his chest, his back and his arms and wrists and hands.
He always gave the impression of being “more” than the other actors even Burt Lancaster OR Victor Mature, though after 50.
He definitely look around 6’1 when young and perhaps, not sure, a tad less after and I am not even sure of that.
As for his build, no doubt he was more than strapping. Lee Marvin told once he wore a jacket of him on and reported that the shoulder-pad got his elbows. I know it’s exaggerated but Lee was just trying to expound how a star he really was.
As for the Duke Frank2, yes, how doubting he was no 6’4 (minimum)! mada says on 3/Sep/09
Im surprised seeing how small Gable looks next to the Duke! Half a foot shorter and a lot smaller across the chest and shoulders. No way was he 200lbs in that pic. Nor did he have a 44inch chest. Frank2 says on 23/Aug/09
When MGM had its property and wardrobe auction back when I worked at the studio, employees were given a chance to go though what wasn't auctioned off. I found a pinstriped suit made for Gable. It still has his name inside. When I put on the coat, it swallowed me up. Back then I had a 38 inch chest. I suspect Gable was at minimum a 44. And he had long arms. My hands barely poked through the sleeves. When I tried on the slacks, even pulling them up to where the waist was nearly around my chest, the pants dragged on the floor. He was a big man. I'd say his peak height was 6'1". He probably had a 44 chest, a 34 inch waist and weighed over 200 lbs.
Check out this photo:
Click Here
Left to right we see Thomas Mitchell who was about 5'8" with John Ford leaning on him (Ford was reportedly 6' peak), Gable, Robert Montgomery who was at least 5'11". And guess who's on the end? Don't ever tell me the Duke wasn't 6'4"! adam says on 22/Aug/09
Im now watching GONE WITH THE WIND and I just wonder how big Clark`s chest was! adam says on 14/Aug/09
You long-faced, over-dressed... anarchist! Frank2 says on 13/Aug/09
Smile when you say that. adam says on 13/Aug/09
Mind if I use that line in my next western? Frank2 says on 13/Aug/09
Speaking of the Joker...... adam says on 13/Aug/09
Today I watched Frankenstein. No way was Karloff under 6-4 and could have been 6-5. Frank2 says on 13/Aug/09
Today TCM ran nothing but Gable films. I watched many of them. No way was he under six feet and he could have been 6'1". Frank2 says on 12/Aug/09
Well, in that photo, all those men are not standing up straight. And the key is Gable looks taller than Van Heflin who was definitely at least 5'11". adam says on 12/Aug/09
In the pic Cooper looks more than three inches taller than Gable. Gable would be below his eyelevel, possibly!
Cooper was a solid 6-3 as was Stewart. Frank2 says on 11/Aug/09
I meant Cooper looks three inches taller than Gable.
So Gable was 6'. Heflin was 5'11", Cooper was 6'3" and so was Jimmy Stewart. Frank2 says on 11/Aug/09
"adam says on 11/Aug/09 -
And yes, I`ve had those pieces of info from that four-letter page where there`s plenty of it. But tell me: WHO THE HELL would lie about those things? Just make up something like that out of nowhere. Who would do that? I certainly wouldnt."
Are you that naive? Come on! Wake up! Frank2 says on 11/Aug/09
Why would Coop end up at 6'5"? The two men never worked together and that photo taken at Cero's which by the way, I've seen several more show gable at least six feet. Van Heflin is shorter thna Gable by an inch and Cooper looks four inches taller. In one shot Stewart is standing up straight and is the same height as Cooper.
Was and probably just don't cut it. So I met one person at Fox who said Gable was 5'10". The same guy claimed Robert Wagner was 5'10" as was Jeffrey Hunter. Now looking back, according to this fellow, just about every tall or tallish actor was 5'10". Since I posted that comment which was some time ago, I've looked at more films with Gable as well as spoken with the remaining few still alive who worked with him. The consensus was he was at least six feet in the 1950s. Just the fact that he's as tall as Gig Young in TEACHER'S PET should end the argument. No lifts on Gable in that film and no camera tricks. We see the two me standing in full shots. adam says on 11/Aug/09
I have absolutely nothing against Clark.
