Robert Mitchum a great star of drowsiness.
His talento on and off-screen, he was known for his facade of cool, sleepy-eyed indifference, Deep, commanding, yet lively voice, Dimpled chin, Often played loners and drifters
Actor (135 credits)
1992-1994
African Skies
(TV Series)
Sam Dutton
Sam Dutton
- Poker Face
(1994)
... Sam Dutton
- Star Turn
(1994)
... Sam Dutton
- Natural Beauty
(1994)
... Sam Dutton
- Noah and the Arc
(1994)
... Sam Dutton
- Head in the Sand
(1994)
... Sam Dutton
1990
A Family for Joe
(TV Series)
Joe Whitaker
Joe Whitaker
- Having a Baby
(1990)
... Joe Whitaker
- Night School
(1990)
... Joe Whitaker
- Once a Bum
(1990)
... Joe Whitaker
- Law and Order
(1990)
... Joe Whitaker
- Life of the Party
(1990)
... Joe Whitaker
1988-1989
Recuerdos de guerra
(TV Mini-Series)
Capt. Victor 'Pug' Henry
Capt. Victor 'Pug' Henry
- Part 12
(1989)
... Capt. Victor 'Pug' Henry
- Part 11
(1989)
... Capt. Victor 'Pug' Henry
(credit only)
- Part 10
(1989)
... Capt. Victor 'Pug' Henry
- Part 9
(1989)
... Capt. Victor 'Pug' Henry
- Part 8
(1989)
... Capt. Victor 'Pug' Henry
1987
El ecualizador
(TV Series)
Richard Dyson
Richard Dyson
- Mission: McCall: Part 2
(1987)
... Richard Dyson
(uncredited)
- Mission: McCall: Part 1
(1987)
... Richard Dyson
1985
Norte y Sur
(TV Mini-Series)
Patrick Flynn
Patrick Flynn
- Episode #1.6
(1985)
... Patrick Flynn
(credit only)
- Episode #1.5
(1985)
... Patrick Flynn
(credit only)
- Episode #1.4
(1985)
... Patrick Flynn
(credit only)
- Episode #1.3
(1985)
... Patrick Flynn
(credit only)
- Episode #1.2
(1985)
... Patrick Flynn
1983
Vientos de guerra
(TV Mini-Series)
Victor 'Pug' Henry
Victor 'Pug' Henry
- Into the Maelstrom
(1983)
... Victor 'Pug' Henry
- The Changing of the Guard
(1983)
... Victor 'Pug' Henry
- Of Love and War
(1983)
... Victor 'Pug' Henry
- Defiance
(1983)
... Victor 'Pug' Henry
- Cataclysm
(1983)
... Victor 'Pug' Henry
Overview:
Biography
Robert Mitchum was an underrated American leading man of
enormous ability, who sublimated his talents beneath an air of
disinterest. He was a son of Ann Harriet
(Gunderson), a Norwegian immigrant, and James Thomas Mitchum, a
shipyard/railroad worker. His father died in a train accident when he
was two years, and Robert and his siblings (including brother John Mitchum,
later also an actor) were raised by his mother and stepfather (a
British army major) in Connecticut, New York, and Delaware. 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 (including ghostwriter for astrologist Carroll Righter),
Mitchum discovered acting in a Long Beach, California, amateur theater
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 También somos seres humanos
(1945) and received his only Oscar nomination as Best Supporting Actor.
His star ascended rapidly, and he became an icon of 1940s 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 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 La noche del cazador (1955) 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 that he finds compelling. He moved into television in the 1980s as his film opportunities diminished, winning new fans with Vientos de guerra (1983) and Recuerdos de guerra (1988).
His sons James Mitchum and Christopher Mitchum are actors, as is his grandson Bentley Mitchum. His last film was James Dean: Carrera contra el destino (1997) with Casper Van Dien as James Dean.
