Beery's career went from strength to strength. "Hell Divers" (1932), a naval airplane epic also starring a young Clark Gable billed under Beery, was a big hit. So too was the all-star "Grand Hotel" (1932), in which Beery was billed fourth, under Greta Garbo, John Barrymore, and Joan Crawford, one of the very few times he would not be top billed for the rest of his career. In 1932 his contract with MGM stipulated that he be paid a dollar more than any other contract player at the studio, making him the world's highest-paid actor.