Clyde Jay Jennings is a 77 year-old American man born in 1947 who became famous for his character in the limited TV Series, Gaslit. The political thriller is centered around the Watergate Scandal and features Clyde’s mother as the main protagonist.
Clyde is the only son of Martha Mitchell, a conservative political figure and socialite married to John N. Mitchell, the US Attorney General, during the administration of President Richard Nixon. Martha had a controversial reputation due to her outspoken criticism of the government during the Watergate scandal. Clyde’s life has been tied to his mother’s fame, but he has since maintained a low profile. Despite having served as her spokesperson throughout her illness, his current whereabouts are not public knowledge. Here’s more about him.
Summary of Clyde Jay Jennings’s Bio
- Full Name: Clyde Jay Jennings
- Gender: Male
- Date of Birth: 1947
- Clyde Jay Jennings’ Age: 77 years old
- Place of Birth: Rye, New York, United States
- Nationality: American
- Ethnicity: Caucasian
- Religion: Christianity
- Sexual Orientation: Straight
- Clyde Jay Jennings’ Parents: Martha Mitchell (mother), Clyde Jennings Jr. (biological father), John N. Mitchell (step-father)
- Grandparents: George V. Beall and Arie Beall Ferguson
- Siblings: Marty (Step-sister)
- Famous for: Being the only son of Martha Mitchell
How Old Is Clyde Jay Jennings?
Clyde Jay Jennings was born in 1947, which makes him 77 years old. An American by virtue of his birth, he was born in Rye, New York City, to Martha Mitchell and Clyde Jennings Jr.
Details about Clyde’s childhood, including his education, have all been kept from the public domain. We only know that his parents raised him alongside his sister. Clyde’s father was a US Army officer from Lynchburg, Virginia. Following his retirement, he became the Manufacturer’s Representative for Vera Sportswear in New York City and The Citrus Growers. His mother, on the other hand, worked as a secretary at Pine Bluff Arsenal.
Clyde Jay Jennings’s Parents Were Married for 11 Years
Martha Mitchell married Clyde Jennings Jr. on the 5th of October 1946. The couple had met in Washington, DC. but relocated to Rye, New York, where they had their son. They stayed together for about 11 years before divorcing on 1st August 1957.
While it is not exactly clear why they parted ways, Martha was quick to move on. She met attorney John N. Mitchell and fell in love with his brilliance and confidence. They would later get married on 30th December 1957. Their marriage produced Clyde Jay Jennings’ only sibling, a daughter named Marty.
Martha and John N. Mitchell’s life together didn’t stand the test of time, as they divorced in 1973 after 16 years of marriage.
Clyde Jay Jennings’s Mother’s Activities Brought Him Fame
Clyde Jay Jennings’s mother found herself to be the darling of the media after her second husband, John, became the 67th Attorney General of the United States from 1969 to 1972.
The family moved to Washington, and Martha Mitchell regularly appeared on late-night television shows. Her open personality meant that both the media and the people loved her so much. She soon rose to prominence in Washington, where she was nicknamed “The Mouth of the South” and “Martha the Mouth” for her honesty and unrestrained speech.
Martha would eventually become known for speaking about the Nixon administration, which her husband was a part of. She spoke about their dirty election campaign tactics and other things.
As the Watergate Scandal broke, Martha was considered one of the first whistleblowers. She relentlessly spoke about the issues, alleging that President Richard Nixon was complicit in the whole thing and the coverup. She tried to protect her husband, claiming that Nixon was trying to make him take the fall for it.
John didn’t necessarily agree with his partner and but he later took her side after he quit his job. Regardless, their marriage did not survive, as he was found guilty of perjury, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy for his role in the Watergate scandal and was imprisoned. He spent 19 months in federal prison.
What Does Clyde Do For a Living?
Clyde Jay Jennings has maintained a low profile ever since he came of age. As mentioned earlier, details of what he studied in school and what he did afterward are unknown. He only became a person of interest as a result of his mother’s activities. When Martha fell ill in 1975, and people were curious to know what was up with her, Clyde served as her spokesperson, informing the public that she suffered from advanced stages of Multiple Myeloma.
At this time, most of her friends and family had left her side because of her outspokenness. She had also ended things with her second husband, who took their daughter with him. Clyde Jay Jennings, however, stood by his mother’s side, taking care of her as she battled for her life. Martha later passed away on the 31st of May 1976 at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital in New York City. She was 57 years old.
Where is Clyde Jay Jennings Now?
Clyde Jay Jennings is currently 77 years old. Given his age, there is a high chance that the septuagenarian has retired from whatever he did to make a living.
As mentioned earlier, what Martha Mitchell’s son did for a living is unknown. It is, however, assumed that he lived a simple and was able to have a family of his own. A few reports suggest that he married Janis Crawford in September 1974 at the First Baptist Church in Tylertown, Crawford’s hometown. The pair are believed to have gone on to have a family of their own. If this was the case, Clyde would have definitely become a grandfather and would be spending most of his remaining time on earth with his grandchildren.
The only reason he has been spoken about again in public is because his character is portrayed in a 2022 Netflix documentary covering the life of his mother. The name of the show is Gaslit, and it features actors and actresses like Julia Roberts, Sean Penn, Carlos Valdes, and Patton Oswalt. Actor Johnny Berchtold was cast to play his role.
