Clark Gable lived a tumultuous life, full of both triumph and tragedy. Born William Clark Gable in 1901, his mother died before he was even a year old. While he scarcely knew his mother, he became very attached to his stepmother, Jennie. Jennie worked as a pianist and was very supportive and loving toward her stepson. By the time he was in his teens Gable knew he wanted to be an actor, much to the dismay of his father. When Jennie died and Gable officially decided to start acting, it severed the bond between father and son.