---
name: "Robert Mitchum"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/robert-mitchum"
fi1m_id: "robert-mitchum"
imdb_id: "nm0000053"
tmdb_id: 10158
wikidata_id: "Q16472"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "6 August 1917"
died: "1 July 1997"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 12
average_fi1m_score: 76
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 11
updated: "2026-10-04T21:35:05.084146+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Robert Mitchum

## Identity

Robert Mitchum

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/robert-mitchum
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** robert-mitchum
- **IMDb ID:** nm0000053
- **TMDB ID:** 10158
- **Wikidata ID:** Q16472
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Mitchum, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q16472, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000053/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/10158

Actor. Born 6 August 1917 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA. Died 1 July 1997.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 6 August 1917, Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA
- **Died:** 1 July 1997
- **Active:** 1947–1995
- **Also known as:** Robert Charles Durman Mitchum, رابرت میچام, 罗伯特·米彻姆, 勞勃·米契
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 12: 11 acting, 1 other
- **Frequently works with:** [Robert Ryan](https://film.one/person/robert-ryan-8253.md)
- **Golden Globes:** 1 Golden Globe (1 won)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 76, as actor, over 11 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1940s 77 (3), 1950s 76 (3), 1960s 75 (3), 1980s 66 (1), 1990s 76 (2)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 78 to 70 across 7 titles
- **Score spread:** 4 at 80+, 7 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 8 of 11 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 8, Crime 7, Thriller 6, Fantasy 2, Action 1, Adventure 1
- **Screen time:** 20 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $398m across 6 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Mitchum, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q16472, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000053/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/10158

## Streaming the US now

- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Cape Fear*](https://film.one/film/cape-fear-1962.md) (82), [*The Sundowners*](https://film.one/film/the-sundowners.md) (74), [*Cape Fear*](https://film.one/film/cape-fear-1991.md) (71), [*The Longest Day*](https://film.one/film/the-longest-day.md) (68)
- **The Criterion Channel:** [*The Night of the Hunter*](https://film.one/film/the-night-of-the-hunter.md) (91), [*Dead Man*](https://film.one/film/dead-man.md) (81)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Robert Mitchum

> Robert Mitchum makes a tired man’s wish for another life convincing. We rate him most highly when his quiet delivery lets us feel for a character while leaving us free to doubt what he says.

In *Out of the Past* (1947), Robert Mitchum makes Jeff’s cynicism sound as though it costs him the last of his energy. Even the voice-over, which draws us close, cannot quite make us accept his account. He seems practised at telling himself why things happened as they did. We felt for Jeff sooner than we expected, because his tiredness made the wish for another life believable. Mitchum gives us reason to care without requiring us to take everything the man says on trust.

Jacques Tourneur’s film needs that uncertainty, especially when its plotting becomes hard to follow. Mitchum and Jane Greer keep the people worth following through the complications, while Nicholas Musuraca’s photography supplies much of the unease. Mitchum’s heavy-lidded look and spare delivery can suggest someone barely interested in being there; here, we watch closely because the tired man may be editing his own history. The plotting asks for concentration, and Mitchum makes the effort worthwhile.

The early work ran from small parts in Westerns to the breakthrough of *The Story of G.I. Joe* (1945). Stardom at RKO and noir followed, but the important turn was to let that unhurried manner become threatening. As preacher Harry Powell in *The Night of the Hunter* (1955), he combines menace with a charisma that makes it more troubling. Cady in *Cape Fear* (1962) gives him another villain’s part, and another use for his capacity to intimidate.

The limitation is real: underplaying can look like failing to engage, and Mitchum’s reputation for seeming half-asleep cannot simply be waved away as proof of subtlety. There has to be a recognisable feeling behind the apparent indifference, as there is in Jeff’s wish for another life. *Farewell, My Lovely* (1975) returns him to noir as Philip Marlowe; his later work includes John Dickinson in Jim Jarmusch’s *Dead Man* (1995). We recommend that funny, unsettling Western, with a warning about pauses that do not always repay the patience they demand. For Mitchum himself, start with *Out of the Past*, and do not mistake feeling sorry for Jeff for believing him.

