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RSSClark Gable III leans back in his chair and throws out the most famous movie line of all time: “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn!”
He then laughs out loud and insists: “I really don’t!”
The tattooed 21 year-old is hitting back at recent criticism that he is a Hollywood troublemaker after he was left fighting for his life after being stabbed at a party.
But Clark, the grandson of Hollywood legend Clark Gable, says he doesn’t care what the critics say about him.
Instead he is determined to prove them wrong and fulfill the legacy his famous grandfather left behind when he tragically died at the age of 59 in 1961.
Clark never met his grandfather but the resemblance to the Gone With The Wind actor is uncanny.
He has the same brooding good looks and at 6ft 3in tall is even taller than his 6ft 1in grandfather.
He also has the same intense presence as he speaks out for the first time about the stabbing two months ago which left him in intensive care after his lung collapsed.
The attack left him close to death but as he recovered he claims he finally realised that he wanted to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps and become an actor.
Speaking at his Malibu home for the first time since the attack, Clark revealed: “The press reports about the stabbing didn’t really bother me but I just don’t want people to think that I am some kind of Hollywood brat.
“I have this great legacy that I’ve been left by my grandfather, that is amazing to have been born with.
“The stabbing has pulled me out of that other life that I was living and made me realize that I needed to wake up and use what I was born with.
“I realised that I needed to use this name that I was born with and follow in my grandfather’s footsteps.
“He was a legend. One of Hollywood’s greatest actors and I need to uphold that legacy.
“The criticism about me, or me cashing in the name, doesn’t bother me at all as I am not out there like other celebrity children or grandchildren.
“I’m not in Hollywood. Before the stabbing no-one knew who I was, or that I even existed!
“People have a false sense of who I am but I don’t think they should as they don’t know me.
“I don’t mind people knowing I am Clark Gable’s grandson but people need to know that I am not him.
“I am going to be doing my best to be myself.
“I want to make him and my father proud but I don’t want to be a clone. I am my own person.
“I want to follow in my grandfather’s footsteps the best way that I can. I am taking it one day at a time.
“I would love to be an actor. I don’t know if I could ever be on the level my grandfather was but I don’t mind if people make the comparison.
“But I don’t think people will compare me that much because I am my own person.
They are going to realize that once they see me on screen.”
Clark has begun taking acting lessons while he recovers from the stabbing.
He has also done some modeling work and appeared in a couple of commercials.
But now his goal is to make movies and hopefully one day become as famous as his grandfather.
He added: “I know the Clark Gable name is going to open some doors for me but I don’t want people to think that I am just using it and taking it for granted.
“I am not going to go out there and get loads of movie straight away because of the name, or going a win loads of Oscars.
“I am myself, my grandfather was his self. He had the fame, I got the name.
“That’s what I want to communicate to people.
“Even though my name is Clark Gable, I am still going to have to work to prove that I am good, perhaps even work harder because there is that legacy there that I have to live up to.
“I would love to play the Rhett Butler role from Gone With The Wind – just for the catchphrase.
“I love that catchphrase: “Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn’.
“But right now it’s just one day at a time for me. I am still recovering from the stabbing and am on anti-biotics so I need to take things a bit slower than usual.
“But I’m taking acting lessons and having some coaching and learning everything first.
“I’ve done a couple of little commercials but nothing major yet.”
Clark is lucky to alive and able to take acting lessons after he spent nearly a month in hospital after the attack.
It happened two months ago at a party in Calabasass, just north of Los Angeles when he went to help a friend who was being threatened by four other men.
Clark explained: “I went outside the party and a bunch of guys were standing around my friend and one of them had a knife to his throat, so I ran and tackled the guy with the knife.
“I don’t know exactly when I was stabbed but I tackled him to the ground and I think that as I got on top of him someone came up behind me and stabbed me then in the side.
“I didn’t realize that I had been stabbed at first. I just thought someone had punched me really hard in the side.
“The fight had been broken up and those guys took off.
