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Robert Mitchum
"Bad Boy" of the Movies
NEW!!! Come see newly added big photographs of Robert Mitchum including photos of his arrest and jail term. Robert Mitchum photographs page four
If I had to limit my assessment of Robert Mitchum's screen persona to one adjective, I'd have to go with "cool". "Mitch" was cool. Way-cool.
No matter how intense the situation, no matter how harrowing the odds, Mitchum, with his heavily lidded eyes, his sly, sensual features and resonant, vaguely drawling voice, was the very soul of "devil may care" detachment."
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"I'm not sure that Robert Mitchum would have become a star had he been born at an earlier time. His world-weary reserve and sad-eyed nonchalance were so much of a product of his era, they would have made little sense in the '20s or '30s. Even Humphrey Bogart, who originated the depiction of disenchantment in American movies, had hope. For Mitchum, hope was never even a possibility."
Martin Scorsese
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"Mitchum was the genuine article -- the Hollywood tough guy as hard-boiled as the heroes he played. He'd walked the walk, a runaway who hit the rails as "a thin, ferret-faced kid" of 14 and who, two years later, wound up on a chain gang in Georgia. He was a drifter, a boxer, a shoe salesman and even a poet.
And, eventually, he became an actor. In the course of a long, full career, he created a unique and extremely popular on-screen image. Somehow he managed to be both cool and reckless, heroic and vaguely sinister, laconic to the point of inertia, yet still a man of action. And above all, he was tough. Today's movie tough guys don't even come close. Next to Mitchum, Eastwood looks perplexed. Nolte seems punch-drunk. De Niro, Pacino and Keitel are kids playing grown-up."
DICK LOCHTE
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In an interview in the late 1970s Robert Mitchum had this to say about his acting career: " "Somebody says, 'We really want you to do this script.' And I say, 'I'd need an awful lot of money in front to do that one.' And that never seems to be a problem. The less I like the script, the higher my price. And they pay. They may pay in yen, but they pay. Not that I'm a complete whore, understand. There are movies I won't do for any amount. I turned down 'Patton' and I turned down 'Dirty Harry.' Movies that piss on the world. If I've got $5 in my pocket, I don't need to make money that fucking way, daddy."
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1.James Dean: Race with Destiny (1997) .... George Stevens
... aka James Dean: Live Fast Die Young (1997) (USA: video title)
2.Wild Bill: Hollywood Maverick (1996)
3.Pakten (1995) .... Ernest Bogan
... aka Sunset Boys, The (1995)
... aka Waiting for Sunset (1995) (USA)
4.Backfire (1995) .... Marshal Marc Marshall
5.Dead Man (1995) .... John Dickinson 6.Tombstone (1993) (voice) .... Narrator
7.Mystery of Rhyne Caluder, The (1993)
8.Woman of Desire (1993) .... Walter J. Hill
9."African Skies" (1991) TV Series .... Sam Dutton
10.Cape Fear (1991) .... Lieutenant Elgart
11."Family for Joe, A" (1990) TV Series .... Joe Whitaker
12.Family for Joe, A (1990) (TV) .... Joe
13.Midnight Ride (1990) .... Dr. Hardy
14.PrÈsumÈ dangereux (1990) .... Professor Forrester
... aka Believed Violent (1990)
15.Jake Spanner, Private Eye (1989) (TV)
... aka Hoodwinked (1989) (TV)
... aka Old Dick, The (1989) (TV)
16.Brotherhood of the Rose (1989) (TV) .... John Eliot
17."War and Remembrance" (1989) (mini) TV Series .... Victor "Pug" Henry
18.Scrooged (1988) .... Preston Rhinelander
19.Mr. North (1988) .... Mr. Bosworth
20.Marilyn Monroe: Beyond the Legend (1987)
21.Remembering Marilyn (1987) .... Himself
22.Thompson's Last Run (1986) (TV)
23."North and South" (1985) (mini) TV Series .... Patrick Flynn
24.Hearst and Davies Affair, The (1985) (TV) .... William Randolph Hearst
25.Promises to Keep (1985) (TV) .... Jack Palmer
26.Reunion at Fairborough (1985) (TV) .... Carl Hostrup
27.Maria's Lovers (1984) .... Mr. Bibic 28.Ambassador, The (1984) .... Peter Hacker
... aka Peacemaker (1984)
29."Winds of War, The" (1983) (mini) TV Series .... Victor "Pug" Henry
30.Killer in the Family, A (1983) (TV) .... Gary Tison
31.One Shoe Makes It Murder (1982) (TV) .... Harold Shillman
32.So Little Cause for Caroline (1982) (TV)
33.That Championship Season (1982) .... Coach Delaney
34.Agency (1980) .... Ted Quinn
... aka Agence de la peur, L' (1980) (Canada: French title)
... aka Mind Games (1980) (video title)
35.Nightkill (1980) .... Donner
36.Big Sleep, The (1978) .... Philip Marlowe
37.Matilda (1978) .... Duke Parkhurst
38.Steiner - Das eiserne Kreuz, 2. Teil (1978) .... Colonel Rogers
... aka Breakthrough (1978)
... aka Sergeant Steiner (1978)
39.Amsterdam Kill, The (1977) .... Quinlan
40.Last Tycoon, The (1976) .... Pat Brady
41.Midway (1976) .... Adm. William F. 'Bull' Halsey Jr.
