Cameron Mitchell

Actor

About

Birth Place

Dallastown, Pennsylvania, USA

Born

November 04, 1918

Died

July 06, 1994

Cause of Death

Lung Cancer

Biography

Filmography

The Other Side of the Wind (2018)

Moulin Rouge! (2001)

Terror in Beverly Hills (1991)

Trapped Alive (1990)

John Adams

Swift Justice (1989)

Code Name Vengeance (1989)

Dutch

Photos & Videos

View All

House Of Bamboo (1955) -- (Movie Clip) When You Act Like A Hoodlum

All Mine To Give (1957) -- (Movie Clip) Not On The Lord's Day

Biography

Burly, tough-guy leading man and character actor famous as the hard-drinking, hardworking Buck Cannon on the TV series "High Chaparral." Mitchum began appearing in films in 1945 and, after playing many character roles and occasional leads in B action films and Westerns, began to make some headway after playing Happy, one of Willy Loman's (Fredric March) sons in a film adaptation of Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman" (1951). A breakthrough into big-budget, big-star films came when he was one of the three male consorts paired up with Betty Grable, Marilyn Monroe and Lauren Bacall in "How to Marry a Millionaire" (1953). (He got Grable.) Prominent leads--as in "Love Me or Leave Me" (1955), opposite Doris Day and James Cagney--continued for a number of years, though Mitchell also frequently played second lead, romantic rival, supportive chum or sometime supporting villain in many films as well.

Although he never fully achieved star status in features, Mitchell remained prolific until the early 1990s, with nearly 100 feature credits to his name. As with many other aging leading man, he began to make films in Europe during the 1960s, and played more character roles as the years passed. Some of Mitchell's more notable films during the latter part of his career include Monte Hellman's unusual Western, "Ride in the Whirlwind" (1966) and other features including "Buck and the Preacher" (1972), "The Swarm" (1978), "My Favorite Year" (1982) and "Code Name Vengeance" (1989). Though many of his credits are decidedly minor fare--29 of them during his last decade of work alone--Mitchell brought intelligence, grit and commitment to his roles, appearing in action films, horror thrillers and other similar items until shortly before his death.

Filmography

Life Events

1945

Made first films, "They Were Expendable" and "What Next, Corporal Hargrove?"

1948

Played first leading role in a feature, and first received top billing in "Adventures of Gallant Bess"

1951

Breakthrough feature film role, Happy in an adaptation of Arthur Miller's landmark play, "Death of a Salesman"

1953

Breakthrough romantic lead in a big-budget, major studio release, "How to Marry a Millionaire"

1963

Made first film abroad with the Italian-Spanish co-production, "Il Duca Nero"

1991

Last film, "Terror in Beverly Hills"

Photo Collections

Love Me or Leave Me - Behind-the-Scenes Photos

Here are several photos taken behind-the-scenes during production of MGM's Love Me or Leave Me (1955), starring James Cagney and Doris Day.

Videos

House Of Bamboo (1955) -- (Movie Clip) When You Act Like A Hoodlum We remain far from clear on the nature of game being played by Robert Stack as Spanier, an American goon looking to shake down various Tokyo merchants, but he finally reaches Robert Ryan (his first scene, as Dawson, backed by Cameron Mitchell et al), full of attitude himself, in director Samuel Fuller’s shot-in-Japan House Of Bamboo, 1955.

All Mine To Give (1957) -- (Movie Clip) Not On The Lord's Day New in 1857 Wisconsin, Eunson (Cameron Mitchell) and pregnant wife Marnie (Glynis Johns) have a rough visit with Mrs. Runyon (Reta Shaw), then get a better shake from neighbors, Roy Engel and Royal Dano leading the way, in All Mine To Give, 1957, from the Cosmopolitan story by Katherine Eunson.

All Mine To Give (1957) -- (Movie Clip) I'm Scottish! Immigrant frontiersman Eunson (Cameron Mitchell) awakened (by Hope Emerson) at the birth of his first child, mother Marnie (Glynis Johns) glowing, the grown boy (Rex Thompson narrating) then describing the first meeting with Cullen (Alan Hale Jr.), in RKO's All Mine To Give, 1957.

Man On A Tightrope (1953) -- (Movie Clip) Czechoslovakia, 1952 Opening with noise and some scale, shooting on location in Bavaria, Germany, director Elia Kazan introduces leading man Fredric March as circus boss Cernik, Gloria Grahame his wife, Paul Hartman his aide, Terry Moore his daughter, Cameron Mitchell her friend, in the feature Kazan made after Viva Zapata! but before On The Waterfront, Man On A Tightrope, 1953.

Man On A Tightrope (1953) -- (Movie Clip) Show Your Teeth! Ever-interesting work by director Elia Kazan, Gloria Grahame as the maybe-straying circus manager’s wife Zama, determined to flirt with the worried lion tamer (Alex D’Arcy), then another relationship emphasizing idyllic Bavarian locations, with the manager’s daughter Terry Moore and boyfriend Cameron Mitchell, in Man On A Tightrope, 1953.

No Down Payment (1957) -- (Movie Clip) Born At The Right Time At the barbecue Jeffrey Hunter and Patricia Owens are new arrivals David and Jean, all are accustomed to Tony Randall (as Jerry) drinking, Barbara Rush, Sheree North, Patricia Owens and Joanne Woodward as spouses, Cameron Mitchell as Troy, Pat Hingle the host Herm, in the suburban exposè No Down Payment, 1957.

