Robert Charles Durman Mitchum was an American film actor, director, author, poet, composer, and singer. His roles as a cool, cynical loner combined with a notorious personal life and a sardonic, relaxed style created a durable screen image as a fatalistic tough guy.
Background
Robert Mitchum was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1917 into a Norwegian-Irish Methodist family. His mother Ann Harriet Gunderson was a Norwegian immigrant and sea captain's daughter; his father James Thomas Mitchum was a shipyard and railroad worker of Irish descent.
His older sister, Annette (known as Julie Mitchum during her acting career), was born in 1914. Their father James Mitchum was crushed to death in a railyard accident in Charleston, South Carolina in February 1919, when Robert was less than two years old and Annette was not yet five. Their mother was awarded a government pension; she soon realized she was pregnant; her and James' second son John was born in September of that year.
Ann married again, to Major Hugh Cunningham Morris, a former Royal Naval Reserve officer. He helped care for her three children. Ann and Morris also had a daughter together, Carol Morris, born July 1927 on the family farm in Delaware. When all of the children were old enough to attend school, Ann found employment as a linotype operator for the Bridgeport Post.
As a child Mitchum was known as a prankster, often involved in fistfights and mischief. When he was 12, his mother sent him to live with her parents in Felton, Delaware.
Education
Robert grew up to be a mischief maker and often got into trouble in school. He was expelled from Haaren High School following which he traveled throughout the country and took up a number of odd jobs to support himself.
Career
Robert Mitchum traveled the country via boxcar, working sporadically in all manner of jobs - including professional boxer, to which he attributed in part his most memorable physical feature - his heavy-lidded eyes - and serving a brief stint on a chain gang in Georgia for vagrancy.
Mitchum eventually found his way to California, where he was inspired by sister Julie, a stage actress, to try his hand at performing. He joined the Players Guild of Long Beach, and supported himself as a stagehand, occasional actor, and even playwright and songwriter. Mitchum tried his hand at a 9-5 job with the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, but the monotony eventually forced him back into acting. He found initial success in a string of B-Westerns starring William Boyd as flawless good guy Hopalong Cassidy; Mitchum's broad build, deep voice and insolent expression made him a perfect heavy, which he essayed in countless pictures between 1942 and 1943. After a turn as a heroic co-pilot in "30 Seconds over Tokyo," RKO signed him to a seven-year contract, where he settled in as a lead in Westerns and war pictures at the lower tiered studio.
Mitchum's big break came as a war-weary lieutenant in "The Story of G.I. J " (1945), William Wellman's WWII biopic of correspondent Ernie Pyle's tenure with a combat unit in Italy. The film was a considerable success and won four Oscar nominations, including one for Mitchum as Best Supporting Actor. Surprisingly, it would be the only Academy nod in his long career. Mitchum himself was too busy to celebrate the nomination, having been drafted into the Army and serving time at Ft. MacArthur in California. He emerged in 1946 a bonafide leading man, and one on the cusp of a series of films that would define his acting career and screen persona.
Film noir gave Mitchum some of the best showcases for his talent. He starred in many of the genre's best efforts - from "The Locket" (1946), as a painter who discovers that his bride-to-be is a kleptomaniac and murderer; to the Western noir "Pursued" (1947), as an amnesiac cowboy on the trail of his family's killer; and "Crossfire" (1947), as an aimless demobilized soldier who discovers that a fellow ex-GI has committed a hate crime. His finest noir was Jacques Tourneur's "Out of the Past" (1947), in which he played a small town man whose sordid past comes back to haunt him in the form of a cold-blooded femme fatale (Jane Greer).
Mitchum's hot streak came to a brief halt in 1948 when he was arrested for possession of marijuana during a police sting operation on Hollywood parties. Mitchum was sentenced to a week in the county jail before serving a 43-day stretch at a prison farm, where he grinned for Life magazine photographers while mopping the penitentiary floors. While arrests of this nature were career disasters for most actors, Mitchum emerged from jail with his popularity intact, as evidenced by the success of the Western, "Rachel and the Stranger" and the John Steinbeck family drama "The Red Pony" (1948), which were both released after his sentence had been served. Since audiences perceived Mitchum as something of a bad boy on-screen, they were undoubtedly pleased to see that he was carrying out the role off screen as well.
Mitchum's popularity as an anti-hero stretched well into the 1950s. He was well partnered with Jane Russell in a pair of steamy crime dramas, "His Kind of Woman" (1951) and "Macao" (1952), which made much of the stars' considerable sex appeal; and appeared opposite Jean Simmons (in several films, most notably 1952's "Angel Face") and Marilyn Monr in the Western "River of No Return" (1955). In a career highlight, Mitchum tapped his menacing side for Charles Laughton's frightening thriller "Night of the Hunter" (1955) - a part which was incidentally Mitchum's favorite role - where his murderous con worked a fire-and-brimstone preacher façade (his monologue on the war between love and hate, illustrated by both words tatto d on his knuckles, is among the most memorable scenes in film history) while hot on the trail of two children who know the location of hidden loot. The film kicked off a new chapter in Mitchum's film roles - one that emphasized richer, more nuanced characters for the actor, including "Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison" (1957) with Mitchum in a BAFTA-nominated turn as a WWII Marine shipwrecked with nun Deborah Kerr; "Home from the Hill" (1960), as a wealthy and cruel landowner who makes life miserable for his wife and son; and "The Sundowners" (1960), with Mitchum displaying a knack for accents as an Australian sheep rancher.