... aka Battle of Midway, The (1976) (USA: video title)
42.Farewell, My Lovely (1975) .... Philip Marlowe
43.Yakuza, The (1975) .... Harry Kilmer
... aka Brotherhood of the Yakuza (1975) 44.America on the Rocks (1973) (TV) .... Narrator
45.Friends of Eddie Coyle, The (1973) .... Eddie Coyle
46.Wrath of God, The (1972) .... Van Horne
47.Going Home (1971) .... Harry K. Graham
48.Ryan's Daughter (1970) .... Charles Shaughnessy
49.Good Guys and the Bad Guys, The (1969) .... Flagg
50.Young Billy Young (1969) .... Ben Kane
51.5 Card Stud (1968) .... The Rev. Jonathan Rudd
52.Secret Ceremony (1968) .... Albert
53.Villa Rides (1968) .... Lee Arnold
54.Anzio (1968) .... Dick Ennis
... aka Battle for Anzio, The (1968)
... aka Sbarco di Anzio, Lo (1968)
55.Movable Scene, A (1968) (TV) .... Narrator
56.Way West, The (1967) .... Dick Summers
57.El Dorado (1967) .... Sheriff J.B. Harrah
58.Mister Moses (1965) .... Joe Moses
59.What a Way to Go! (1964) .... Rod Anderson
60.Man in the Middle (1964) .... Lieut. Col. Barney Adams
61.List of Adrian Messenger, The (1963) .... Jim Slattery
62.Rampage (1963) .... Harry Stanton
63.Cape Fear (1962) .... Max Cady
64.Longest Day, The (1962) .... Brig. Gen. Norman Cota
65.Two for the Seesaw (1962) .... Jerry Ryan
66.Last Time I Saw Archie, The (1961) .... Archie Hall
67.Home from the Hill (1960) .... Capt. Wade Hunnicutt
68.Night Fighters (1960) .... Dermot O'Neill
... aka Terrible Beauty, A (1960)
69.Grass Is Greener, The (1960) .... Charles Delacro
70.Sundowners, The (1960) .... Paddy Carmody
71.Angry Hills, The (1959) .... Mike Morrison
72.Wonderful Country, The (1959) .... Martin Brady
73.Hunters, The (1958) .... Major Cleve Saville
74.Thunder Road (1958) .... Lucas Doolin
75.Fire Down Below (1957) .... Felix Bowers
76.Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison (1957) .... Marine Corporal Allison
77.Enemy Below, The (1957) .... Captain Murrell
78.Bandido (1956) .... Wilson
79.Foreign Intrigue (1956) .... Dave Bishop
80.Not as a Stranger (1955) .... Lucas Marsh
81.Night of the Hunter, The (1955) .... Rev. Harry Powell
82.Man with the Gun (1955) .... Clint Tollinger
... aka Deadly Peacemaker (1955)
... aka Trouble Shooter, The (1955)
83.Track of the Cat (1954) .... Curt Bridges
84.River of No Return (1954) .... Matt Calder
85.She Couldn't Say No (1954) .... Doctor Robert Sellers
... aka Beautiful But Dangerous (1954)
... aka She Had to Say Yes (1954)
86.Second Chance (1953) .... Russ Lambert
87.White Witch Doctor (1953) .... Lonni Douglas
88.Angel Face (1952) .... Frank Jessup
89.Lusty Men, The (1952) .... Jeff McCloud
90.Macao (1952) .... Nick Cochran
91.One Minute to Zero (1952) .... Col. Steve Janowski
92.His Kind of Woman (1951) .... Dan Milner
93.My Forbidden Past (1951) .... Dr. Mark Lucas
94.Racket, The (1951) .... Captain Thomas McQuigg
95.Where Danger Lives (1950) .... Jeff Cameron
96.Big Steal, The (1949) .... Lieut. Duke Halliday
97.Holiday Affair (1949) .... Steve Mason
98.Red Pony, The (1949) .... Billy Buck
99.Blood on the Moon (1948) .... Jim Garry
100.Rachel and the Stranger (1948) .... Jim Fairways
101.Out of the Past (1947) .... Jeff Bailey
... aka Build My Gallows High (1947)
102.Crossfire (1947) .... Sgt. Peter Kelley
103.Desire Me (1947) .... Paul Aubert
104.Pursued (1947) .... Jeb Rand 105.Undercurrent (1946) .... Michael Garroway
106.Locket, The (1946) .... Norman Clyde
107.Till the End of Time (1946) .... William Tabeshaw
108.Story of G.I. Joe, The (1945) .... Lieut. Bill Walker
... aka War Correspondent (1945)
109.West of the Pecos (1945) .... Pecos Smith
110.Girl Rush (1944) .... Jimmy Smith
111.When Strangers Marry (1944) .... Fred Graham
... aka Betrayed (1944)
112.Johnny Doesn't Live Here Any More (1944) .... Chief Petty Officer Jeff Daniels
... aka And So They Were Married (1944)
113.Mr. Winkle Goes to War (1944) .... Corporal
... aka Arms and the Woman (1944) 114.Nevada (1944) .... Jim 'Nevada' Lacey
115.Riders of the Deadline (1944) .... Drago
116.Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944) .... Bob Gray
117.Dancing Masters, The (1943) .... Mickey
118.Leather Burners, The (1943) (uncredited) .... Randall
119.Follow the Band (1943) (as Bob Mitchum) .... Tate Winters
120.Aerial Gunner (1943) .... Sergeant 121.Bar 20 (1943) .... Richard Adams 122.Beyond the Last Frontier (1943) (as Bob Mitchum) .... Trigger Dolan 123.Border Patrol (1943) (as Bob Mitchum) .... Quinn
