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How did The Painted Desert help Clark Gable secure work at MGM?
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Clark Gable
American actor Clark Gable, undated photograph.
Although Clark Gable initially failed a screen test at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer—partly because producers felt his ears were too large for a leading man—his supporting role in the low-budget western The Painted Desert (1931) changed their minds. This performance successfully demonstrated his talent and screen presence to MGM executives, ultimately helping him secure work at the studio.1