For decades, rumors have swirled that Marilyn Monroe was part of the reason for Clark Gable‘s death. While this appears to be untrue, let’s dig into why this rumor is still being discussed today, over 65 years later. By the time The Misfits was released on February 1, 1961, neither of them would ever appear in another completed film. Gable died before the movie came out, while Monroe died in 1962 at just 36. Because Gable suffered a heart attack only two days after filming wrapped, many wondered: Did Marilyn Monroe somehow cause Clark Gable’s death?
There is no evidence that Monroe caused Gable’s death. Unfortunately, filming The Misfits was an emotionally and physically difficult production, and Gable died soon after it ended. The film starred Gable, Monroe, Montgomery Clift, Eli Wallach and Thelma Ritter, with a screenplay by Monroe’s then-husband, Arthur Miller and direction from John Huston.