124.Colt Comrades (1943) .... Dirk Mason
125.Corvette K-225 (1943) (uncredited) .... Shephard
... aka Nelson Touch, The (1943) 126.Cry Havoc (1943) .... Moaning Man 127.Doughboys in Ireland (1943) (as Bob Mitchum) .... Ernie Jones
128.False Colors (1943) .... Rip Austin 129.Gung Ho! (1943) .... 'Pig-Iron' Matthews
130.Hoppy Serves a Writ (1943) .... Rigney
131.Human Comedy, The (1943) (uncredited) .... Horse
132.Lone Star Trail (1943) .... Ben Slocum
133.Minesweeper (1943) .... Chuck 134.We've Never Been Licked (1943) .... Panhandle Mitchell
... aka Texas to Tokyo (1943) 135.Magic of Make-up, The (1942) .... Model
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Biography
Born: August 6. 1917 in Bridgeport, Connecticut
Died: July 1 1997, in Santa Barbara, California, USA. (lung cancer)
Born to a railroad worker who died in a train accident when Robert was two, Mitchum and his siblings were raised by his mother and step-fatheron the East coast. An early contempt for authority led to discipline problems, and Mitchum spent good portions of his teen years adventuring on the open road. On one of these trips, at the age of 14, he was charged with vagrancy and sentenced to a Georgia chain gang, from which he escaped. Working a wide variety of jobs, Mitchum discovered acting in a Long Beach, California amateur theatre company. He worked at Lockheed Aircraft, where job stress caused him to suffer temporary blindness. About this time, he began to obtain small roles in films, appearing in dozens within a very brief time. In 1945, he was cast as Lt. Walker in The Story of G.I. Joe, and received an Oscar nomination as Best Supporting Actor. His star ascended rapidly, and he became an icon of Forties film noir, though equally adept at Westerns and romantic dramas. His apparently lazy style and seen-it-all demeanor proved highly attractive to men and women, and by the 1950s he was a true superstar. This despite a brief prison term for marijuana usage in 1949, which seemed to enhance rather than diminish his "bad boy" appeal. Though seemingly dismissive of "art", he worked in tremendously artistically thoughtful projects such as Charles Laughton's Night of the Hunter, and even co wrote and composed an oratorio produced at the Hollywood Bowl by Orson Welles. A master of accents and seemingly unconcerned about his star image, he played in both forgettable and unforgettable films with unswerving nonchalance, leading many to overlook the prodigious talent he can bring to a project which he finds compelling. He moved into television in the Eighties as his film opportunities diminished, winning new fans with "The Winds of War" and "War and Remembrance"
Here are some quotes from Robert Mitchum about himself:
"I've still got the same attitude I had when I started. I haven't changed anything but my underwear"
"There are all kinds of rumors about me. and they're all true, every one of them. You can make some up if you want"
"Years ago, I saved up a million dollars from acting - a lot of money then -and I spent it all on a
"Only difference between me and other actors is I've spent more time in jail"
horse farm in Tucson. Now when I go down there,
I look at the place and I realize my whole acting career adds up to a million dollars worth of horseshit"
And here are some things other people said *about* Robert Mitchum:
"Bob is one of the best actors in the world. In addition he can imitate any accent there is....He has great talent. He'd make the best Macbeth of any actor living. All his tough talk is a blind, you know. He's a literate, gracious, kind man, with wonderful manners, and he speaks beautifully - when he wants too. He's a very tender man and a very real gentleman. You know he's really terribly shy. I can tell you one thing: he won't thank you for destroying the image he has built up as a defense....He's one of my very favorite people in the whole world. I can't praise him too much."
Charles Laughton,director of NIGHT OF THE HUNTER
This Robert Mitchum site was updated November 2000 and will continue to grow and expand so come back for updates and added materials.
This site is unofficial and meant only for entertainment.
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