His star ascended rapidly, and he became an icon of 1940s 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 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 La noche del cazador (1955) 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 that he finds compelling. He moved into television in the 1980s as his film opportunities diminished, winning new fans with Vientos de guerra (1983) and Recuerdos de guerra (1988).
His sons James Mitchum and Christopher Mitchum are actors, as is his grandson Bentley Mitchum. His last film was James Dean: Carrera contra el destino (1997) with Casper Van Dien as James Dean.
Spouse Dorothy Mitchum 15-3-40 or 1-7-1997.
(3 children)  |
Grandfather of actors Bentley Mitchum and Price Mitchum, actress Carrie Mitchum and male model Kian Mitchum.
Sidelines: Played the saxophone and wrote poetry.
In 1947, he and Gary Gray recorded the songs from Rachel y el forastero
(1948) for Delta Records' soundtrack album. In 1968, he recorded
another album, entitled "That Man Robert Mitchum... Sings". It included
the track "Little Old Wine Drinker Me", which later became a hit for Dean Martin. In 1998, these songs were released on CD as "Robert Mitchum Sings".
Briefly served in the United States Army during World War II, with
service number 39 744 068, from April 12 - October 11, 1945, after he
was drafted. According to Lee Server's 2001 biography, "Robert Mitchum:
Baby I Don't Care", Mitchum said he served as a medic at an induction
department, checking recruits' genitals for venereal disease (a "pecker
checker"). Always the iconoclast, although he did not want to join the
military, he served honorably and was discharged as a Private First
Class and received the World War II Victory Medal.
Was one of four actors (with Jack Nicholson, Bette Davis, and Faye Dunaway)
to have two villainous roles ranked in the American Film Institute's
100 years of The Greatest Heroes and Villains, as Max Cady in El cabo del terror (1962) at #28 and as Reverend Harry Powell in La noche del cazador (1955) at #29.
He was accused of anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial after an interview he gave promoting promoting Vientos de guerra (1983) at his home in 1983. Mitchum later said he had been going into character as the bigoted football coach he had played in Cuando fuimos campeones (1982), and the interviewer had failed to realize this.
Carefully maintained a facade of indifference, always lazily
insisting that he made movies just so he could get laid, score some pot,
and make money, and cared nothing about art. This is surely true of
some films, which he likely picked to make money, but certain directors
and films seemed to secretly pique his interest, including his work with
Charles Laughton, John Huston and Howard Hawks.
He was voted the 61st Greatest Movie Star of all time by Entertainment Weekly.
Was mentioned by name as part of The Velvet Underground song "New Age" (from the 1970 album "Loaded").
In the 1950s, he was selected by Howard Hughes
to appear in a series of films he was producing. Hughes considered
Mitchum a "friend," but (as a paranoid recluse) hardly met the actor.
Mitchum was halfway put off and halfway amused by the "crazy old man"
and clearly saw that he was a surrogate for Hughes as the strapping
actor "romanced" young starlets on screen.
Michael Madsen called Mitchum his "role model" and inspiration to take up acting as a profession.
Was close friends with Richard Egan, and served as a pallbearer at his funeral in 1987.
Was named #23 greatest actor on The 50 Greatest Screen Legends by the American Film Institute.
Turned down the lead role of Gen. George S. Patton in Patton
(1970), allegedly because he believed he would ruin the film due to his
indifference. During a Turner Classic Movies interview with Robert Osborne,
Mitchum said that he knew the movie could be a great one due to the
script, but that the studio would want to concentrate on battles and
tanks moving around on screen rather than on the character of Patton.
Mitchum believed that with himself in the role, the movie would turn out
mediocre; what was needed was a passionate actor who would fight his
corner to keep the focus on Patton, an actor like George C. Scott, whom Mitchum recommended to the producers.
Treated for alcoholism at the Betty Ford Center in 1984.
Died one day before his Detective privado (1978) co-star James Stewart.
Biography public in: "American National Biography." Supplement 1, pp. 414-416. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002. Así se vive en Hollywood 2007, Juan José Videgain.
