Long before team Edward and team Jacob divided our country; people were split between two much bigger Hollywood legends: Gary Cooper and Clark Gable. Even a decade after both actors had passed away, the debate still raged on which actor happened to be the country’s favorite. Both actors found themselves up for the some roles with Gary Cooper turning down both It Happened One Night (1934) and Gone with the Wind (1939), two films that cemented Gable’s Hollywood legend status. Both actors were also a hit with the ladies, known for their constant philandering.
While Clark Gable will forever be remembered as the dashing Rhett, Gary Cooper could be called more likable especially when you consider his ability to portray regular working class heroes like Lou Gehrig and Alvin York with a charming ease. While Clark Gable was dashing, Gary Cooper had rugged good looks that seemed to resonate with the public.
Some notable Team Clark Members:
Dwight D. Eisenhower: They became good friends during World War Two. Gable was also a staunch conservative.
Adolf Hitler: When he found out Gable was flying missions over Germany, he offered a huge reward for anyone who captured him unscathed.
Judy Garland: Serenaded him on his 36th Birthday with “Dear Mr. Gable: You made me love you.”
And here are some notable Team Gary members:
Ernest Hemingway: It is said that “Papa” Hemingway hated the way his novel about the horrors of war was turned into a tender romance in 1932’s A Farewell to Arms, but at the same time absolutely loved the casting of Gary Cooper as the film’s protagonist. Hemingway, whose novels were always personal, seem to see a lot of himself in the tall handsome actor and even demanded that Cooper and only Cooper be cast in the leading role for Whom the Bell Tolls (1943).
Charlton Heston: even after becoming a major star in his own right Heston agreed to play a supporting role in The Wreck of the Mary Deare (1959) because he happened to be huge fan of Gary Cooper
Pablo Picasso: the two were reportedly very close friends and admired each other’s work.
Those on the fence…
Of course, there were a few people that seem to straddle the fence between the two Hollywood legends. Among these who seem to have buttons for both team Clark and Team Gable was the legendary director Frank Capra who directed Clark Gable in It Happened One Night (1934) and then directed Gary Cooper in the dark comedy Meet John Doe (1941). Capra had nothing but nice things to say about both leading men.
Another person who might have been on the fence was Carol Lombard. Although she married Clark Gable, he would later say that when they fought, she would always bring Gary Coopers name up which would drive him jealous.
While the debate no longer wages, in its time, the Clark versus Gable debate divided the world into two halves. Let us hope that we have learned our lessons and find a way to come together and root for both the werewolf and that vampire dude.
Audrey Marple
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