## Biography

Robert Mitchum was an American actor. He was born on 6 August 1917 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and died on 1 July 1997.

His film credits include *Out of the Past* (1947), *The Night of the Hunter* (1955), *Cape Fear* (1962), *El Dorado* (1966), *Scrooged* (1988), *Cape Fear* (1991), *Tombstone* (1993) and *Dead Man* (1995), in which he played John Dickinson. His sons James Mitchum and Christopher Mitchum are actors.

*Sources: imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (12)

### Performed in (11) — the average rests on these

- *Dead Man* (1995), Fi1m 81, as John Dickinson — [page](https://film.one/film/dead-man.md)
- *Cape Fear* (1991), Fi1m 71, as Lieutenant Elgart — [page](https://film.one/film/cape-fear-1991.md)
- *Scrooged* (1988), Fi1m 66, as Preston Rhinelander — [page](https://film.one/film/scrooged.md)
- *Cape Fear* (1962), Fi1m 82, as Max Cady — [page](https://film.one/film/cape-fear-1962.md)
- *The Longest Day* (1962), Fi1m 68, as Brig. Gen. Norman Cota — [page](https://film.one/film/the-longest-day.md)
- *The Sundowners* (1960), Fi1m 74, as Paddy Carmody — [page](https://film.one/film/the-sundowners.md)
- *The Night of the Hunter* (1955), Fi1m 91, as Preacher Harry Powell — [page](https://film.one/film/the-night-of-the-hunter.md)
- *Angel Face* (1953), Fi1m 78, as Frank Jessup — [page](https://film.one/film/angel-face.md)
- *The Racket* (1951), Fi1m 60, as Thomas McQuigg — [page](https://film.one/film/the-racket.md)
- *Crossfire* (1947), Fi1m 77, as Peter Keeley — [page](https://film.one/film/crossfire.md)
- *Out of the Past* (1947), Fi1m 89, as Jeff Bailey / Jeff Markham — [page](https://film.one/film/out-of-the-past.md)

### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited

- *The Human Comedy* (1943), Fi1m 66, as Quentin Gilford (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/the-human-comedy.md)

