
John Newman Mitchum was the September child of a Norwegian mother and an Irish/Blackfoot father whom he never knew, as he was killed in a tragic train yard accident in 1919. His two-years-older brother Robert filled the role as best as he could, while their older sister Annette studied the lively arts and eventually joined a traveling vaudeville team. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the young family moved to Rising Sun, Delaware, where farm life didn't agree with the young boys. Scarce opportunities took them to New York City, where the streets of Hell's kitchen taught the brothers to fight, a skill they developed so well they earned the moniker 'them ornery Mitchum boys'. Eventually, when the Great Depression deepened, the family was forced to separate with the intention of meeting up with sister Annette, who had married a sailor and moved to California, changing her name to Julie. The teenage boys set out with little more than clean handkerchiefs to find their way across the country by the only means they could: hitchhiking and riding the rails. Their somewhat aimless journey took them to places they had never been; where their Eastern accents were not welcome, so they quickly learned that accurately mimicking the local dialect would keep them out of trouble--some of the time! While brother Robert fairly quickly discovered his place in Hollywood legend, John sought his destiny on the high seas, professionally boxing, or conducting a choir. When the opportunity for acting came along John found his perfect niche as a character actor, mostly playing heavies since he was an imposing figure of a man. John's roles had him playing alongside a wide range of celebrities, from Humphrey Bogart in "Knock On Any Door" (1949) to Gladys Knight in "Pipe Dreams" (1976), Clint Eastwood of "Dirty Harry" (1971) to John Wayne in "Chisum" (1970), appearing in 58 films overall. It was during production of "Chisum" that John Wayne offered his voice for an anthology of John's poetry that seeks to uplift US culture, "America, Why I Love Her", a recording for which Mitchum was nominated for a Grammy in 1973. John was a consummate storyteller (as was his brother Robert), and with his fascination with US history in particular he was ever-ready to regale anyone with a thoughtful, interesting, and insightful anecdote, especially if a guitar was available. It was the wedding of music and history that brought him to create the recording "Our Land, Our Heritage" with Dan Blocker; big "Hoss" from "Bonanza", in 1964. Mitchum had some recurring roles throughout his television career; such as "Pickalong" from "Riverboat", or "Hoffenmueller" from "F-Troop", over 150 appearances in all during the span of a half-century career. The brothers Mitchum legacy has been well-preserved in his often hilarious autobiography, "Them Ornery Mitchum Boys", published in 1989. The subjects range from brother Robert escaping a Georgia chain-gang to his "poontang" interview; from John surviving an attacking whale on a three-masted schooner to his adventures riding the rails, developing a great love and respect for the people of the United States.

トワイライト・ゾーン

Christy

大草原の小さな家

The Munsters

奥さまは魔女

アンタッチャブル

Perry Mason

事件記者コルチャック

孤独な場所で

マイ・フェア・レディ

Robert Mitchum: The Reluctant Star

Pistols 'n' Petticoats

The Thin Man

Mr. Terrific

ボナンザ

Quincy, M.E.

ダーティハリー

アウトロー

エル・ドラド

荒野のストレンジャー

バットマン

Have Gun, Will Travel

Rawhide

The Waltons

ダーティハリー2

Adam-12

Maverick

The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp

鬼警部アイアンサイド

ダーティハリー3

チザム

The Lusty Men

Gunsmoke

Telefon

Laramie

The Man Who Broke 1,000 Chains

Operation Mad Ball

Thriller

軍用列車

The Tall Stranger

バンドレロ

Screen Director's Playhouse

Trackdown

ドラグネット

バージニアン

ペンチャー・ワゴン

5 Steps to Danger

Warning Shot

Hoodwinked

Laredo

Sergeant Preston of the Yukon

Cole Younger, Gunfighter

Cattle King

暗黒への転落

F Troop

Richard Diamond, Private Detective

Riverboat

The Mod Squad

Nightmare

The Way West

Brainstorm

Battle Flame

The Prairie

Perils of the Wilderness

Crackle of Death

A Family for Joe

生まれながらの悪女

Do Not Fold, Spindle, or Mutilate

Suspicion

Bronco

Flying Leathernecks

Guns Girls and Gangsters

Hitler

The Gunfight at Dodge City

Submarine Command

Ride Out for Revenge

Up In Smoke

One More Train to Rob

The Pace That Thrills

Savage

Johnny Rocco

M Squad

Shed No Tears

The Man Is Armed

The Plainsman

The Legend of Jesse James

Death in Small Doses

The Bonnie Parker Story

Nice Girls Don't Stay for Breakfast

The Young Rebels

Chandler

The Hanged Man

The Devil's Sleep

Escapes

Bigfoot

Bloody Trail

Where's Willie?

I Led Three Lives

Panic!

Studio 57