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OUTSPOKEN

Who was Martha Mitchell?

WIFE and mother, Martha Mitchell was nearly forgotten by history.

Her pivotal role during the Watergate scandal was overshadowed by her husband's involvement.

New Starz series, Gaslit, starring Julia Roberts will tell the story of Martha Mitchell
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New Starz series, Gaslit, starring Julia Roberts will tell the story of Martha Mitchell

Who was Martha Mitchell?

Martha Elizabeth Beall Mitchell was born in 1918 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.

She was the notorious wife of John N. Mitchell, United States Attorney General under President .

Her outspoken comments during the Watergate scandal against the administration branded her controversial figure during the time.

She often slipped secret information and dirty tricks to journalists and media organizations at the risk of her own reputation.

The Watergate affair was a political scandal in the United States involving US President Richard Nixon's administration from 1971 to 1974 that ultimately led to Nixon's resignation.

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Mitchell was discredited by the administration due to her bold remarks.

The new Starz series, Gaslit, starring Julia Roberts, "is a modern take on Watergate that focuses on the untold story of Martha Mitchell, whose accusations of the President cause both the Presidency and her personal life to quickly unravel," according to

What was Martha's cause of death?

Martha passed away on May 31, 1976, at the age of 57.

She had been suffering from multiple myeloma, a rare type of malignancy that attacks bone marrow since 1975.

Matha died at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital in New York City after her health issues were further complicated by a hemorrhage and terminal bronchial pneumonia, according to

John N. Mitchell resigned on June 1 as President Nixon's re-election campaign director
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John N. Mitchell resigned on June 1 as President Nixon's re-election campaign directorCredit: Getty Images - Getty

How many children did Martha have?

Mitchell had a total of two children: Clyde Jay Jennings, 75, and Martha Elizabeth Mitchell, 61.

Clyde was named after his father, Clyde Jennings, Jr., a US Army officer from Virginia.

Mitchell and Jennings married in 1946 and divorced over 10 years later, in 1957.

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Mitchell's daughter, Martha, came from her marriage with John N. Mitchell.

The couple married in 1957 and separated over 20 years later, in 1973.

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