Robert Mitchum

Robert Mitchum was an iconic American actor, born on August 6, 1917, in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Known for his deep, resonant voice and calm demeanor, Mitchum became a prominent figure in the film noir genre of the 1940s and 1950s. His career spanned over five decades, encompassing more than 100 films and numerous television roles.

Mitchum's rough and tumble early life, including a stint of homelessness and a series of odd jobs, shaped his resilient character. He broke into Hollywood in the early 1940s, quickly gaining attention for his performances in "Story of G.I. Joe" (1945) and "Out of the Past" (1947). His on-screen persona as the laconic antihero made him a favorite among audiences and critics alike.

Off-screen, Mitchum was known for his rebellious nature and brushes with the law, adding to his tough-guy image. Despite this, he was deeply devoted to his family, maintaining a stable marriage with his wife, Dorothy, for 57 years until his death.

Mitchum's enduring legacy in the film industry is marked by his versatility, having played roles in a variety of genres including westerns, war films, and romantic dramas. He passed away on July 1, 1997, leaving behind a body of work that continues to be celebrated for its intensity and authenticity.

Robert Mitchum was renowned for his unique acting style, characterized by a deep voice, nonchalant demeanor, and a stoic yet captivating screen presence. His approach to his roles was often described as understated, minimalist, and naturalistic, setting him apart from many of his contemporaries.

Minimalism and Understatement

Mitchum was masterful at delivering powerful performances with minimal effort. His ability to convey deep emotions and complex thoughts with a simple glance or subtle change in his tone was a hallmark of his acting style. He didn't rely on grand gestures or dramatic displays, preferring instead to let the audience read between the lines.

Cool and Calm Demeanor

Mitchum’s characters often exuded a sense of calm and composure, even in the most turbulent situations. His laid-back style on screen helped create an aura of control and assurance. This cool demeanor made him particularly effective in roles that required a strong, silent type, such as in film noir and Western genres.

Deep Voice and Physical Presence

Mitchum’s deep, resonant voice was one of his most distinctive features, adding gravity and authority to his performances. His tall stature and rugged good looks helped to reinforce his on-screen persona as a tough, reliable protagonist or antagonist.

Naturalism

Mitchum's approach to acting was grounded in realism. He was known for his ability to make any line of dialogue sound effortlessly natural, as if he were not reciting from a script but speaking his own thoughts. This quality made his performances particularly engaging and believable.

Enigmatic Aura

Mitchum was able to imbue his characters with a sense of mystery and complexity. His ability to play ambiguous, morally grey characters made him a frequent choice for film noir roles. He had a knack for making the audience question a character’s motives and integrity, adding depth and intrigue to his performances.

Sense of Detachment

Some critics and audiences have noted a sense of detachment in Mitchum’s acting, as if his characters were observing their own lives from a distance. This quality could make his characters seem introspective and self-aware, adding layers to his performances.

Adaptability

Despite having a distinct style, Mitchum was versatile and capable of adapting to a variety of genres, from drama and action to comedy and romance. His ability to bring his unique qualities to different types of roles demonstrated his skill and range as an actor.

In summary, Robert Mitchum’s acting style was characterized by its understated power, cool demeanor, naturalism, and enigmatic presence. He had the ability to convey complex emotions and thoughts with minimal effort, making him one of the most memorable and respected actors of his time.

Robert Mitchum was married to Dorothy Spence, and their relationship was one of the longest-lasting marriages in Hollywood, spanning over 57 years until his death in 1997.

Marriage and Family

• Wedding: Robert Mitchum and Dorothy Spence married on March 16, 1940, just a couple of years after Mitchum started making a name for himself in acting.
• Children: The couple had three children together: James Mitchum (born in 1941), Christopher Mitchum (born in 1943), and Petrine Mitchum (born in 1950).
• Stability: Despite the turbulent nature of Hollywood and the challenges that come with fame, Mitchum and Dorothy’s marriage remained stable and strong throughout the years.