Robert's father, James Thomas Mitchum, was born in Lane,
Williamsburg, South Carolina. James had English ancestry. Robert's
mother, Ann Harriet (Gunderson), was Norwegian, from Kristiania, Oslo,
Norway. Robert is sometimes described as having Native American ancestry
on his father's side. It is not clear if this ancestry has been
verified/documented.
He was cremated and his ashes scattered at sea by wife Dorothy Mitchum and neighbor Jane Russell. At Mitchum's insistence, no memorial service was held.
His driving license from 1950 gave his height as 6' even, one inch
less than usually reported. However, Mitchum described himself as being
exactly six feet tall in interviews.
His vocal support for the Vietnam War failed to affect his appeal
with American youth, and in 1968, a poll of teenagers declared him the
coolest celebrity. Mitchum responded that they must have missed his
recent films.
During a break in filming Recuerdos de guerra (1988) in August 1987, Mitchum replaced his friend John Huston as an aging millionaire in Mr. North (1988) after Huston, who suffered from emphysema, was hospitalized with pneumonia. In October 1987, Mitchum filled in for Edward Woodward, who was recovering from a heart attack, in a special two-part episode of El ecualizador (1985).
His arrest for marijuana possession in the late 1940s was one of
the first times a major actor had been jailed for this crime. According
to Lee Server's 2001 biography, "Robert Mitchum: Baby I Don't Care", he
was still smoking pot into his old age.
Was the defendant in FTC (Federal Taxation Commissioner) vs.
Mitchum (1965), a famous taxation case in Australia, in relation to
income earned in Australia while working there on Tres vidas errantes (1960).
He was a huge fan of Elvis Presley's early music, and wanted Presley to star with him in Camino de odio (1958). Unfortunately, Tom Parker's demands for Presley's salary could not be met in this independent production, which Mitchum was financing himself.
In 1981, he fired his secretary, Reva Frederick, when he closed
his office. Mitchum was subsequently sued as she claimed he owed her a
pension back-dated to 1961. There was no paperwork to support this
claim, and she dropped her suit when evidence was discovered that she
had stolen millions of dollars from Mitchum over the years. As part of
the "deal", he agreed not to prosecute. During the course of these
events, Ms. Fredrick suffered a stroke from which she never fully
recovered.
He was persuaded by his manager Antonio Consentino, a die-hard Republican, to campaign for George Bush
in the 1992 presidential election. He also narrated a biographical film
of the President for the Republican National Convention, and attended a
fundraiser at Bob Hope's house in Hollywood.
His performance as Reverend Harry Powell in La noche del cazador (1955) is ranked #71 on Premiere magazine's 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time.
Mitchum once said that Reverend Harry Powell, the murderous villain he played in La noche del cazador (1955), was his favorite role.
He seriously considered retiring from acting in 1968 due to
concerns over the quality of his recent movies. After a year's absence,
during which he spent much of the time driving around America visiting
old friends and staying in motels, he was lured back to star in La hija de Ryan (1970).
Visited his son Christopher Mitchum on the set of Río Lobo (1970). Director Howard Hawks asked the elder Mitchum to reprise his El Dorado (1966) role as a drunken sheriff, but Mitchum claimed he was now retired. John Wayne responded, "Mitch has been retiring ever since the first day I met him.".
He was fired from Callejón sangriento
(1955), allegedly for getting drunk and arguing with a crew member whom
he then proceeded to throw into a nearby river, a charge Mitchum has
always denied.
Turned down the leading role in Sam Peckinpah's masterpiece Grupo salvaje (1969), which went to his old friend William Holden, and made El póker de la muerte (1968). His excuse was they were both westerns.
El póker de la muerte (1968), the showdown between Hollywood's two deities of indifference, produced no sparks on or off the screen. Dean Martin
remained in his trailer watching television after filming was
completed, and delivered his lines as though he had memorized them
phonetically. The only excitement came when a massive camera collapsed
and nearly hammered Mitchum into the ground. Instead, the star moved
casually aside while thousands of dollars worth of equipment smashed
around him.
