Editing Clark Gable (section)

===1954–1957: Leaving MGM===
[[File:Lionel Barrymore 61st birthday 1939.jpg|right|thumb|Lionel Barrymore's 61st birthday in 1939, standing: [[Mickey Rooney]], [[Robert Montgomery (actor)|Robert Montgomery]], Clark Gable, [[Louis B. Mayer]], [[William Powell]], [[Robert Taylor (American actor)|Robert Taylor]], seated: [[Norma Shearer]], [[Lionel Barrymore]], and [[Rosalind Russell]]]]
Despite the positive critical and public response to ''Mogambo'', Gable became increasingly unhappy with what he considered mediocre roles offered by MGM, while the studio regarded his salary as excessive. Studio head [[Louis B. Mayer]] was fired in 1951, amid slumping revenue and increased Hollywood production costs, due in large part to the rising popularity of television.<ref name="Balio">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2GJRDwAAQBAJ&q=clark+gable+breakthrough+red+dust&pg=PP103|title=MGM|last=Balio|first=Tino|date=March 14, 2018|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-317-42967-8|language=en}}</ref> The new studio head, former production chief [[Dore Schary]], struggled to maintain profits for the studio. Many long-time MGM stars were fired, or their contracts were not renewed, including Greer Garson and [[Judy Garland]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Wl7VmMIn38kC&q=dore+schary+lets+garland+go+mgm&pg=PA171|title=Judy Garland: A Portrait in Art & Anecdote|last=Fricke|first=John|date=2003|publisher=Bulfinch|isbn=978-0-8212-2836-4|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2000/04/judy-garland-excerpt-200004|title=Till MGM Do Us Part|magazine=Vanity Fair|date=April 2000|language=en|access-date=October 17, 2019}}</ref> Gable refused to renew his contract.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2730464/the_childress_index/|title=Clipped From The Childress Index|date=February 5, 1954|work=The Childress Index|access-date=January 2, 2020|pages=6}}</ref> His last film at MGM was ''[[Betrayed (1954 film)|Betrayed]]'' (1954), an espionage wartime drama with Turner and [[Victor Mature]]. Critic Paul Mavis wrote, "Gable and Turner just don't click the way they should here...poor plots and lines never stopped these two pros from turning in good performances in other films."<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ehkcZFT8fMoC&q=Gable's+last+film+released+in+color&pg=PA31|title=The Espionage Filmography: United States Releases, 1898 through 1999|last=Mavis|first=Paul|date=June 8, 2015|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-1-4766-0427-5|language=en}}</ref> In March 1954, Gable left MGM.<ref>{{cite news|author=THOMAS M PRYOR |title=GREER GARSON TO DO A MOVIE IN ENGLAND|date=December 18, 1953|work=The New York Times|id={{ProQuest|112727444}}}}</ref>

His next two films were made for [[20th Century Fox]]: ''[[Soldier of Fortune (1955 film)|Soldier of Fortune]]'', an adventure story in Hong Kong with [[Susan Hayward]], and ''[[The Tall Men (film)|The Tall Men]]'' (1955), a Western with [[Jane Russell]] and [[Robert Ryan]]. Both were profitable, although only modest successes, earning Gable his first profit sharing royalties.<ref name=":4">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xfomDwAAQBAJ&q=raoul+walsh+clark+gable&pg=PA342|title=Clark Gable: A Biography|last=Harris|first=Warren G.|date=September 1, 2010|publisher=Crown/Archetype|isbn=978-0-307-55517-5|language=en}}</ref> In 1955, Gable would be 10th at the box office – the last time he was in the top ten.<ref>{{Cite book|url=http://archive.org/details/motionpictureher201quig|title=Motion Picture Herald (Oct-Dec 1955)|last1=Quigley Publishing Co.|last2=Quigley Publishing Co.|date=1955|publisher=New York, Quigley Publishing Co.|others=Media History Digital Library}}</ref> That same year, Gable married fifth wife [[Kay Williams|Kay Spreckels]] (née Kathleen Williams). A former fashion [[model (person)|model]] and actress, she had previously been married three times: first to Charles Capps (1937–39), then to Argentinian cattle tycoon [[Martín de Álzaga (racing driver)|Martín de Alzaga]] (1942–43), and to [[Sugar refinery|sugar-refining]] heir Adolph B. Spreckels Jr. (1945–52). Gable became stepfather to her son [[Bunker Spreckels]], who went on to live a notorious celebrity lifestyle in the late 1960s and early 1970s [[surfing]] scene, ultimately leading to his early death in 1977.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-dec-23-ca-spreckels23-story.html|title=A surfing god rides again|date=December 23, 2007|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|access-date=October 5, 2019}}</ref>

[[File:Yvonne de carlo - 1957.jpg|thumb|Gable and [[Yvonne De Carlo]] in ''[[Band of Angels]]'' (1957)]]
Gable also formed Russ-Field-Gabco in 1955, a production company with Jane Russell and her husband [[Bob Waterfield]], and they produced ''[[The King and Four Queens]]'' (1956), a film Gable thought would also star Russell to capitalize on ''The Tall Men''<nowiki/>'s moderate success. That role instead went to [[Jo Van Fleet]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Bret|first=David|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9TnIPJGPJXYC&q=Jo+Van+Fleet&pg=PA230|title=Clark Gable: Tormented Star|date=October 22, 2008|publisher=Hachette Books|isbn=978-0-7867-2675-2|language=en}}</ref> It was Gable's only time as producer.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WiLgQUah478C&q=clark+gable+king+four+queens+and+a+king&pg=PA98|title=When Hollywood Came to Town: A History of Movie Making in Utah|last=D'Arc|first=James|date=September 1, 2010|publisher=Gibbs Smith|isbn=978-1-4236-1984-0|language=en}}</ref> He found producing and acting to be too much work and this [[Raoul Walsh]] western was the only film made.<ref name=":4" /> After turning down the lead role in Universal-International's ''[[Away All Boats]]'',<ref>Brode, Douglas ''From Hell To Hollywood: An Encyclopedia of World War II Films Vol 1'' BearManor Media 2 March 2020</ref> his next project was the [[Warner Bros.]] production ''[[Band of Angels]]'' (1957), co-starring [[Yvonne De Carlo]] and featuring relative newcomer [[Sidney Poitier]]; it was not well received, despite Gable's role's similarities to Rhett Butler. ''[[Newsweek]]'' said, "Here is a movie so bad that it must be seen to be disbelieved."<ref name="harris" />{{Rp|351}}