Continuing his hot streak, Mitchum also made for a charming romantic lead opposite Shirley MacLaine in "Two for the Seesaw" (1962), and that same year sent chills up the audiences' collective spines as an unrepentant sex criminal who terrorizes lawyer Gregory Peck and his family in "Cape Fear" (1962). Mitchum also underscored his own cool quotient with the low-budget moonshine drama "Thunder Road" (1958), which he also co-wrote, produced, and allegedly directed - even crooning that film's twangy theme song, which went to #69 on the Billboard charts - and released an album of authentic calypso music, Calypso - Is Like So in 1957.
By the mid-60s, the quality and quantity of Mitchum's movies began to wane - there were a few notable exceptions, like "El Dorado" (1966), Howard Hawks' remake of "Rio Bravo," with Mitchum as a drunken sheriff who helps John Wayne defend a town against unscrupulous cattlemen; and the Italian-lensed WWII drama "Anzio." But for the most part, Mitchum breezed through a string of forgettable films like the bizarre "Secret Ceremony" (1968) with Mitchum as one part of a perverse sexual triangle with Elizabeth Taylor and Mia Farrow, "Villa Rides" (1968), and "The Good Guys and the Bad Guys" (1969). If Mitchum was bothered by the lack of substance in his projects, it certainly did not show on his face, but by the end of the decade, a certain degree of boredom could be detected in his performances. Mitchum reportedly considered retiring from film during this period and ironically, passed on a number of projects that might have buoyed his career, including "The Misfits" (1962), "Patton" (1970), "Dirty Harry" (1971), and later, "Atlantic City" (1980).
The tide turned for Mitchum in the 1970s, starting with a role as a schoolteacher who falls for the spoiled daughter of an Irish informant for the British Army in David Lean's "Ryan's Daughter" (1970). Though the film was not well received upon its release - and Mitchum clashed with Lean over his directorial style - the actor later regarded the picture and his performance as one of his best. A string of gritty crime dramas followed, helmed by a new breed of directors who grew up watching Mitchum's noir titles. He was a low-rent Boston crook who finds himself on the wrong end of the mob's attentions in Peter Yates' excellent "The Friends of Eddie Coyle" (1973) and a retired detective sent to Japan to rescue a client's daughter from gangsters in Sydney Pollack's cult favorite "The Yakuza" (1974). He also shone as a near-perfect Philip Marlowe in "Farewell, My Lovely" (1975), and reprised the role three years later in Michael Winner's disappointing take on "The Big Sleep" (1978). His last interesting role in this late-career revival came with the film version of Jason Miller's play "That Championship Season" (1982), with Mitchum as the coach of a quartet of former high school basketball teammates who struggle to adjust to middle age and maturity.
Mitchum turned to television in the early 1980s and found steady work there, as well as a few genuine projects of quality. Most notable among these were the massive WWII miniseries "The Winds of War" (1983) and its sequel "War and Remembrance" (1988), for which Mitchum was top-billed as navy man Pug Henry, whose family is deeply involved in the events leading up to America's involvement in the war. Though he was 65 years of age at the time, Mitchum's presence lent the role and the project the right level of commanding presence, and he even managed a degree of his old, effortless cool in a slightly unbelievable romance with the decades-younger Victoria Tennant. Mitchum was also among the star-studded guest cast of ABC's sudsy Civil War miniseries "North and South" (1985), and played William Randolph Hearst opposite Virginia Madsen as Marion Davies in "The Heart-Davies Affair" (1985). There was an agreeable reunion with Deborah Kerr in "Reunion at Fairborough" (1985), about WWII sweethearts finding each other decades later, and Mitchum replaced old friend John Huston in his son Danny's largely ignored comedy "Mr. North" (1988). Mitchum even tried his hand at a weekly series with the sodden "A Family For J " (NBC, 1990), as a homeless man who is recruited by four orphans to play their father.
Mitchum and his original "Cape Fear" co-stars Gregory Peck and Martin Balsam appeared in small roles in Martin Scorsese's 1991 remake. He also lent his distinctive tone to narrate George Cosmatos' troubled Western "Tombstone" (1993) - he was originally slated to play Charlton Heston's role in the film, but was unable to carry out the role due to back problems. He also gave a lively performance as a robber baron of sorts who drives Johnny Depp's character into the wilderness in Jim Jarmusch's eccentric Western, "Dead Man" (1995).
Mitchum kept working steadily up until the end of his life, though the projects were largely dreary - including a ghastly "Airplane"-style (1980) comedy called "Backfire!" (1995), and the Family Channel series "African Skies" (1991-94).
Mitchum died in 1997 from lung cancer and emphysema. His ashes were scattered by wife Dorothy and longtime friend Jane Russell.