Life Together

• Support: Dorothy was known to be a strong support system for Mitchum, standing by him through various ups and downs in his career, including during his brief imprisonment in 1948 for marijuana possession.
• Privacy: The couple maintained a relatively low-profile life, especially when compared to other Hollywood stars. They valued their privacy and kept their personal life out of the public eye as much as possible.
• Enduring Love: Friends and family often spoke about their enduring love and commitment to each other. Mitchum himself was known to be deeply devoted to Dorothy.

Later Years and Death

The couple enjoyed their golden years together until Mitchum’s death in July 1997 due to complications related to emphysema and lung cancer.​

Robert Mitchum passed away on July 1, 1997, at the age of 79. He died in his sleep at his home in Santa Barbara, California. The cause of death was reported as complications related to emphysema and lung cancer, conditions he had battled for a considerable period of time.

Mitchum had been a smoker for most of his life, and his health had deteriorated in the years leading up to his death. Despite his health issues, he continued to work in the film industry almost until the end of his life.

Funeral and Burial

Mitchum’s funeral was a private affair, attended by close family and friends. He was known for his desire for privacy, and his family honored that by keeping the details of his funeral and burial out of the public eye.

He is buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California. The cemetery is known for being the final resting place of many celebrities, and Mitchum was laid to rest in a secluded garden area, ensuring a peaceful and private environment.

The children and their movie careers

Robert Mitchum and Dorothy Spence had three children, and all of them dipped their toes into the entertainment industry to varying degrees.

James Mitchum (Born 1941)

• Acting Career: Following in his father’s footsteps, James Mitchum pursued a career in acting. He appeared in numerous films and television shows, starting from a young age. His filmography includes roles in “Thunder Road” (1958), “The Victors” (1963), and “In Harm's Way” (1965).
• Notable Work: One of his more notable roles was in the film “The Tramplers” (1965), an Italian spaghetti Western.
• Later Life: While he never reached the level of stardom that his father did, James Mitchum carved out a niche for himself in the industry and continued to work in films and television sporadically.

Christopher Mitchum (Born 1943)

• Acting and Writing: Like his older brother, Christopher also went into acting, appearing in numerous films and television series. In addition to acting, he worked as a screenwriter.
• Working with John Wayne: He had the opportunity to work with John Wayne in several films, including “Rio Lobo” (1970) and “Big Jake” (1971).
• Political Pursuits: In later years, Christopher Mitchum made attempts to enter politics, running for a congressional seat in California, though he was not elected.

Petrine Mitchum (Born 1950)

• Entertainment Industry: Petrine Mitchum also found a place in the entertainment industry, though she opted for a slightly different path from her brothers. She worked in the film industry in various capacities and co-authored books about Hollywood and its history.
• Author: She co-wrote “Hollywood Hoofbeats: Trails Blazed Across the Silver Screen,” a book that explores the role of horses in the film industry.

Awards

National Board of Review Award for Best Actor:

• Won in 1949 for his role in "The Story of G.I. Joe."

Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor:

• Won in 1952 for his role in "The Red Badge of Courage" and "The Lusty Men."

Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award:

• Received a lifetime achievement award in 1992.

Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Career Achievement:

• Won in 1991.

Nominations

Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor:

• Nominated in 1946 for his role in "The Story of G.I. Joe."

BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Actor:

• Nominated in 1957 for his role in "Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison."

Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie:

• Nominated in 1985 for his role in "The Winds of War."

Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama:

• Nominated in 1957 for his role in "Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison."

Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama:

• Nominated in 1980 for his role in "The Winds of War."

Saturn Award for Best Actor:

• Nominated in 1978 for his role in "The Big Sleep."