Replaced Burt Lancaster in Los amantes de María (1984) after the elder actor was forced to undergo emergency quadruple heart bypass surgery.
After two weeks of shooting on the movie Tombstone: La leyenda de Wyatt Earp (1993), the studio fired writer (director) Kevin Jarre and hired George P. Cosmatos. He, with Kurt Russell's
input, cut a number of scenes (for actors) and changed them to new
action scenes, weakening a beautifully written script. Part of what was
cut was the old man Ike's character. As Mitchum had already signed the
contract, they had him do the voice-over instead.
Though respectful of Robert De Niro's
talent, Mitchum was amused by the young Method actor's habit of
remaining in character all day as film studio chief Monroe Stahr during
the filming of El último magnate (1976). Mitchum gave De Niro the nickname "Kid Monroe", and made many jokes about him with the older actors on the set like Ray Milland and Dana Andrews.
Many critics were unconvinced by the 65-year-old Mitchum winning World War II in Vientos de guerra (1983). When the producers made a sequel, Recuerdos de guerra (1988), they worried that a 70-year-old Mitchum would be even less convincing and considered replacing him with James Coburn.
Eventually they decided that what they would gain in fewer wrinkles,
they would lose in Mitchum's formidable screen presence and charisma.
Presented with a People's Choice Award backstage by Charlton Heston for Recuerdos de guerra (1988) during the 1989 ceremony in Beverly Hills, California.
Turned down Gene Hackman's role as drug-busting policeman Popeye Doyle in French Connection. Contra el imperio de la droga (1971) because he found the story offensive.
While filming El Dorado (1966) Mitchum was amused by co-star John Wayne's
attempts to play his screen persona to the hilt in real life. He
recalled that Wayne wore four-inch lifts to increase his height and had
the roof of his car raised so he could drive wearing his Stetson.
Mitchum was in poor health while filming Vientos de guerra (1983), and once again there was talk of retirement. He filmed Los amantes de María (1984) despite suffering from a solid case of pneumonia.
He claimed his famous eyes were the result of a combination of
injuries from his boxing days and chronic insomnia, which he suffered
from throughout his life.
In 1959, the Mitchums moved out of Hollywood and into a farm they
had bought on the Maryland shore of Chesapeake Bay, near the town of
Trappe. In 1965, the family returned to Hollywood, largely at wife Dorothy Mitchum's
insistence, and moved into a modest, ivy-covered mansion in Bel Air.
Mitchum also purchased a 76-acre ranch near Los Angeles, mostly as a
home for his growing collection of quarter horses.
The 60-year-old Mitchum impressed Oliver Reed, Britain's legendary hellraiser, by drinking a whole bottle of gin in 55 minutes on the set of Detective privado (1978).
Is mentioned in the Queens of the Stone Age song "The Fun Machine Took a Shit and Died", off their 2007 album "Era Vulgaris".
Early in his career many newspapers and fan magazines promoted him as a "new" Clark Gable, perhaps because both actors had strongly masculine images and powerful, distinctive voices. With Retorno al pasado (1947) however, Mitchum proved that he was a great star in his own right.
Was mentioned in the song "One More Arrow" by Elton John.
Was the inspiration for the Kurt Busiek's Astro City character "Steeljack".
Is the subject of the song "Robert Mitchum" by Swedish singer Olle Ljungström, available on his album "Världens Räddaste Man" (translates "The World's Most Terrified Man").
Mitchum was cast by Howard Hughes in Holiday Affair (1949) because Hughes felt that Mitchum needed to "soften" his image after his marijuana conviction and prison sentence.
Turned down the role that eventually went to Tony Curtis in Fugitivos
(1958). Mitchum, a real-life veteran of a Southern chain gang, did not
believe the premise that a black man and a white man would be chained
together and said that such a thing would never happen in the South.
