Clark Gable: Biography, Filmography, Bibliography [Paperback]

Chrystopher J. Spicer (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0786411244 | ISBN-13: 978-0786411245 | Publication Date: January 15, 2002 | Edition: annotated edition

"Clark Gable is a man de-classed. You can't guess in any way where he came from or what he was." Frank Taylor, producer of Gable's last film, The Misfits (1961), said this of the man who, to many people, will forever be Southern gentleman Rhett Butler of Gone with the Wind. This work tells Gable's life story, from his birth in 1901 in Cadiz, Ohio, to his death in 1960 in Hollywood. It chronicles his stage career, and of course gives information on every one of his films. His family background, his development as a person, the many romances including five marriages, and his relationships with friends and co-workers are all explored in detail. The sources used and the bibliography are fully annotated.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

A recent trend in Hollywood biographies is to abandon the tabloid style in favor of a more scholarly approach. These two new biographies on Clark Gable follow this trend. Harris (Gable and Lombard) has produced a thoroughly researched account of Gable, complete with facts on the writers, producers, studios, costars, and Gable's many lovers. The biography also offers a history of how Hollywood moguls controlled every aspect of a star's creation. The most appealing chapters are on the Gable-Lombard romance, which tragically ended when Lombard perished in a plane crash. Spicer, who teaches professional writing at Victoria University, Australia, offers a take on Gable that is close to Harris's in style and content, sometimes even using the same quotes and description of events. Factual inconsistencies do exist e.g., Harris states that Gable's best friend, Eddie Mannix, called him with the news of Lombard's death, while Spicer has the call coming from Gable's publicist, Larry Barbier. But both bios follow the same format and progression of Gable's life and career, and both offer new information not found in what are at least 15 previous biographies on Gable, one of the best being Lyn Tornabene's 1976 Long Live the King. There are, however, differences between the two books. Harris used his previous research, which includes mostly firsthand accounts from Gable's associates, while Spicer relied heavily on secondary sources that include newspaper and magazine articles as well as Harris's Gable and Lombard. Harris's filmography is more detailed, and he includes an eight-page photo spread, while Spicer's book features photos throughout. Finally, Harris's style is crisper, faster paced, and more interesting; Spicer adds too many little details and becomes too wordy. Both books are recommended, but considering writing style, content, accuracy, and price, Harris's work should be first choice. Rosalind Dayen, Broward Cty. South Regional Lib., FL
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Recommended." --Library Journal

"A winner...an important scholarly work...well written...very extensive...the one that finally got it right." --Classic Images

"Highly entertaining…good…may well be the best [biography on Gable]." -- The Weekend Australian

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 360 pages
• Publisher: McFarland; annotated edition edition (January 15, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786411244
• ISBN-13: 978-0786411245
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,498,101 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of all Gable biographies, July 8, 2004

By 

Sherry A. Wells "Indie Publisher" (Detroit, MI United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Clark Gable: Biography, Filmography, Bibliography (Paperback)

In my research for Warm and Wonderful Stepmothers of Famous People (also carried by amazon.com), I looked through virtually all Gable biographies, including the one by Harris. This is the best by far. It has everything but is not gossipy, is very well-written--I found myself reading much more of it than my needs required. Chrystopher Spicer liked his subject yet was thorough and objective--all necessary for a good biography, and with all the biographies I've used in research for my books, I should know.

5.0 out of 5 stars Well Written and Objective, December 3, 2011

By 

Christina Rice - See all my reviews

This review is from: Clark Gable: Biography, Filmography, Bibliography (Paperback)

This is a impressively researched and objectively written biography. Spicer nicely balances information about Gable's personal and professional life without being gossipy or dragging the text down with lengthy plot synopsis of films. I suspect the high price of the book may have turned some readers off, which is unfortunate. For anyone wanting to know more about the King of Hollywood, this book is absolutely worth reading.