## Complete filmography (139)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *The Flapper* (2021), as (archive footage)
- *Wormwood* (2017), series, as Jeff Bailey (archive footage)
- *James Dean: Race with Destiny* (1997), as George Stevens
- *Dead Man* (1995), as John Dickinson — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/dead-man.md)
- *The Sunset Boys* (1995), as Ernest Bogan
- *Backfire!* (1995), as Marshal
- *Woman of Desire* (1994), as Walter J. Hill
- *La Classe américaine* (1993), as Yves (archive footage)
- *Tombstone* (1993), as Narrator (voice)
- *The Funniest Way in Earth's Atmosphere* (1993), Director
- *African Skies* (1992), series, as Sam Dutton
- *Les Sept Péchés capitaux* (1992), as Dieu
- *Cape Fear* (1991), as Lieutenant Elgart — Fi1m 71, [page](https://film.one/film/cape-fear-1991.md)
- *Waiting for the Wind* (1991), as Walter
- *The Discovery Of Marilyn Monroe* (1991), Actor
- *Midnight Ride* (1990), as Dr. Hardy
- *Believed Violent* (1990), as Pr. Forrester
- *A Family for Joe* (1990), series, Actor
- *A Family for Joe* (1990), as Joe "Grandpa" Whitaker-Bankston
- *Hoodwinked* (1989), as Jake Spanner
- *Brotherhood of the Rose* (1989), series, as John Eliot
- *Scrooged* (1988), as Preston Rhinelander — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/film/scrooged.md)
- *War and Remembrance* (1988), series, as Victor 'Pug' Henry
- *Mr. North* (1988), as Mr. Bosworth
- *Thompson's Last Run* (1986), as Johnny Thompson
- *North and South* (1985), series, as Patrick Flynn
- *Promises to Keep* (1985), as Jack Palmer
- *The Equalizer* (1985), series, as Richard Dyson
- *Reunion at Fairborough* (1985), as Carl Hostrup
- *The Hearst and Davies Affair* (1985), as William Randolph Hearst
- *The Ambassador* (1985), as Peter Hacker
- *Maria's Lovers* (1984), as Ivan's Father
- *A Killer in the Family* (1983), as Gary Tison
- *The Winds of War* (1983), series, as Victor 'Pug' Henry
- *Showbiz Goes to War* (1982), as (archive footage)
- *That Championship Season* (1982), as Coach Delaney
- *One Shoe Makes it Murder* (1982), as Harold Shillman
- *Nightkill* (1980), as Donner/Rodriguez
- *Agency* (1980), as Ted Quinn .
- *Breakthrough* (1979), as Colonel Rogers
- *Matilda* (1978), as Duke Parkhurst
- *The Big Sleep* (1978), as Philip Marlowe
- *The Amsterdam Kill* (1977), as Quinlan
- *The Last Tycoon* (1976), as Pat Brady
- *Midway* (1976), as Vice Adm. William F. 'Bull' Halsey Jr.
- *Farewell, My Lovely* (1975), as Philip Marlowe
- *The Yakuza* (1974), as Harry Kilmer
- *The Friends of Eddie Coyle* (1973), as Eddie 'Fingers' Coyle
- *America on the Rocks* (1973), as Narrator (voice)
- *The Wrath of God* (1972), as Father Oliver Van Horne
- *Going Home* (1971), as Harry K. Graham
- *Ryan's Daughter* (1970), as Charles
- *The Distant Drummer: A Movable Scene* (1970), as Narrator
- *Young Billy Young* (1969), as Deputy Ben Kane
- *The Good Guys and the Bad Guys* (1969), as Flagg
- *Secret Ceremony* (1968), as Albert
- *5 Card Stud* (1968), as Reverend Jonathan Rudd
- *Anzio* (1968), as Dick Ennis
- *Villa Rides* (1968), as Lee Arnold
- *The Way West* (1967), as Dick Summers
- *El Dorado* (1966), as Sheriff J.P. Harrah
- *Mister Moses* (1965), as Joe Moses
- *What a Way to Go!* (1964), as Rod Anderson Jr.
- *Man in the Middle* (1964), as Lt. Col. Barney Adams
- *Rampage* (1963), as Harry Stanton
- *The List of Adrian Messenger* (1963), as Slattery
- *Two for the Seesaw* (1962), as Jerry Ryan
- *The Longest Day* (1962), as Brig. Gen. Norman Cota — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/film/the-longest-day.md)
- *Cape Fear* (1962), as Max Cady — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/cape-fear-1962.md)
- *The Last Time I Saw Archie* (1961), as Archie Hall