1940s:

• 1943: The Human Comedy - Mitchum plays a minor role in this heartwarming story about the inhabitants of a small town during WWII.
• 1943: Border Patrol - A Western where Mitchum appears in a supporting role.
• 1943: Follow the Band - A musical comedy with Mitchum in a minor part.
• 1943: Cry 'Havoc' - A war drama featuring Mitchum in a small role.
• 1943: We've Never Been Licked - A war film with Mitchum in a bit part.
• 1943: The Dancing Masters - A comedy where Mitchum has a minor role.
• 1943: Gung Ho! - A war film featuring Mitchum in a supporting role.
• 1944: Girl Rush - A Western comedy with Mitchum in a secondary role.
• 1944: When Strangers Marry - A film noir with Mitchum playing a significant role.
• 1944: Johnny Doesn’t Live Here Anymore - A comedy featuring Mitchum in a small part.
• 1944: Mr. Winkle Goes to War - A war comedy with Mitchum in a bit part.
• 1944: Nevada - A Western film where Mitchum plays a supporting role.
• 1944: Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo - A war film featuring Mitchum in a notable role.
• 1944: The Purple Heart - A war drama with Mitchum in a supporting part.
• 1945: The Story of G.I. Joe - A war film where Mitchum plays war correspondent Ernie Pyle, earning an Oscar nomination.
• 1945: Back to Bataan - A war film with Mitchum in a supporting role.
• 1946: Till the End of Time - A drama film featuring Mitchum in a significant role.
• 1946: Undercurrent - A film noir with Mitchum playing a central character.
• 1946: West of the Pecos - A Western film featuring Mitchum in a leading role.
• 1946: Holiday Affair - A romantic comedy with Mitchum in a main role.
• 1946: The Locket - A psychological thriller with Mitchum playing a key character.
• 1946: Pursued - A psychological Western with Mitchum in the lead.
• 1947: Desire Me - A romantic drama with Mitchum in a supporting role.
• 1947: Crossfire - A film noir with Mitchum in a main role, focusing on the investigation of a man's murder.
• 1947: Out of the Past - A classic film noir with Mitchum in a leading role as a private eye.
• 1947: Rachel and the Stranger - A Western drama with Mitchum playing a significant part.
• 1947: Angel Face - A film noir with Mitchum in a central role.

• 1948: Blood on the Moon - A Western noir film featuring Mitchum as a cowboy involved in a ranch dispute.
• 1948: The Red Pony - A family drama based on Steinbeck's novel, with Mitchum in a supporting role.
• 1949: The Big Steal - A film noir where Mitchum plays an army lieutenant on the run.

1950s:

• 1950: Holiday Affair - A romantic comedy with Mitchum playing a department store clerk.
• 1950: Where Danger Lives - A film noir thriller featuring Mitchum as a doctor entangled in a dark plot.
• 1951: His Kind of Woman - A film noir adventure comedy with Mitchum in a leading role.
• 1951: The Racket - A crime film with Mitchum playing a cop fighting corruption.
• 1952: My Forbidden Past - A romantic drama featuring Mitchum in a leading role.
• 1952: Macao - A film noir adventure with Mitchum playing an adventurer in the Far East.
• 1952: One Minute to Zero - A war film with Mitchum in a leading role as a military officer.
• 1952: The Lusty Men - A Western drama with Mitchum playing a retired rodeo champion.
• 1953: Angel Face - A film noir with Mitchum in a leading role as an ambulance driver.
• 1953: White Witch Doctor - An adventure drama with Mitchum exploring the African jungles.
• 1954: River of No Return - A Western adventure with Mitchum playing a farmer.
• 1954: Track of the Cat - A drama with Mitchum in a leading role, set in a snowy wilderness.
• 1955: Not as a Stranger - A drama with Mitchum playing a medical student.
• 1955: Man with the Gun - A Western where Mitchum plays a town tamer.
• 1956: The Night of the Hunter - A thriller with Mitchum in a chilling role as a murderous preacher.
• 1956: Foreign Intrigue - A mystery drama with Mitchum as a reporter investigating a billionaire’s death.
• 1956: Bandido - A Western adventure with Mitchum in a leading role.
• 1957: Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison - A war drama with Mitchum as a marine stranded on an island.
• 1957: Fire Down Below - An adventure drama with Mitchum in a leading role.
• 1957: The Enemy Below - A war drama featuring Mitchum as a naval officer.
• 1958: Thunder Road - A crime drama with Mitchum playing a moonshine runner.
• 1958: The Hunters - A war drama with Mitchum as a fighter pilot.
• 1959: The Angry Hills - A war drama with Mitchum playing an American journalist in Greece.
• 1959: The Wonderful Country - A Western with Mitchum as an American who has grown up in Mexico.