No Down Payment (1957) -- (Movie Clip) Open, Serving All Of Southern California Pretty fascinating as a record of early suburban LA, interstates and roads around Pacific Palisades, Martin Ritt directing Jeffrey Hunter and Patricia Owens in the car, Cameron Mitchell, Joanne Woodward, Tony Randall, Sheree North, Barbara Rush among their neighbors-to-be leaving church, opening No Down Payment, 1957.

No Down Payment (1957) -- (Movie Clip) This Is A Snap The first full go-round of the four suburban couples, Pat Hingle and Barbara Rush greet new neighbors Jeffrey Hunter and Patricia Owens, observed by Sheree North, then Joanne Woodward with spouse Cameron Mitchell, Tony Randall the last to appear, Martin Ritt directing from the novel by John McPartland, in No Down Payment, 1957.

Ride In The Whirlwind (1972) -- (Movie Clip) Fell On His Knife (Harry) Dean Stanton as “Blind” Dick and his gang, holed up after a robbery, have decided to be friendly with cow-punchers Vern, Otis and Wes (Cameron Mitchell, Tom Filer and Jack Nicholson, who also wrote the script), who are nervous after finding a hanged guy earlier, in Ride In The Whirlwind, 1972.

Ride In The Whirlwind (1972) -- (Movie Clip) Human Fruit After a long prologue in which some other guys robbed a stagecoach, we meet Vern (Cameron Mitchell), Otis (Tom Filer) and Wes (Jack Nicholson, who also wrote the original screenplay) apparently not far away, making a grim discovery, Monte Hellman directing, in Ride In The Whirlwind, 1972.

Tenth Avenue Angel (1948) -- (Movie Clip) Not So Nice Cameron Mitchell narrates, recalling Depression era New York, and his meeting with Flavia (Margaret O'Brien, title character) who soon joins neighborhood sage and news vendor Mac (Rhys Williams), opening Tenth Avenue Angel, 1948, also starring George Murphy and Angela Lansbury.

Ride In The Whirlwind (1972) -- (Movie Clip) What Way To Run Innocent cowhands Wes (Jack Nicholson, also the screenwriter) and Vern (Cameron Mitchell), on the run from a posse that believes they’re robbers, have taken mom Catherine (Katherine Squire) hostage, and must keep daughter Abigail (Millie Perkins) quiet, in director Monte Hellman’s Ride In The Whirlwind, 1972.

Viva Knievel! (1977) -- (Original Trailer) vivianievel_TR

Tension at Table Rock - (Original Trailer) When the owner of a stagecoach station is killed, a gunman takes his place in Tension at Table Rock (1956) starring Richard Egan.

Hidden Eye, The - (Original Trailer) Blind detective Duncan Maclaine (Edward Arnold) uses his other senses to piece together confusing clues behind a murder in The Hidden Eye (1945).

How to Marry a Millionaire - (Original Trailer) Three models pool their resources to rent a posh penthouse in hopes of snaring rich husbands in How to Marry a Millionaire (1953) starring Lauren Bacall, Marilyn Monroe & Betty Grable.

Cass Timberlane - (Original Trailer) An aging judge creates a scandal when he marries a younger woman from the wrong side of the tracks in Cass Timberlane (1947) starring Spencer Tracy and Lana Turner.

Love Me or Leave Me -- (Original Trailer) Doris Day stars in the true story of torch singer Ruth Etting and her attempts to escape the gangster (James Cagney) who made her a star in Love Me or Leave Me (1955), directed by Charles Vidor.

Buck and the Preacher - (Original Trailer) A con man (Harry Belafonte) helps a group of former slaves survive the perils of the wild West in Buck and the Preacher (1971) directed by and starring Sidney Poitier.

Desiree - (Original Trailer) A young woman (Jean Simmons) wins the heart of Napoleon (Marlon Brando), though the two can never be together in Desiree (1954).

Carousel - (Original Trailer) A dramatic love story unfolds between a rough-talking, macho carousel barker, and a young, innocent mill worker in Carousel (1956).

High Barbaree - (Original Trailer) As he awaits rescue in the South Pacific, a downed pilot (Van Johnson) tells his wounded companion the story of High Barbaree (1947).

My Favorite Year - (Original Trailer) A flamboyant star throws a TV comedy show into chaos in My Favorite Year (1982) starring Peter O'Toole.

What Next, Corporal Hargrove? - (Original Trailer) A bumbling soldier and his scheming friend take France by storm in What Next, Corporal Hargrove? (1945) starring Robert Walker.

Family

Fred Mitchell

Son

Meat packing plant executive. Born c. 1947; suffered from cystic fibrosis; saved by heart-lung transplant in 1990; head of Intercontinental Packers Ltd in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.

About

Biography

Filmography

Photos & Videos

Biography

Filmography

Cast (Feature Film)

Cast (Special)

Cast (Short)

Cast (TV Mini-Series)

Life Events

1945

1948

1951

1953

1963

1991

Photo Collections

Videos

Movie Clip

Trailer

Family

Bibliography

TCM Emails