I walked inside the house and all of a sudden I felt this warm trickle down my back.
“Being stabbed doesn’t feel how everyone thinks it feels.
“When you cut yourself with a knife or scissors and you get that instant pain, it didn’t feel like that at all. Instead it was like a hot burning sensation.
“Then I walked into the house and collapsed and started bleeding profusely.
I tried to wrap something around my waist and I couldn’t. Someone in the house called 911 and the paramedics got there within five minutes.
I was in the ambulance and was stable. But then all of a sudden my lung collapsed.
“I couldn’t breathe. I stopped breathing. And I was still bleeding everywhere.
“I was airlifted to UCLA Hospital in Westwood and I was there for seven days.
Heather had found out what had happened through my sister.
“After seven days I was released and sent home. Everything was great and I felt great.
“But by the time I got home I was sweating. The next morning I woke up with a 104 degree fever and a full recollapsed lung.
“I was rushed out of my house by an ambulance after my dad called 911 at 6.30 in the morning.
“I was taken to hospital again and was there for another three weeks.
“I had extensive surgery. I had got pneumonia and I had to have all the pneumonia in my left lung taken out.
“After my surgery I had three test tubes coming out me, plus my stab wound was stapled shut.
“It was a nightmare. I couldn’t believe that it was happening.
“I kept thinking it was a dream and I would wake up. But I did wake-up. The whole thing was a wake-up call and happened for a reason.”
Clark also revealed the stabbing led to him being reunited with his girlfriend, Heather Chadwell, 34.
The couple, who were introduced by Clark’s sister Kayley, had split a few months earlier, mainly because of the 14 year age gap.
But once Heather, who has appeared on such reality show as Rock of Love and Charm School with Sharon Osbourne, heard about the stabbing she went to the hospital.
The pair have been inseparable since and Heather has helped nurse Clark back to health.
The couple are now also planning a reality show about their life together and Clark’s bid to become an actor.
Heather, who did not believe he was Clark Gable’s grandson when they first met, revealed: “I was in shock when I heard about Clark being stabbed.
“It really scared me. I didn’t know what was going to happen.
But I knew I needed to be strong for him and so I headed straight to the hospital and was then at Clark’s side the whole time he was in the hospital.
“I think the stabbing saved his life. He was surrounded by some wrong people and we were on a break.
I had not talked to him in a while, I knew he wasn’t happy though. I kept worrying and worrying about him.
“I’ve been looking after him since he got out of the hospital and it’s taking a while for him to get back on his feet and back to his full strength.
“But now we’re back together and are planning a reality show together, it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
While the couple are waiting to film their reality show, Clark is spending his time getting better – and going on casting calls.
Clark said: “I was aware of my grandfather when I was about six years old.
“My own father sat me down and told me about him and showed me some of his movies – Gone With The Wind, Stagecoach and I think The Misfits.
“If I can be anywhere near as good as actor as my grandfather, I would be really happy.
“AT the moment I am still recouperating as I came out of the hospital 17lbs lighter, so I just need to get back to my full strength.
“Now that I look back on it, it’s like it all came together for a reason.
It all lined up perfectly to where I was meant to be stabbed that night.
I think it saved my life. It happened for a reason.
“It was a blessing in disguise because ever since this happened things in my life have only got better and better.
“I know I am going to make my grandfather proud.”
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This is wonderful to read, Clark. Glad to hear you are going to give showbiz a try, and good luck to you. Your grandPa always said “I was just a lucky slob, in the right place at the right time.” And yes, there ARE lots of females out here……..watch out, be careful, of ALL of them! heheheh
November 20, 2009 at 2:52 pm
wow! Im so happy for Clark. It sounds like he is getting his life back on track and doing good things. Good job Clark! I know your making your grandfather and family members proud. Keep up the wonderful work, just follow your dreams and keep your head up high!
November 28, 2009 at 10:38 pm
why is he back with heather from rock of love? she just wants tv. there r plenty of girls out there
November 19, 2009 at 9:01 pm