Over the years, this reason was corrupted to the point where many people
now believe Mitchum turned down the role because he did not want to be
chained to a black man, an absolute falsehood. Curtis repeated the
inaccurate story in his autobiography, but later recanted after
Mitchum's real reason was explained to him.
Dwight Whitney wrote in "TV Guide" on June 7, 1969 about Mitchum
that there is the "suggestion, implicit in every utterance, that within
the body of this 'movie-star' lies imprisoned the soul of a poet.".
According to Mitchum biographer John Belton, during the shooting of Corrientes ocultas (1946) Katharine Hepburn
told Mitchum, "You know you can't act, and if you hadn't been
good-looking, you would have never gotten a picture. I'm tired of
playing with people who have nothing to offer.".
As of November 2013, Mitchum remains the subject of a documentary, still in progress after some 20 years, by Bruce Weber, which was screened at the Venice Film Festival in August 2013.
While at RKO Radio Pictures, Mitchum became the first male movie
star to refuse to shave his chest for shirtless roles. In order to avoid
that, he allowed himself to develop a pot belly to avoid having to take
his shirt off at all.
Mitchum refused to be interviewed for George Eells' biography of the actor.
Became good friends with legendary animal trainer Ralph Helfer's famous African Lion Zamba while filming the movie Safari en Malasia (1963).
One of the lesser-known aspects of Mitchum's career were his
forays into music, both as singer and composer. Critic Greg Adams writes
that "Unlike most celebrity vocalists, Robert Mitchum actually had
musical talent." 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 y el forastero (1948), Río sin retorno (1954) and La noche del cazador (1955). After hearing traditional calypso music and meeting artists such as Mighty Sparrow and Lord Invader while filming Sólo Dios lo sabe
(1957) in the Caribbean island of Tobago, he recorded Calypso - is like
so... in 1957. On the album, 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 the film Camino de odio
(1958), titled "The Ballad of Thunder Road". The country-style song
became a modest hit for Mitchum, reaching No. 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.
Personal Quotes of MR. Mitchum
The only difference between me and my fellow actors is that I've spent more time in jail.
I started out to be a sex fiend but couldn't pass the physical.
Movies bore me; especially my own.
I've still got the same attitude I had when I started. I haven't changed anything but my underwear.
[on his acting talents] Listen. I got three expressions: looking left, looking right and looking straight ahead.
People think I have an interesting walk. Hell, I'm just trying to hold my gut in.
[on press stories] They're all true - booze, brawls, broads, all true. Make up some more if you want to.
When I drop dead and they rush to the drawer, there's going to be nothing in it but a note saying 'later'.
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.
Years ago, I saved up a million dollars from acting, a lot of
money in those days, and I spent it all on a horse farm in Tucson. Now
when I go down there, I look at that place and I realize my whole acting
career adds up to a million dollars worth of horse shit.
I have two acting styles: with and without a horse.
Every two or three years, I knock off for a while. That way I'm always the new girl in the whorehouse.
I never changed anything, except my socks and my underwear. And I
never did anything to glorify myself or improve my lot. I took what came
and did the best I could with it.
[asked what jail was like, after being released on a marijuana
possession charge] It's like Palm Springs without the riff-raff.
Not that I'm a complete whore, understand. There are movies I won't do for any amount. I turned down Patton (1970) and I turned down Harry, el sucio (1971). Movies that piss on the world. If I've got five bucks in my pocket, I don't need to make money that f***ing way, daddy.
John Wayne
had four-inch lifts in his shoes. He had the overheads on his boat
accommodated to fit him. He had a special roof put in his station wagon.
The son-of-a-bitch, they probably buried him in his goddamn lifts.
There just isn't any pleasing some people. The trick is to stop trying.
[his opinion about the Vietnam war, in 1968]
Sure I was glad to see John Wayne win the Oscar. I'm always glad to see the fat lady win the Cadillac on television, too.
