Fabulous early 7x9-inch sepia-tone M.G.M. studio portrait with apparently intact borders, boldly signed and inscribed around 1934. In fine condition, with a few minor handling dings; a minor crease to his right cheek, not visible when the photo is viewed head-on; and a small spot of toning to the upper right-hand corner, which can be matted out. Best known for his Oscar-nominated portrayal of Rhett Butler in the beloved Civil War epic Gone with the Wind (1939), Gable was lured to Hollywood from the Broadway stage at a time when producers were looking for rough-hewn, down-to-earth types, in contrast to the standard cardboard leading men. After strong work in The Painted Desert (1931), he seemed best-suited for oily villain and gangster roles, but Fate set him on a different course:  In 1934, Gable was punished for his insubordinate behavior towards MGM brass by being sent to the lower-budget Columbia Studios, where he was cast against type by Frank Capra in It Happened One Night. The amiable comedy swept the Academy Awards the following year, with one of those Oscars going to Gable. Afterwards, he was increasingly cast as tough-but-tender types in larger-than-life dramas, adventure films and romantic comedies, setting many a heart aflame and earning the moniker "The King of Hollywood". Highlights of his distinguished career include Night Nurse (1931); The Call of the Wild (1935); Mutiny on the Bounty (1935), which brought his third Oscar nod; and The Misfits (1961).

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