If Gable was 6-1 in the fifties, then Gary Cooper was above 6-5. Watch the pic. And yes, I`ve had those pieces of info from that four-letter page where there`s plenty of it. But tell me: WHO THE HELL would lie about those things? Just make up something like that out of nowhere. Who would do that? I certainly wouldnt.
And one more time:
"adam says on 7/Aug/09
By the time he made The Tall Men at Fox he had shrunk to about 5'10 1/2". I knew the film editor who worked on the film as well as a fellow who worked in Fox Publicity. They both confirmed this. The man who was a publicist said that when he first met Gable he was surprised he wasn't this big 6'2" guy, but was instead only slightly taller than he was and this fellow I knew was about 5'10"."
YOUR words, jack.
And I dont have anything against Gable or John Wayne. Absolutely nothing against these fellows. You`ve mentioned his politics... alright, maybe I dont agree with his thoughts but that`s not a problem to me.
And one funny thing: You mentioned in some page that you "hate narcism". Yet you seem to be one big narcist yourself.
Gable was probably over six feet prime but in the late 50s under that mark. Frank2 says on 10/Aug/09
Adam, first off, where do you dig up this garbage? I worked in the industry for forty years and was right in the thick of it and never heard the stuff you repeat. If you got that story off a certain webpage devoted to the entertainment industry where anyone registered can post anything they chose and the moderators usually allow just about anything, it's automatically suspect. If it came out of some bio it's suspect since much of the celeb bios are filled with crap that's not true.
What do you have against Gable?
Gable was not definitely under six feet later on. Had he been, he'd have looked considerably shorter than 6'1" Gig Young in TEACHER'S PET. In the film both men appear to be the same height. And don't tell me Gig Young was under six feet cause that's pure bull. I saw him one day at Universal when he was a sick, older man and he was a lot taller than me. adam says on 10/Aug/09
By the way, Frank. In the second pic where Karloff and Lugosi are seated, it seems like Boris had an extremelly long upper body while Bela had a short torso. adam says on 10/Aug/09
Well Frank:
" There was one major argument when Gable refused to allow the crucial plot development of Lancaster's character to take control of the submarine, because he felt this went against the image he had built up for more than twenty years at MGM. After refusing to work for two days, Gable eventually agreed to return to the studio when it was decided that his character would fall ill, necessitating Lancaster taking command."
And in a film he demanded that his co-stars would shave their chest hair off since he didnt have any. Why? Because "that would have insulted his manliness." ! adam says on 10/Aug/09
Later on Gable was under six feet. Go to Gary Cooper`s page and take a look at Gonzalo`s pic he put there about three years ago, it`s in the middle of the page. There Gable is standing next to Cooper and looks considerably shorter. Both Stewart and Cooper look five inches taller than Gable.
Gable was definitely under six feet later on. adam says on 7/Aug/09
By the time he made The Tall Men at Fox he had shrunk to about 5'10 1/2". I knew the film editor who worked on the film as well as a fellow who worked in Fox Publicity. They both confirmed this. The man who was a publicist said that when he first met Gable he was surprised he wasn't this big 6'2" guy, but was instead only slightly taller than he was and this fellow I knew was about 5'10". Frank2 says on 6/Aug/09
"adam says on 5/Aug/09
Gable was very worried about his womanizing, whisky-drinking, macho man image."
Nothing could be further from the truth. From everything I've read about Gable plus from what I heard directly from those who worked with him, after Carol Lombard died, a part of him died. He no longer cared that much about his image. He was a natural sportsman. As for womanizing, I doubt he could hold a candle to other well known male celebs. And his drinking was done mostly to mask the depression he suffered from after losing the one love of his life which was Lombard. Plus many stars drank and drank in excess. Frank2 says on 6/Aug/09
Landau was 6'1" prime. He was an inch taller than 6' Cary Grant in NORTH BY NORTHWEST. Plus I met Landau back when he was starring in the TV series MISSION IMPOSSIBLE and he was two inches taller than me. I also met Grant and he was an inch taller than me.
I believe these days, Landau has lost about an inch and a half in height. Bela Lugosi Jr. is about 6'3". I've meet him when he's appeared at The Collector's Show. He confirmed his father's height as being 6'1" prime. Karloff's daughter has appeared at the same show and she said her father was about 5'11" prime.
