<P> Rhett is the eldest child . In Gone with the Wind only his younger sister Rosemary is named; his brother and sister - in - law are mentioned very briefly, but not by name . In the sequel Scarlett by Alexandra Ripley, the Butler parents are called Steven and Eleanor, the younger brother is Ross . In this sequel Rhett marries Anne Hampton after divorcing Scarlett and he reunites with Scarlett only after Anne dies . He and Scarlett have a second daughter called Katie "Cat". </P> <P> In the authorized prequel and sequel Rhett Butler's People his parents are called Langston and Elizabeth, his brother is Julian . In this novel Belle Watling's son plays an important role; in the end he is revealed to be another man's son even though he believed Rhett was his father . </P> <P> In the 1939 film version of Gone with the Wind, for the role of Rhett Butler, Clark Gable was an almost immediate favorite for both the public and producer David O. Selznick (except for Gable himself). But as Selznick had no male stars under long - term contract, he needed to go through the process of negotiating to borrow an actor from another studio . Gary Cooper was thus Selznick's first choice, because Cooper's contract with Samuel Goldwyn involved a common distribution company, United Artists, with which Selznick had an eight - picture deal . However, Goldwyn remained noncommittal in negotiations . Warner Bros. offered a package of Bette Davis, Errol Flynn, and Olivia de Havilland for the lead roles in return for the distribution rights . When Gary Cooper turned down the role of Rhett Butler, he was passionately against it . He was quoted saying, "Gone With The Wind is going to be the biggest flop in Hollywood history . I'm glad it'll be Clark Gable who's falling flat on his nose, not Gary Cooper". But by then Selznick was determined to get Clark Gable, and eventually found a way to borrow him from Metro - Goldwyn - Mayer . Selznick's father - in - law, MGM chief Louis B. Mayer, offered in May 1938 to fund half of the movie's budget in return for a powerful package: 50% of the profits would go to MGM, the movie's distribution would be credited to MGM's parent company, Loew's, Inc., and Loew's would receive 15 percent of the movie's gross income . Selznick accepted this offer in August, and Gable was cast . But the arrangement to release through MGM meant delaying the start of production until Selznick International completed its eight - picture contract with United Artists . Gable was reluctant to play the role . At the time, he was wary of potentially disappointing a public who had formed a clear impression of the character that he might not necessarily convey in his performance . </P> <P> In the 1939 film adaptation, Rhett was played by Clark Gable . </P>

How old is rhett butler at the beginning of gone with the wind