- *The Grass Is Greener* (1960), as Charles Delacro
- *The Sundowners* (1960), as Paddy Carmody — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/the-sundowners.md)
- *A Terrible Beauty* (1960), as Dermot O'Neill
- *Home from the Hill* (1960), as Captain Wade Hunnicutt
- *The Wonderful Country* (1959), as Martin Brady · Executive Producer
- *The Angry Hills* (1959), as Mike Morrison
- *The Hunters* (1958), as Major Cleve Saville
- *Thunder Road* (1958), as Lucas Doolin · Story, Producer
- *The Enemy Below* (1957), as Capt. Murrell
- *Fire Down Below* (1957), as Felix Bowers
- *Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison* (1957), as Corporal Allison USMC
- *Bandido!* (1956), as Wilson
- *Foreign Intrigue* (1956), as Dave Bishop
- *Man with the Gun* (1955), as Clint Tollinger
- *The Night of the Hunter* (1955), as Preacher Harry Powell — Fi1m 91, [page](https://film.one/film/the-night-of-the-hunter.md)
- *Not as a Stranger* (1955), as Lucas Marsh
- *Track of the Cat* (1954), as Curt Bridges
- *River of No Return* (1954), as Matt Calder
- *She Couldn't Say No* (1954), as Doctor Robert Sellers
- *Second Chance* (1953), as Russ Lambert
- *White Witch Doctor* (1953), as John 'Lonni' Douglas
- *Angel Face* (1953), as Frank Jessup — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/angel-face.md)
- *The Lusty Men* (1952), as Jeff McCloud
- *One Minute to Zero* (1952), as Col. Steve Janowski
- *Macao* (1952), as Nick Cochran
- *The Racket* (1951), as Thomas McQuigg — Fi1m 60, [page](https://film.one/film/the-racket.md)
- *His Kind of Woman* (1951), as Dan Milner
- *My Forbidden Past* (1951), as Dr. Mark Lucas
- *Where Danger Lives* (1950), as Jeff Cameron
- *Holiday Affair* (1949), as Steve Mason
- *The Big Steal* (1949), as Lt. Duke Halliday
- *The Red Pony* (1949), as Billy Buck
- *Blood on the Moon* (1948), as Jim Garry
- *Rachel and the Stranger* (1948), as Jim Fairways
- *Out of the Past* (1947), as Jeff Bailey / Jeff Markham — Fi1m 89, [page](https://film.one/film/out-of-the-past.md)
- *Desire Me* (1947), as Paul Aubert
- *Crossfire* (1947), as Peter Keeley — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/film/crossfire.md)
- *Pursued* (1947), as Jeb
- *The Locket* (1946), as Norman Clyde
- *Undercurrent* (1946), as Michael Garroway
- *Till the End of Time* (1946), as William J. Tabeshaw
- *West of the Pecos* (1945), as Pecos Smith
- *Story of G.I. Joe* (1945), as Bill Walker
- *Nevada* (1944), as Jim Lacy aka Nevada
- *Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo* (1944), as Bob Gray
- *Girl Rush* (1944), as Jimmy Smith
- *When Strangers Marry* (1944), as Fred Graham
- *Mr. Winkle Goes to War* (1944), as Corporal (uncredited)
- *Johnny Doesn't Live Here Anymore* (1944), as CPO Jeff Daniels
- *To the People of the United States* (1944), Actor
- *Gung Ho!* (1943), as 'Pig iron' Matthews
- *Riders of the Deadline* (1943), as Lead Henchman Drago
- *Cry 'Havoc'* (1943), as Dying Soldier
- *The Dancing Masters* (1943), as Mickey Halligan (uncredited)
- *Minesweeper* (1943), as Seaman Chuck Ryan
- *False Colors* (1943), as Rip Austin
- *Doughboys in Ireland* (1943), as Ernie Jones (as Bob Mitchum)
- *Bar 20* (1943), as Richard Adams
- *Corvette K-225* (1943), as Sheppard
- *Beyond the Last Frontier* (1943), as Trigger Dolan
- *The Lone Star Trail* (1943), as Ben Slocum
- *We've Never Been Licked* (1943), as Panhandle Mitchell
- *Colt Comrades* (1943), as Dirk Mason
- *Leather Burners* (1943), as Randall - Henchman
- *Border Patrol* (1943), as Quinn
- *Follow the Band* (1943), as Tate Winters
- *Aerial Gunner* (1943), as Sgt. Benson (uncredited)
- *Hoppy Serves a Writ* (1943), as Rigney
- *The Human Comedy* (1943), as Quentin Gilford (uncredited) — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/film/the-human-comedy.md)