Karloff and Lugosi:
Click Here
Click Here
Click Here
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Karloff did not wear lifts in THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY nor did he in THE BLACK CAT. He did wear lifts in some films such as THE MASK OF FU MANCHU and THE MUMMY. In fact they were huge lifts. They wanted him to tower over everyone in both films which he did. adam says on 6/Aug/09
Karloff often wore lifts. Lugosi was 6-1.
Marty Landau was at least 6-1 prime. Frank2 says on 6/Aug/09
What I'm saying is hGable didn't shrink as much as you claim. He wasn't down to 5'10".
As for Karloff, he was the same height as Danny Kaye in THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY. I met Kaye back in the 1960s and he was my height or 5'11".
Karloff didn't always appear three inches shorter than Lugosi. I've seen every single film they made together plus publicity shots. There was a two inch difference. Now Karloff lost a considerable amount of height when he got to be older. He went from 5'11" to about 5'8".
By the way, if you want to see a what a three inch difference looks like, here's Bela Lugosi Jr. next to Martin Landau:
Click Here adam says on 6/Aug/09
But yes Frank. I believe that Gable was a strong six-footer in his prime. Rob has him just about perfectly! adam says on 6/Aug/09
Karloff was 5-10. Bela Lugosi always had about three inches on him. adam says on 6/Aug/09
It doesnt work.
Aubrey Smith was probably 6-2. In REBECCA he was 1-2 inches shorter than George Sanders. But at the time that fellow was what, 75?
Frank, have you seen a film called AND THEN THERE WERE NONE? It was made in 1945. An excellent picture! Just came to my mind... Frank2 says on 5/Aug/09
C. Aubrey Smith with 5'11" Boris Karloff:
Click Here
As you can see from this clip, Smith towered over Ronald Colman who was lsited as being 5'10" but in reality was more like 5'8":
Click Here Frank2 says on 5/Aug/09
Ryan wasn't five inches taller than Gable. Watching the film I see no more than a three inch difference.
Gable and 6'2" C. Aubrey Smith:
Click Here adam says on 5/Aug/09
I`ve been reading an autobiography about Ryan. He seemed to be a very humble, down-to-earth guy. He certainly didnt care about images or those star things. It was the same thing with George Sanders and Sterl Hayden who expressed their distaste for acting.
Gable was very worried about his womanizing, whisky-drinking, macho man image. adam says on 5/Aug/09
Well thats exactly what I said. A lot of old stars played the same character over and over again. They had a great presence, like you said. Not so much talent.
If we are talking about talent, then Marlon Brando, Laurence Olivier, Ryan, O`Toole and Welles were the greatest. Then again on the star section there are those guys you mentioned.
Marlon is probably the greatest because he had it all -the talent and the star image.
'
And back to height:
Gable was six feet in his prime. Ryan was 6-4. Wayne was 6-4. Cooper was 6-3. Power was 5-11. Flynn was 6-1˝. Grant was slightly over six feet. Hudson was 6-6. Frank2 says on 5/Aug/09
Ryan was a great actor, but wasn't a star. There's a difference. In his prime, Gable could walk into a room and people would immediately notice him. Not so with Ryan. Gable had presence. So did John Wayne and Gary Cooper. Tyrone Power had it as did Errol Flynn. Cary Grant had it in spades. I saw the reaction he got and that was at Universal Studios where the people who stopped dead in their tracks and stared at him worked there. Rock Hudson had it. adam says on 5/Aug/09
Ryan was a terrific actor, a lot better than Gable. And Peck was an excellent actor -Heston on the other hand wasnt. adam says on 5/Aug/09
Well you are right about Ryan. He was a great actor -one of the best, definitely. I certainly agree with that. Along with Joseph Cotten one of the most underrated ones. And probably 6-4 peak. Even though in RACKET he doesnt look that much taller than Bob Mitchum.
In THE TALL MEN Ryan is 4-5 inches taller than Gable. Frank2 says on 3/Aug/09
In the film POLLY OF THE CIRCUS (1932), Gable is an inch shorter than 6'2" C. Aubrey Smith. I'm watching the film right now on TCM. They show both men in a wide shot and Gable isn't standing on a box nor is he wearing lifts. Gable could very well have been 6'1" in his youth.
