How did Carole Lombard’s death affect Clark Gable?

The death of Carole Lombard in a 1942 plane crash left Clark Gable emotionally shattered. Following the tragedy, Gable felt that the business of making movies had become frivolous.12

In response to his grief, he stepped away from his Hollywood commitments to join the Army Air Corps, serving as a tail gunner during World War II despite being past the standard draft age. When he eventually returned to his acting career after the war, the joyous, carefree spirit that had characterized his earlier performances was largely absent from his work.2