CLAIM TO TOUGH GUY FAME:
Although he broke out playing stoic heroes in war films, Mitchum is probably best known for his work in several classics of the film noir genre. His portrayal of morally compromised characters in the 1940s paved the way for the antihero archetype that became popular in the decades to come. Perhaps his most memorable role came in 1947’s Out of the Past. You should absolutely go out of your way to see this one, as it’s not only one of the finest film noirs ever made, but one of my personal favorite films.
In addition to playing rugged soldiers and cynical antiheroes, Mitchum flexed his Tough Guy chops in portraying two of the most terrifying and memorable villains in Hollywood history, psychopathic reverend Harry Powell in the classic Night of the Hunter (1955), and relentless predatory stalker Max Cady in Cape Fear (1962).
Acting with a subtle, understated, almost indifferent style that gave him an ever-cool persona, the sleepy-eyed Mitchum remained a go-to Hollywood Tough Guy for decades, complete with a real-life “bad boy” reputation from a lifestyle of heavy partying, womanizing, and run-ins with the law.
WAS HE TOUGH IN REAL LIFE?
You bet! Following his father’s gruesome death in a work-related accident when Robert was just one year old, his mother remarried a retired Naval officer. Robert bristled against his stepfather’s strict upbringing and rebelled at an early age, constantly getting into trouble for fighting and other mischief.
When he was twelve, he was sent away to live with his grandparents in the hopes of straightening out his behavior. Gifted with a fresh start at a new school, he didn’t make it long before he was expelled for trying to fight the principal. Sent away once again to live with his sister in Hell’s Kitchen, his continued troublemaking got him kicked out of high school, prompting him to leave home by stowing away on a freight train to travel the country looking for work.
At just 14, he was arrested for vagrancy and sentenced to work on a chain gang. After managing to escape, the homeless fugitive continued to hop trains during the Great Depression and take whatever jobs he could, typically rough manual labor such as digging ditches and mining coal. The naturally scrappy teenager even dabbled in professional boxing, earning prize money fighting men twice his age. By age 16, he suffered a serious work-related injury and nearly had to have his leg amputated.
In 1948, then an established star, he found himself doing time once again after being busted for possession of marijuana in a sting operation targeting Hollywood partiers. He served 43 days in prison before his conviction was overturned due to entrapment. The scandal did not affect his popularity or marketability, as he seamlessly returned to stardom after his release and was bigger than ever.
PATH TO GREATNESS:
Mitchum’s illicit train-hopping lifestyle eventually landed him in California, where he reunited with his sister, who had moved to the west coast to pursue her dream of being a movie star. She convinced her aimless brother to join a local theater company with her, and he reluctantly agreed, working as a stagehand. Before long, he became intrigued and absorbed by the craft and began not only acting in minor roles, but writing original scenes and plays for the company to perform.
His acting career was interrupted when World War II broke out and he was drafted into the Army. He served as a medic just eight months before being discharged and managed to avoid being deployed into combat. Back in California, Mitchum contributed to the ongoing war effort by working as a machinist for Lockheed, but he quit after the grueling, high-stress job severely damaged his hearing and sight and led to a nervous breakdown.
Desperate for another way to support his new wife and two young children, Mitchum headed to nearby Hollywood for work and went for broke pursuing film roles. Before long, the ruggedly handsome and stalwart aspiring actor was landing a series of minor Tough Guy roles. He broke out with a supporting role in the 1944 war film Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo.
This memorable performance earned him a multi-picture deal with a major studio, and the following year, a prominent role in the smash-hit war epic The Story of G.I. Joe got him noticed in a major way, establishing him as a bankable star and permanently elevating him from supporting player to perineal leading man. Headlining roles followed, and the dependable Mitchum remained one of Hollywood’s biggest stars throughout the 1940s, 50s, 60s, and 70s.
NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
In 1946, Mitchum received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role as a disillusioned but steadfast Army officer in The Story of G.I. Joe (1945).
Mitchum has been honored with a number of lifetime achievement awards recognizing his immense contributions to The Golden Age of Hollywood, including the 1991 Cecil B. Demille Golden Globe Award.
In 1968, a teenage magazine poll to choose the “coolest” celebrity ranked Robert Mitchum number one, who was in his 50s at the time.
In 1999, he was included on the prestigious American Film Institute's list of the greatest screen legends of all time.
FUN TOUGH GUY FACTS:
Possessing an amazing photographic memory, Mitchum would glance at a script and have all his lines memorized. Because of this gift, he almost never rehearsed a scene prior to filming, much to the chagrin and annoyance of his directors and fellow actors.
Blessed with musical talent as well, Mitchum was known for his incredible baritone voice. In addition to doing his own singing in films, he released two well-received records of original music, charting three songs in the Billboard Hot 100.
KEY FILMS:
Out of the Past (1947), Night of the Hunter (1955), Thunder Road (1958), Cape Fear (1962), The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973)