By the way, Robert Ryan could very well have been 6'4". Here he is next to 6'1" Charles Bickford who by the time of this film could have lost an inch, but I doubt it since in THE BIG COUNTRY which was made several year later, he was two inches shorter than 6'3" Gregory Peck as well as 6'3" Charlton Heston and was the same height as 6'1" Burl Ives:
Click Here
As far as I'm concerned, Robert Ryna was a terrific actor. One of the very best. My favorite Ryan role was that of Claggart, the ship's sinister Master of Arms in the superb film BILLY BUDD directed by Peter Ustinov who also played the part of the ship's captain. I must have watched that film dozens of times and it never bores me.
When I worked on the dreadful film HAMMERSMITH IS OUT, also directed by Ustinov, I told him that it was one of my favorite films. After I said "I loved Billy Budd," Ustinov leaned over in the screening room in the MGM film lab and whispered in my ear, "I"It'll be our little secret. I won't tell a soul."
Ustinov was one of the funniest people I've ever worked with. His stories about the biz were as hilarious as they were informative. Ustinov was a born mimic and could do just about anyone. He even tried to mimic my voice and did so in such an accurate manner than I was amazed as well as amused. His impressions of famous actors were as good as any of those done by noted impressionists. Oh, Ustinov was taller than I thought. Just a tad under 5'10". Perhaps 5' 9.5". Frank2 says on 3/Aug/09
By the way, I have a copy of THE TALL MEN and nowhere in that film is Gable taller than Ryan. In a couple of shots he's closer to being Ryan's height, but in long shots it's clear he's considerably shorter. After all, Ryan was at least 6'3" and could have been 6'4". Cameron Mitchell is in the film and he was at least 5'9" since when I met him he was two inches shorter than me. He's clearly shorter than Gable and by at least three inches.
In the film SOLDIER OF FORTUNE, Gable is the same height as 6' Gene Barry and is about three to four inches shorter than 6'4" Michael Rennie.
I'm going to ask the guy I knew at Fox (providing he still among us) if I can copy his photo with him next to Gable and post it here. I haven't spoken to him since I retired and he retired long before me. He must be in his eighties if he's still among the living. Frank2 says on 3/Aug/09
Anyone can add trivia to that website. All you need is to be registered. Which makes much of what they print utter crap. Gable never stood on any box. At the end of his life he was close to or 6'. Peak was minimum 6'.
In MANHATTAN MELODRAMA, Gable was taller by at least two inches than William Powell who's listed on that same website as being 6' and was more likely 5'10" since he was 5 inches shorter than Jimmy Stewart in one of THE THIN MAN movies.
Gable was at least two inches taller than 5'10" Jack Warden in the film RUN SILENT RUN DEEP and was about an inch shorter than 6'1" Burt Lancaster who by the way is listed at 6'2" and very well could have been that height when he was younger. I met Lancaster in the late 1960s and he was 6'1". But watch FROM HERE TO ETERNITY. Lancaster and 6'2" George Reeves are the same height.
In TEACHER'S PET, Gable and 6'1" Gig Young were the same height. You could see it in the wide shots. No boxes. No lifts on Gable. That one floored me since I hadn't watched that film in many years.
So as for my comments on him being 6' when young, all I can say is, watching more of his films, I must conclude he was at least 6' peak and could have been 6'1". The guy I knew at Fox expected Gable to be 6'2" and was surprised he was barely 6'. But two other people who worked there including the fellow who had his picture taken with Gable stated he was 6'. And back when MGM had their big auction, I worked there. That was when they still owned their own studio. They allowed employees a look at some of the merchandise not sold off in the auction. I found a suit that was hand tailored for Gable. I put it on and it swallowed me up! The paints were longer than what I wore. And by at least three inches. My hands barely came out the end of the sleeves plus back then I wore about a 38 coat and Gables was at least a 44 so the whole coat looked like a tent on me.
Another thing that threw me which led me to believe Gable wasn't 6'1" was the fact that in SAN FRANCISCO he's not more than two inches taller than 5'8" Spencer Tracy. But looking at the film once again I can see that Tracy wore lifts plus they used camera tricks. In other Gable/Tracy films, Gable is a lot taller. adam says on 3/Aug/09
"Clark Gable had to stand on a box to look taller than his 6'4" co-star Robert Ryan in one scene." -the biggest film page in the world, four letters. Check the film THE TALL MEN and Trivia -section. adam says on 2/Aug/09
AND FRANK! Check your first comment about Gable.