Robert Mitchum rose to prominence for his starring roles in several classic films noir, and is generally considered a forerunner of the antiheroes prevalent in film during the 1950s and 1960s. His best-known films include Out of the Past (1947), The Night of the Hunter (1955), and Cape Fear (1962). Mitchum was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for The Story of G.I. Joe (1945).
Mitchum is rated number 23 on the American Film Institute's list of the greatest male stars of Classic American Cinema. Mitchum is regarded by some critics as one of the finest actors of the Golden Age of Hollywood.
Robert Mitchum was awarded the National Board of Review award for Best Actor for his performance in the Fred Zinnemann film, The Sundowners (1960). He won a lifetime achievement award from the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures in 1991 and the Cecil B. DeMille Award from the Golden Globe Awards in 1992.
Quotations:
"I started out to be a sex fiend, but I couldn't pass the physical."
"This is not a tough job. You read a script. If you like the part and the money is OK, you do it. Then you remember your lines. You show up on time. You do what the director tells you to do. When you finish, you rest and then go on to the next part. That's it."
"Maybe love is like luck. You have to go all the way to find it."
"I've still got the same attitude I had when I started. I haven't changed anything but my underwear."
"There just isn't any pleasing some people. The trick is to stop trying."
"I kept the same suit for six years and the same dialogue. They just changed the title of the picture and the leading lady."
"Movies bore me; especially my own."
"People think I have an interesting walk. Hell, I'm just trying to hold my gut in."
"Every two or three years, I knock off for a while. That way I’m always the new girl in the whorehouse."
"I have two acting styles: with and without a horse."
"The only difference between me and my fellow actors is that I've spent more time in jail."
"How do I keep fit? I lay down a lot."
"I never will believe there is such a thing as a great actor."
"I never take any notice of reviews-unless a critic has thought up some new way of describing me. That old one about my lizard eyes and anteater nose and the way I sleep my way through pictures is so hackneyed now."
"Listen. I got three expressions: looking left, looking right and looking straight ahead."
Personality
Robert's unique blend of strength, affinity and devil-may-care attitude helped to make him the personification of the noir hero.
One of the lesser-known aspects of Mitchum's career was his forays into music, both as singer and composer. Mitchum's voice was often used instead of that of a professional singer when his character sang in his films. Notable productions featuring Mitchum's own singing voice included Rachel and the Stranger, River of No Return, and The Night of the Hunter. After hearing traditional calypso music and meeting artists such as Mighty Sparrow and Lord Invader while filming Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison in the Caribbean islands of Tobago, he recorded Calypso – is like so in March 1957. On the album, released through Capitol Records, he emulated the calypso sound and style, even adopting the style's unique pronunciations and slang. A year later, he recorded a song he had written for Thunder Road, titled "The Ballad of Thunder Road". The country-style song became a modest hit for Mitchum, reaching number 69 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart. The song was included as a bonus track on a successful reissue of Calypso and helped market the film to a wider audience.
Although Mitchum continued to use his singing voice in his film work, he waited until 1967 to record his follow-up record, That Man, Robert Mitchum, Sings. The album, released by Nashville-based Monument Records, took him further into country music, and featured songs similar to "The Ballad of Thunder Road". "Little Old Wine Drinker Me", the first single, was a top-10 hit at country radio, reaching number nine there, and crossed over onto mainstream radio, where it peaked at number 96. Its follow-up, "You Deserve Each Other", also charted on the Billboard Country Singles chart. He sang the title song to the Western Young Billy Young, made in 1969. Mitchum co-wrote and composed the music for an oratorio which was produced by Orson Welles at the Hollywood Bowl.
Physical Characteristics:
Mitchum's broad build, deep voice and insolent expression made him a perfect heavy.
Quotes from others about the person
Critic Greg Adams: "Unlike most celebrity vocalists, Robert Mitchum actually had musical talent."
Connections
Robert Mitchum married Dorothy Spence in March 1940. The couple had three children. Robert was never faithful to his wife and had numerous affairs throughout his marriage. Yet the couple remained together for almost 60 years until his death in 1997.
Father:
James Thomas Mitchum
(1886–1919)
Mother:
Harry Anniette Gunderson
(1894–1990)
Spouse:
Dorothy Mitchum
(1919–2014)
Sister:
Julie Mitchum
(July 23, 1914 – February 21, 2003)
Along with her brothers Robert and John, Julie worked in the entertainment industry as an actress.
Brother:
John Mitchum
(September 6, 1919 – November 29, 2001)
John Mitchum was an American actor from the 1940s to the 1970s in film and television.
Sister:
Carol Morris
(1928–2010)
Son:
Christopher Mitchum
(b. October 16, 1943)
Christopher Mitchum is an American film actor, screenwriter, and businessman.
Son:
James Mitchum
(b. May 8, 1941 in Los Angeles, California)
James Mitchum is an American actor and the eldest son of actor Robert Mitchum.
Daughter:
Trini Mitchum
(b. March 3, 1954, Los Angeles, California, United States)