I've survived because I work cheap and don't take up too much time.
You know what the average Robert Mitchum fan is? He's full of
warts and dandruff and he's probably got a hernia too, but he sees me up
there on the screen and he thinks if that bum can make it, I can be
president.
I kept the same suit for six years - and the same dialog. We just changed the title of the picture and the leading lady.
I came back from the war and ugly heroes were in.
Young actors love me. They think if that big slob can make it, there's a chance for us.
[asked why, in his mid-60s, he took on the arduous task of an 18-hour mini-series, Vientos de guerra (1983)] It promised a year of free lunches.
How do I keep fit? I lay down a lot.
[on four-time co-star Deborah Kerr] The best, my favorite... Life would be kind if I could live it with Deborah around.
[1983] Stars today are just masturbation images.
[on Un hombre impone la ley
(1969)] How the hell did I get into this picture anyway? I kept reading
in the papers that I was going to do it, but when they sent me the
script I just tossed it on the heap with the rest of them. But somehow,
one Monday morning, here I was. How the hell do these things happen to a
man?
People make too much of acting. You are not helping anyone like
being a doctor or even a musician. In the final analysis, you have
exalted no one but yourself.
These kids only want to talk about acting method and motivation; in my day all we talked about was screwing and overtime.
I know production values are better, but are the scripts, are the
pictures? The thing is, it's a hell of a lot more work, and I don't see
overall where the films are any better, really?
I often regret my good reviews, because there is no point in doing
something I know to be inferior and then I find I have come off the
best in the film. Wouldn't you find that worrying?
[1948] I never will believe there is such a thing as a great actor.
I got a great life out of the movies. I've been all over the world
and met the most fantastic people. I don't really deserve all I've
gotten. It's a privileged life, and I know it.
Sometimes, I think I ought to go back and do at least one thing
really well. But again, indolence will probably cause me to hesitate
about finding a place to start. Part of that indolence perhaps is due to
shyness because I'm a natural hermit. I've been in constant motion of
escape all my life. I never really found the right corner to hide in.
Up there on the screen you're thirty feet wide, your eyeball is
six feet high, but it doesn't mean that you really amount to anything or
have anything important to say.
[1967] Where are the real artists? Today it's four-barreled carburetors and that's it.
[1968] The Rin Tin Tin method is good enough for me. That dog never worried about motivation or concepts and all that junk.
I only read the reviews of my films if they're amusing. Six books
have been written about me but I've only met two of the authors. They
get my name and birthplace wrong in the first paragraph. From there it's
all downhill.
[on working with Faye Dunaway]
When I got here I walked in thinking I was a star and then I found I
was supposed to do everything the way she says. Listen, I'm not going to
take any temperamental whims from anyone, I just take a long walk and
cool off. If I didn't do that, I know I'd wind up dumping her on her
derrière.
[asked what he looks for in a script before accepting a job] Days off.
[on Steve McQueen] He sure don't bring much brains to the party, that kid.
[on Jane Russell] Miss Russell was a very strong character. Very good-humored when she wasn't being cranky.
They think I don't know my lines. That's not true. I'm just too drunk to say 'em.
They could never decide to their satisfaction what type I was. One
would say, "He's a heart-broken Byronic." Another would say, "No, he
ain't; he's an all-American boy." People began talking about
Mitchum-type roles, but I still don't know what they mean. They'd paint
eyes on my eyelids, man, and I'd walk through it.
RKO made the same film with me for ten years. They were so alike I
wore the same suit in six of them and the same Burberry trench coat.
They made a male Jane Russell
out of me. I was the staff hero. They got so they wanted me to take
some of my clothes off in the pictures. I objected to this, so I put on
some weight and looked like a Bulgarian wrestler when I took my shirt
off. Only two pictures in that time made any sense whatever. I
complained and they told me frankly that they had a certain amount of
baloney to sell and I was the boy to do it.
