James (Jim) Mitchum, a film and television actor and son of Robert Mitchum who appeared in over 35 titles between 1949 and 1994, died on Sept. 20 at his home in Skull Valley, Ariz. He was 84.
Born in 1941, Mitchum grew up in Los Angeles, where the young family is said to have lived in a converted chicken coop behind his grandmother’s West Hollywood bungalow before his father became successful enough to rent a house nearby. When Jim was born, his family recounted that Robert Mitchum was appearing as a Russian peasant in a small theater production and rushed to the hospital in full make-up, where he paced the floor with the other expectant fathers.
Jim Mitchum entered the industry at an early age, getting his first movie role in a Western at age eight. By 16, his striking resemblance to Robert got him cast as Robert’s brother in the 1958 movie “Thunder Road,” directed by Arthur Ripley. Robert also produced the film, which followed a group of Southern whiskey runners getting into chases and conflicts with federal agents. Jim’s character was a mechanic, and while getting into the role, he learned enough about engines to briefly become a stock car racer and real mechanic, notably working on Elvis Presley’s vehicles.
Presley inspired Mitchum to consider a career as a singer, and he signed a contract with 20th Century Fox, where he recorded the single “Lonely Birthday” in 1961.
Though Mitchum’s singing career did not blossom beyond the single, his acting career continued to grow. He appeared in 11 film and television titles in the 1960s, notably acting alongside George Peppard, Albert Finney and George Hamilton in “The Victors,” Fabian and Shelley Fabares in “Ride the Wild Surf,” John Wayne and Kirk Douglas in “In Harm’s Way” and Hugh O’Brien and Mickey Rooney in “Ambush Bay.”
Mitchum was cast in Dennis Hopper’s “The Last Movie” in 1971. The film shot in Peru and Jim made a short behind-the-scenes documentary about the experience working with Hopper, Peter Fonda and Kris Kristoffrson on the notorious project. The documentary was titled “The Last Movie Movie.”
Four years later, Mitchum starred in “Moonrunners,” a film with a premise similar to “Thunder Road” that was later redeveloped into the hit TV series “The Dukes of Hazzard.”
Mitchum was married three times, first to late actress Wende Wagner in 1968. They had one son, Will Spence Mitchum, in 1969 and the marriage ended in 1978. He remarried to Vivian Ferrand in 1985 and they had two children together; Brian Price Mitchum was born in 1988 and Caitlin Ann was born in 1989. They divorced in 1995. He met his third wife, Pamela K. Smith in 1993 in Arizona, and the couple married earlier this year.
Mitchum moved to Arizona after retiring from acting in 1994. He helped manage his parents’ horse ranch, overseeing breeding and racing operations. He also developed lines of premium moonshine, traditional corn whiskey and “Robert’s Rye Whiskey” in homage to his father and his iconic moonshiner roles.
He is survived by his wife Pamela, brother Christoper Mitchum, sister Petrine Day Mitchum, daughter Ana Liljeback, son Will Spence Mitchum (Els), stepdaughter Tiffany Mitchum Greene (Doug), son Brian Price Mitchum, daughter Caitlin Ann Mitchum (Blaine Muir), grandsons Jack Durham Mitchum, Wagner Bernard Maximus Mitchum, and granddaughters Paige Mitchum and Winnry Marie Mitchum Muir.
