Robert Mitchum Movies Career Highlights
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Robert Mitchum
Robert Mitchum remains one of the most intimidating, yet appealing and popular stars of Hollywood's classical period. Born on Aug. 6, 1917 in Bridgeport, CT, the actor went on to enjoy a five-decade career in movies (and music!). Revisit his best roles and career highlights in this gallery.
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'Hoppy Serves a Writ'
Robert Mitchum broke onto the scene in Hollywood when he appeared in a slew of minor Western genre productions in 1943. Some of these roles credited him "Bob Mitchum," while others went uncredited. He's seen here in an image from one of his first films, Hoppy Serves a Writ. Mitchum would later become known for work in both the Western and crime genres.
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'The Story of G.I. Joe'
Following his early work in Westerns, Mitchum landed his breakthrough role as "Bill Walker" in the 1945 war film The Story of G.I. Joe. Surprisingly, the actor scored the only Academy Award nomination of his career for this role!
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'Out of the Past'
By the late 1940s, Robert Mitchum had quickly risen to stardom, as he began to appear in notable comedies and crime films. Among these movies was Out of the Past, a film noir masterpiece by director Jacques Tourneur. Mitchum stars in the film as "Jeff," a former P.I. whose troubled past catches up with him.
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'The Night of the Hunter'
One of Mitchum's first career-defining roles came in 1955's The Night of the Hunter, in which he plays the menacing minister-turned-serial killer "Rev. Harry Powell." The film includes his character's memorable monologue about "hate" and "love," words which are also written on his knuckles.
RELATED: Remake of The Night of the Hunter in the Works at Universal
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Mitchum's Musical Career
Did you know that Robert Mitchum also had a career in music? The actor and singer actually released two albums, including a calypso record - Calypso Is like So... in 1957 - and a country album - That Man Robert Mitchum... Sings in 1967.
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'Cape Fear' (1962)
If The Night of the Hunter didn't do the job, 1962's Cape Fear cemented Mitchum as the ultimate classical Hollywood villain. In the film, Mitchum stars as "Max Cady," the terrifying ex-con who vengefully stalks the family of the man who put him in prison (played by Gregory Peck).
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'Cape Fear' (1991)
Today, the Robert De Niro-starring remake of Cape Fear may be better-known than the original from 1962. But Robert Mitchum did return for the minor role of "Lt. Elgart" in Martin Scorsese's 1991 update of the classic film!
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'El Dorado'
Robert Mitchum had another hit in the Western genre with 1967's El Dorado. In the film, he stars as a Sheriff who teams up with a gunfighter, played by Western legend John Wayne, to defend a rancher and his family. Mitchum was long associated with the genre, and later served as the narrator for Tombstone in 1993.
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'The Friends of Eddie Coyle'
Robert Mitchum moved into the later stages of his career as a lead actor in the 1970s. In these years, he mostly worked in crime films, including the memorable The Friends of Eddie Coyle, The Yakuza, and remakes of Farewell, My Lovely and The Big Sleep, where he played the noir detective "Philip Marlowe." In this photo, he's seen as "Eddie 'Fingers' Coyle" in 1973's The Friends of Eddie Coyle.