World War II was a massive conflict. So much so that some celebrities of the time enlisted in different sides to defend the interests of their nations. Far from simply being propaganda weapons, these celebrities actively participated in the conflict. One of them was Clark Gable, an actor who by the time he enlisted in the US Army had already starred in dozens of films.
The star of ‘Gone with the Wind’ or ‘It Happened One Night’ shone with such intensity that it managed to obsess the most unexpected: Adolf Hitler. So much so that the Nazi leader offered a reward to whoever caught him alive and brought him to him.
Mayor Clark Gable. The United States officially entered World War II on December 7, 1941. It was the day that 353 Japanese planes attacked American battleships at the Pearl Harbor naval base. In August 1942, and older than the recommended age for enlistment, Gable enlisted in the United States Air Force.
After attending air gunnery school, he headed to England to film a film about gunners in combat. He was not expected to carry out risky actions, but he boarded a B-17 on several occasions to carry out missions in Europe while obtaining material for the film. He came to replace gunners hit by bullets and saw death up close when his plane was holed by 20 mm projectiles that passed close to his head.
One more. His unit was composed, in addition to other soldiers, of two cameramen and a retired sound technician, which is why it was nicknamed the Little Hollywood Group. However, Gable did not go unnoticed. When he graduated from artillery school, the news covered the event and, as was common at the time, before movie screenings in theaters, the narrator would launch the blurb, in which Gable had a special role:
“Look out, Mr. Hitler, Lieutenant Clark Gable is headed your way.”
Come on, what is known as putting a huge target on an actor who did not need an introduction due to his presence. Although he tried to go unnoticed in the British fort, fame preceded him and it was not easy for him to escape the legions of English fans. Nor from the officers.
Or almost. They say that Gable was once performing clerical duties when Sergeant Eugene Kelly, a member of General Eisenhower’s administrative staff, gave him a column of papers to sign. They were a formality, or so it seemed, but what Kelly really gave him was a stack of false reports with the goal of cutting out Gable’s signature and selling it as an autograph to fans.
Captain Gable never stopped being the star Clark Gable, something he did not seek either because, in his days of leave, he interacted with movie stars and aristocrats. The point is that it caught the attention of those who, perhaps, would least care to draw attention to it.
B-17 crew, including Gable
Hitler and addictions. It is no secret that the German leader had his quirks. Aside from his obsession with expanding German territory, occultism and drugs, Hitler was a lover of cinema, and also of the role of the seventh art in terms of propaganda. She exploited the work of Leni Riefenshtahl, a director who made several films for the NSDAP, she loved watching films and even creating them with an 8 millimeter camera.
And, evidently, he knew such a bright star as Clark Gable. It seems that he was a fan of the American and, when he found out that he had enlisted and was in Europe, he ordered his English-speaking propaganda arm to warn about the fact with a message that said the following: “Welcome to England, Hatcher Chickens – the nickname of his group -, among whom is the famous American movie star Clark Gable. We’ll see you soon in Germany, Clark. You will be welcome there too.”
“That son of a bitch will put me in a cage.”. It is not a threatening message, rather confusing and could even be said to denote a certain respect, but Hitler’s intentions were clear: capture Gable. As often happens, in events of World War II legend is mixed with history, but luckily, Gable’s grandson has a letter written by Hitler himself in which a reward was offered for the actor’s capture.
“My grandfather was of German descent and Hitler was a fanatic – he watched all of his movies,” said Clark Gable III. “He offered a reward to try to capture him. He believed that a propaganda film using my grandfather would crush the fighting spirit of the United States and its allies.” Gable was aware of this and it didn’t sit well with him. He told one of his companions that “the son of a bitch will put me in a cage, like a gorilla, and send me on a tour throughout Germany.”
If not for the good… for the bad. It is said that the reward was about $5,000 at the time, but given the failure of the capture operation, the actor’s grandson comments that Hitler ordered his pilots to shoot down Gable, ideally alive, so that he could be sent to Germany. . The actor also found out about this and, logically, it also suited him:
“If the plane falls, I will fall with it,” he said. The problem is that Gable’s presence on a plane, or the suspicion of his presence, not only put him in danger, but anyone who went with him.
What Hitler Didn’t Take. Gable soon returned to the United States, as shots for the film were ready and he had served above and beyond his duties. He retired in 1944 after exceeding the age limit to fight and continued what he did: Hollywood life. Hitler obviously did not enjoy this, but at least he left us with a curious story that must have been quite stressful for the actor.
After all, Hitler didn’t put a Price on anyone’s head, and Gable was the bearer of that “honor.” And from that target.
Images | Federal archive image, American Air Museum in Britain
In WorldOfSoftware |