"I think Gable was closer to 5'11 1/2" or maybe a solid 6' when he was young. By the time he made The Tall Men at Fox he had shrunk to about 5'10 1/2". I knew the film editor who worked on the film as well as a fellow who worked in Fox Publicity. They both confirmed this. The man who was a publicist said that when he first met Gable he was surprised he wasn't this big 6'2" guy, but was instead only slightly taller than he was and this fellow I knew was about 5'10". "
HAHA! You seem to change the story each time it doesnt match with the current situation. What now, my boy? adam says on 2/Aug/09
Now look, Frank. This is quite funny now. From what I`ve read you keep mentioning all possible things that are NOT related to height -and that´s just ok with me - but then when I start telling the truth you`ll get sooo touchy. Take it easy there, mate.
Gable stood on a box in THE TALL MEN. Robert Ryan was 6-4, Gable certainly wasnt. I believe that Gable was a solid six-footer peak but at the time he was under that mark. They wanted to make the allmighty Gable look taller than Ryan so they used a box. Frank2 says on 2/Aug/09
Where you there Adam? Are you reported what you saw or crap you've read? Four inches shorter than Sean Connery? What utter nonsense. When were the two men photographed together? Post the photos! And who cares if Gable drank!
I knew people who worked with Gable in the 1950s at Fox who told me he was a solid 6'. One fellow had his picture taken with Gable. That guy was 6' and both men in the photo looked to be the same height.
And Adam, Gable never stood on a box. Get a life! adam says on 2/Aug/09
He was under six feet when he died. Years of whisky and smoke had shrunk him to about 5-10. In 1960 he was four inches shorter than Sean Connery. Hugh 191cm says on 1/Aug/09
Id say 6ft0.75 prime and 6ft0.25 when he died. He was in very poor health by the time of his death. Did you know he weighed 230lbs. adam says on 20/Jul/09
But you have very short legs. But so had Gable! Old stars wore pants in their chest level so that their legs would look longer.
And in the mid 50s Gable was under six feet. In THE TALL MEN Robert Ryan towered over Gable and Gable had to stand on a box to look taller! Frank2 says on 9/Jul/09
No way was he that short. Here's why. In MANHATTAN MELODRAMA Gable was at least two inches taller than 5'10" William Powell. In RUN SILENT RUN DEEP, Gable was two to three inches taller than 5'10" Jack Warden. In TEACHER'S PET, Gable was the exact same height as 6' 1" Gig Young. Gable towered over Monty Clift in THE MISFITS. Clift who was 5'10" peak had dropped down to about 5'9" by the time of that film. With the exception of GONE WITH THE WIND, I never spotted lifts on Gable. I'd venture to guess that Gable was most likely 6'1" peak and by the mid 1950's was 6' even. Back when I worked at MGM Studios and they auctioned off props and wardrobe, I found a suit hand tailored for Gable. I decided to put it on. He must have had extremely long arms since my hands barely came out of the cuffs of the sleeves. When I put on his slacks, I had to raise the waist up to my chest level so the pants didn't drag on the floor. And I'm 5'11"! gregg says on 7/Jul/09
During the war, a friend of mine was shipped across the Atlantic with Gable on board the same transport. He struck up a friendship with "The King." My friend told me that Gable was about my height--that would make Gable 5'10". andrew says on 8/Jun/09
5'10"? Haha. In 'Bounty' he towers over a lot of people barefoot... Dean says on 21/Apr/09
Gable was approximately 5'10" and on film wore a slightly higher heel on his shoes . One has to remember that for his time 5'10" was considered quite tall and his fellow actors and actresses of that era were consideralbly shorter . Joan Crawford stood barely 5'. There is a well publicized photo of Gable and Gary Cooper hunting together at Sun Valley and the height difference between the two is considerable . One may also want to consider that the average height of the American male today is still only 5'9" . Martin says on 14/Dec/08
He must be taller than 6'0.5". At least 6'1.5". Come on, look at his proportions! Patrick says on 7/Nov/08
In the Gary Cooper page, he looks far shorter than that other great star if any.