1960s:

• 1960: Home from the Hill - A dramatic film where Mitchum plays a wealthy Texan patriarch.
• 1960: The Sundowners - A family drama set in Australia, featuring Mitchum as a sheep drover.
• 1961: The Grass is Greener - A romantic comedy with Mitchum in a leading role alongside Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr.
• 1962: The Last Time I Saw Archie - A comedy war film with Mitchum as a lazy, scheming soldier.
• 1962: Cape Fear - A psychological thriller where Mitchum plays a vengeful ex-con terrorizing a lawyer and his family.
• 1962: Two for the Seesaw - A romantic drama with Mitchum in a leading role.
• 1963: The List of Adrian Messenger - A mystery film with Mitchum in a cameo role.
• 1963: Rampage - An adventure film featuring Mitchum as a hunter.
• 1963: Man in the Middle - A war drama with Mitchum as a lawyer during a court-martial.
• 1964: What a Way to Go! - A dark comedy with Mitchum as one of Shirley MacLaine's husbands.
• 1965: Mister Moses - An adventure film with Mitchum as a con man in Africa.
• 1966: Anzio - A war film featuring Mitchum as a war correspondent.
• 1967: The Way West - A Western film with Mitchum as a scout leading a wagon train.
• 1967: El Dorado - A Western with Mitchum alongside John Wayne, playing a sheriff.
• 1968: Villa Rides - A war film set during the Mexican Revolution, with Mitchum as an American pilot.
• 1968: 5 Card Stud - A Western mystery film with Mitchum as a preacher with a mysterious past.
• 1968: The Angry Breed - A drama with Mitchum in a supporting role.
• 1969: Secret Ceremony - A drama film with Mitchum in a leading role.
• 1969: Young Billy Young - A Western with Mitchum as a bounty hunter.
• 1969: The Good Guys and the Bad Guys - A Western comedy with Mitchum as an aging sheriff.

1970s:

• 1970: Ryan's Daughter - A romantic drama set in Ireland, with Mitchum playing a schoolmaster.
• 1971: Going Home - A drama featuring Mitchum as a man trying to reconnect with his son.
• 1971: The Wrath of God - A Western with Mitchum as a priest in a Central American country.
• 1972: The Last Run - A crime film featuring Mitchum as a retired getaway driver.
• 1973: The Friends of Eddie Coyle - A crime film with Mitchum playing a small-time crook.
• 1974: Yakuza - A crime film featuring Mitchum as a man dealing with the Japanese mafia.
• 1975: Farewell, My Lovely - A film noir with Mitchum as Philip Marlowe, the classic Raymond Chandler detective.
• 1976: Midway - A war film with Mitchum as a naval officer in the Battle of Midway.
• 1976: The Last Tycoon - A drama based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's last novel, with Mitchum in a supporting role.
• 1978: Matilda - A family comedy with Mitchum as a promoter of a boxing kangaroo.
• 1979: Breakthrough - A war film with Mitchum as an American colonel in WWII.

1980s:

• 1982: That Championship Season - A drama with Mitchum as a former basketball coach.
• 1984: Maria’s Lovers - A romantic drama with Mitchum in a supporting role.
• 1985: North and South - A TV miniseries with Mitchum in a prominent role.
• 1988: Scrooged - A comedy film with Mitchum in a supporting role as a network executive.
• 1988: Mr. North - A comedy-drama with Mitchum in a supporting role.

• 1988: Scrooged - A modern retelling of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," with Mitchum playing the role of Preston Rhinelander, the uncaring and wealthy owner of the IBC Television network where Bill Murray's character works.
• Mr. North - A comedy-drama based on Thornton Wilder's novel, "Theophilus North," featuring Mitchum in a supporting role as Mr. Bosworth.

1990’s:

• 1991: Cape Fear (cameo in remake) - In this psychological thriller film directed by Martin Scorsese, Mitchum makes a cameo appearance as Lieutenant Elgart. The film is a remake of the 1962 movie in which Mitchum played the antagonist, Max Cady.