I worked three pictures for 28 days straight. We'd shoot all night at RKO [La huella de un recuerdo (1946)], then I'd report to Corrientes ocultas (1946) from seven in the morning until noon, when I'd be flown to Monterey to work all afternoon with Greer Garson [Desire Me (1947)].
I get along with people very well, really. I do. I do. Really.
Every now and then, some guy gets the hots and figures to go home and
tell his old lady he just decked that motherfucker Mitchum. Why, she'll
shoot him, man! "Robert Mitchum? You stomped his ass? Why, you dirty
motherfucker!" Me, I'm easy. I don't go through red lights. I don't
steal.
The single thing I'm grateful for that's come out of the whole
[Vietnam] war mess has been the recognition of the need for
communication. I've gone sometimes on dangerous waters in the interest
of communication because I believe in it. I believe that everyone in the
world should at least have the privilege of knowing what's happening
all at the same time. One thing I've learned is that the greatest
fuckin' slavery is ignorance, and the biggest commodity is ignorance --
the dissemination of ignorance, the sale and burgeoning marketing of
ignorance.
No, I don't identify in my mind with criminals, but my exposure to
them has helped my understanding. Oh, sure, sure, sure, sure. Sure. I
know the freakers, you know -- the burglars, the uptighters, those
creeps who puke or jerk off or something every time they make a score,
so you can pick up on their modus operandi.
Salary of star.
| Hoppy Serves a Writ (1943) | $100 /week |
| Aerial Gunner (1943) | $75 /day |
| Border Patrol (1943) | $100 /week |
| Minesweeper (1943) | $75 /day |
| Story of G.I. Joe (1945) | $350 /week |
| Undercurrent (1946) | $25.000 |
| Desire Me (1947) | $25.000 |
| Out of the Past (1947) | $10.400 |
| Rachel and the Stranger (1948) | $3.000 /week |
| River of No Return (1954) | $5.000 /week |
| Home from the Hill (1960) | $200.000 + % of gross |
| The Sundowners (1960) | $200.000 |
| The Last Time I Saw Archie (1961) | $100.000 |
| Mister Moses (1965) | $400.000 |
| Secret Ceremony (1968) | $150.000 |
| Young Billy Young (1969) | $200.000 + 20% of gross |
| Ryan's Daughter (1970) | $870.000 |
| Agency (1980) | $500.000 |
| The Winds of War (1983) | $1.250.000 |
| War and Remembrance (1988) | $1.000.000 |
Academy Awards, USA
| Nominated in 1946 Oscar |
Best Actor in a Supporting Role Story of G.I. Joe (1945) |
| Nominated in 1958 BAFTA Film Award |
Best Foreign Actor Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison (1957)
USA.
|
| Won in 1950 Sour Apple |
Least Cooperative Actor |
| Nominated in 1967 Golden Laurel |
Male Star
15th place.
|
|
| Nominated in 1963 Golden Laurel |
Top Action Performance The Longest Day (1962)
5th place.
|
|
| Nominated in 1962 Golden Laurel |
Top Male Star
6th place.
|
|
| Nominated in 1960 Golden Laurel |
Top Male Star
15th place.
|
|
|
Top Male Dramatic Performance Home from the Hill (1960)
4th place.
|
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| 2nd place in 1958 Golden Laurel |
Top Male Action Star The Enemy Below (1957) |
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards
| Won in 1980 Career Achievement Award |
National Board of Review, USA
| Won in 1991 Career Achievement Award | ||
| Won in 1960 NBR Award |
Best Actor Home from the Hill (1960) The Sundowners (1960) |
New York Film Critics Circle Awards
| 2nd place in 1946 NYFCC Award |
Best Actor Story of G.I. Joe (1945) |
Online Film & Television Association
| Won in OFTA Film Hall of Fame |
Acting |
| Won in 1978 Lifetime Achievement Award |
Walk of Fame
| Won | Won star on the walk o fame Motion Picture
On 25 January 1984. At 6240 Hollywood Blvd.
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