If Clark was 6'1/5, so Gary was undoubtedly more than 6'3. Hugh says on 20/Sep/08
Clark was a tall guy. I'd say 186-187cm. This is too low. Patrick says on 19/Aug/08
Clark Gable was bigger and higher than life. He had a mythological posture.
If you look at how the new Batman stands, you’ll see he is the same.
Look at his huge and thick neck: it throws his head as if he were very tall. Sean Connery always looked taller than he really was for the same reason.
Clark Gable was very strong man, physically and morally while being very sensitive.
He was perhaps the biggest star of his “era” in a way and certainly considered so at the time.
Burt Lancaster stood and looked much taller than he was for similar reasons.
We definitely had great stars! Joey says on 3/Aug/08
I just watched "It Happened One Night". He seemed unbelievably tall! He looked way over 6ft. Don't know if it's the suit, his posture or a combination of both but I was guessing throughout the entire movie that this guy's gotta be at least 6'4"! But I was quite surprised that he was below that. aqua says on 17/Jul/08
I don't want to bother you people but have you ever heard about PERSPECTIVE? estimating anything from pictures can be delusive, not to mention they used to manipulate lights and perspective a lot then, for me everything above 6ft is tall and i don't care if it's 6ft or 7ft. what's average now wasn't average then. oh well ;) BK_Daniel says on 22/Jun/08
I think everyone agrees that he's a big dude, atleast 185 cms. In his prime he was probably close to 6'2". rob roy says on 20/Jun/08
i love watching old movies. but i dont like "gone with the wind" starred by clark gable. i think to me the movie is somewhat boring. can't believe my eyes when i saw the heroin ( i forgot her name ) walking in her all-white dress in a war torn place and not a single dirt is seen. nah. i cant believe such thing. as if she had just been in abc's "dancing with stars". i never finish watching it. Jackie says on 20/Sep/07
^Clark Gable by no means was a short man, but still he was no stranger to wearing lifts or high heeled boots or shoes. See this picture with Wallace Beery and Jean Harlow: Click Here
And also in Gone With The Wind he wore quite high heeled boots: Click Here Click Here
He did have a magnificent chest, though. John Lucas says on 18/Sep/07
I met Clark Gable with my father in 1952 when I was thirteen years old. Mr. Gable, an astonishingly handsome middle-aged man at that time, was perhaps two inches taller than my father who was 5'11' in height. I was about 5'3'' at the time and Mr. Gable was surely nearly a foot taller than I, if memory serves me well. He was also quite large, with a big chest.
By the way, he did not stand on a box to kiss Vivien Leigh; it was the other way around. And Rhett's boots did not have lifts; those were pretty standard heels for dress or cowboy boots. patrick says on 26/Feb/07
I read the same story about Lee Marvin meeting Gable and trying out his jacket; Sure, Lee was purposely exagerating because he was precisely treating the "what is a star" topic; I remember he added something about a young female extra who supposedly fainted in seeing "the King"; so, this one ran and tried to reanimate her; while he was succeeding, she awoke and what did she see then? Clark Gable and she fainted again! It was a magic time when living people were more than "people";It is not that different today except concerning the "general taste"; People now want cute and teenage men (and girls)NOT MATURE at all! That is why Jhonny Depp, Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise and Colin Farrell are the current stars; They would have then been relegated to secondary roles; Imagine them alongside Clark, Wayne, Mitchum etc.
When actors are tough now, they are either on TV and do not get the "first place" (Dennis Farina in "law & order") or play the vilains in movies (David Morse or so); At last, real tough guys are often somewhere crazy (for me !) as are Sean Penn or Mickey Rourke; The other are "gentle"!