## Gallery

- ![Robert Mitchum](https://film.one/media/person/86478/gallery-40a0d11ddd62.jpg) Robert Mitchum — J. Fred Henry Publications, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/Robert_Mitchum_1949_%28no_signature%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Poster for the 1962 American noir psychological thriller film Cape Fear.](https://film.one/media/person/86478/gallery-d7b0148e52e1.jpg) Poster for the 1962 American noir psychological thriller film Cape Fear. — Unknown authorUnknown author, distributed by: Universal Pictures, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d2/Cape_Fear_%281962_poster%29.jpg/1280px-Cape_Fear_%281962_poster%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Graffiti, Estoria Street Tunnel, Atlanta, Georgia, USAEstoria Street Tunnel (2005)](https://film.one/media/person/86478/gallery-13ce3c54eefc.jpg) Graffiti, Estoria Street Tunnel, Atlanta, Georgia, USAEstoria Street Tunnel (2005) — Brooke Novak from Atlanta, Georgia (midtown/westside), CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/49/Estoria_Street_Tunnel_graffiti_13.jpg/1280px-Estoria_Street_Tunnel_graffiti_13.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Montage of Actors who acting in film noire: from top left to bottom Humphrey Bogart, Rita Hayworth, Robert Mitchum, Gene Tierney, Alan Ladd, Richard Conte, Ster (2021)](https://film.one/media/person/86478/gallery-a07e7ab6a16d.jpg) Montage of Actors who acting in film noire: from top left to bottom Humphrey Bogart, Rita Hayworth, Robert Mitchum, Gene Tierney, Alan Ladd, Richard Conte, Ster (2021) — Self made based upon work by the authors shown above, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/Famous_Actors_on_Film_Noire.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Robert Mitchum](https://film.one/media/person/86478/gallery-f7800c3843bb.jpg) Robert Mitchum — Image via TMDB
- ![Robert Mitchum](https://film.one/media/person/86478/gallery-9e7e3866da8c.jpg) Robert Mitchum — Image via TMDB
- ![Robert Mitchum](https://film.one/media/person/86478/gallery-ae3dba80d373.jpg) Robert Mitchum — Image via TMDB
- ![Famous actor Robert Mitchum arrived in Israel.](https://film.one/media/person/86478/gallery-827c43584aa9.jpg) Famous actor Robert Mitchum arrived in Israel. — Tsevi Goldfarb, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9b/Famous_actor_Robert_Mitchum_arrived_in_Israel_%28FL45831878%29.jpg/1280px-Famous_actor_Robert_Mitchum_arrived_in_Israel_%28FL45831878%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Famous actor Robert Mitchum arrived in Israel.He will stay at the Tel Aviv Hilton Hotel. Mitchum will star in The Ambassador film.](https://film.one/media/person/86478/gallery-1661e69a7199.jpg) Famous actor Robert Mitchum arrived in Israel.He will stay at the Tel Aviv Hilton Hotel. Mitchum will star in The Ambassador film. — Tsevi Goldfarb, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6c/Famous_actor_Robert_Mitchum_arrived_in_Israel_%28FL45831965%29.jpg/1280px-Famous_actor_Robert_Mitchum_arrived_in_Israel_%28FL45831965%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Robert Mitchum](https://film.one/media/person/86478/gallery-eca36e1e1b0a.jpg) Robert Mitchum — Image via TMDB
- ![Robert Mitchum](https://film.one/media/person/86478/gallery-8298d552da3e.jpg) Robert Mitchum — Image via TMDB
- ![Robert Mitchum](https://film.one/media/person/86478/gallery-b9c39167796d.jpg) Robert Mitchum — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 0 won, 1 nominated

- 1946: Best Supporting Actor (nominated), for *The Story of G.I. Joe*

### Golden Globes — 1 won

- 1992: Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award (won)

### Other awards — 1 won

- Donostia Award 1993: Donostia Award (won)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/robert-mitchum