At the time Clark Gable was a (deserved) star, nice guys like Spencer Tracy or James Stewart were able to credibly embody very tough and savage men; Clooney playing that or worse, J. Depp...to funny ! I think actors at the time,were not inspiring themselves with what was not considered as "an art"; The di their job and that was all; Now, all of these people are "so called" intellectuals who went to university and are sooo admiring not Gable or Wayne BUT ONLY Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro; Who currently, ever mentions Spencer Tracy among them? My best advice: READ THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY RAOUL WALSH WROTE IN THE 70ies OR SO. You will see what was a man at the time and why the 40ies films are what they are! Gable today would not even have been able to play an extra ! Brad says on 27/Aug/06
Read Burt Reynolds' account of meeting him when he first went to Hollywood. Anonymous says on 29/Jul/06
I read a Lee Marvin bio. in which there's a mention of Marvin as a young actor trying on a jacket that Gable wore in a movie. Supposedly the arms of the jacket came down to Marvin's knees. Gable was shorter than Marvin but he was very well built and broad shouldered. Marvin was self deprecating and I think he told the interviewer the story so as to say 'Clark Gable was a star. I'm just an ordinary mortal'. I don't know whether the story is true or not to be honest. Frank2 says on 21/Jun/06
MGM publicity always stated that Gable was that height. I have no doubt he was about 6' when he was young. But I've seen him with other actors who I know are over 6' and Gable was usually shorter. He wasn't that much taller than 5'8" Spencer Tracy in San Francisco. Tracy must have worn the best lifts in the biz 'cause in that film I can't spot them. The two men are standing next to each other in long shots where you can see their feet. But then when Tracy co-starred with Gable in Boom Town he was a lot shorter. In that film Gable tells him he's wearing "Justin boots with four-inch heels." jess says on 19/Jun/06
wow i thought he was alot taller. he always seemed to be on screen i thought he would be listed as 6'3" or 6'4". wonderful actor in any case
Frank2 says on 23/Apr/06
Well, looking at the photo, Gable is just as tall as Montgomery. Bob is standing erect and Gable is slouching a bit. Montgomery was about 5'11.5". So had Gable stood up straight he'd have been about the same height or slightly taller. Lionel is purposely trying to look short. Had he stood up straight he'd have appeared about 5'7" or three and a half inches shorter than Montgomery. Paul Muni was 5'8" and is obviously wearing lifts in his shoes. Gable is dressed in the torn outfit he wore after the earthquake sequence in San Francisco. I believe Montgomery is wearing his outfit for Trouble for Two. Lionel is wearing the costume for "Devil Doll" a film in which he appeared as a man who seeks revenge on those he believes wronged him in the past. He hides out wearing women's cloths while he gets his revenge using hypnotized living dolls he's created who kill using poisonous needles. I kid you not! Paul Muni is dressed in costume for his role in The Good Earth. All were being made at the same time at MGM. Circa 1936. larry says on 21/Mar/06
Thanks Frank2! Frank2 says on 20/Mar/06
Unfortunately, I never met Gable or even saw him. Ditto that with Robert Ryan who was at least 6'3". Great actor!! I did meet and talk with Cam Mitchell. He was at least two inches shorter than me so I'd say he was around 5'9". In The Tall Men he was shorter by at least two inches than Gable. One famous actor I did see in the flesh was Bogart. I was only about 9 at the time. I was with my dad eating lunch at the famed Brown Derby in Beverly Hills and Bogie was seated across from us in another booth with a group of people. He looked terrible. Very Frail and sickly. At the time I had no idea who he was until my father told me. On the way out we stopped and said hello. He died not long after from cancer. larry says on 19/Mar/06
I recall Gable looking a good bit shorter than Robert Ryan in THE TALL MEN, but there were few scenes where they showed them together. Frank2: Did you ever see Robert Ryan or Cameron Mitchell? S says on 17/Mar/06
He looked very tall in 'The Misfits' with Marilyn Monroe (5'5 1/2"), even when she was wearing heels. Frank2 says on 10/Mar/06
One thing is for certain and that's Gable wore lifts in Gone With the Wind. I know since I found those very shoes at the MGM prop and wardrobe auction. They had two-inch Cuban heels. Take a look at publicity stills and you'll notice them. I think Gable was closer to 5'11 1/2" or maybe a solid 6' when he was young. By the time he made The Tall Men at Fox he had shrunk to about 5'10 1/2". I knew the film editor who worked on the film as well as a fellow who worked in Fox Publicity. They both confirmed this. The man who was a publicist said that when he first met Gable he was surprised he wasn't this big 6'2" guy, but was instead only slightly taller than he was and this fellow I knew was about 5'10". sam says on 15/Dec/05
Leigh was the one standing on a box to be in the same frame as Gable, not the other way around (I've seen a picture of that myself). fiveten says on 7/Jun/05
i'm in film...and one of my teachers showed us a picture of clark gable standing on an apple box to achieve the towering presence he had over leigh....theres no way he was 6'1... she was only 5'3 anyways. |
