Robert Mitchum
A sleepy-eyed Hollywood rebel who brought a world-weary, dangerous authenticity to the archetype of the American antihero.
1917–1997 (age 80)·American actor·Birthday: August 6·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Robert Mitchum’s path to stardom was anything but conventional. Drifting through Depression-era America on railroad cars, he worked everything from a ditch-digger to a professional boxer before landing as an extra at Hollywood’s back gate. His breakthrough came in the 1945 WWII drama 'The Story of G.I. Joe,' which earned him an Oscar nomination and revealed a potent, understated presence. Mitchum became the brooding soul of film noir, defining the genre with his performance as the haunted ex-con in 'Out of the Past.' He cultivated an image of detached indifference, famously claiming he had only two acting styles: 'with and without a horse.' Yet this persona masked a sharp intelligence and a professional who delivered consistently compelling work for over five decades, from the nightmare of 'The Night of the Hunter' to the epic 'The Winds of War.' Mitchum’s lasting impact was to make disillusionment and moral ambiguity not just palatable, but deeply compelling, on the American screen.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Robert was born in 1917, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Robert Was Born
The biggest hits of 1917
#1 Movie
Cleopatra
Robert's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1917Born
Russian Revolution overthrows the tsar; US enters WWI
President: Woodrow Wilson
1922Started school
King Tut's tomb discovered in Egypt
President: Warren G. Harding"April Showers" — Al Jolson
1930Became a teenager
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1933Could drive
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1935Could vote
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1938Turned 21
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1947Turned 30
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1957Turned 40
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1967Turned 50
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1977Turned 60
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 70
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 80
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
Key Achievements
- Received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for 'The Story of G.I. Joe' (1945).
- Delivered a defining film noir performance as Jeff Bailey in 'Out of the Past' (1947).
- Starred as the sinister preacher Harry Powell in the critically revered 'The Night of the Hunter' (1955).
- Won a Golden Globe for his role in the television miniseries 'The Winds of War' (1983).
- Recorded the calypso album 'Calypso — Is Like So...' which included the surprise hit 'Ballad of Thunder Road.'
Did You Know?
He was arrested and served time on a marijuana possession charge in 1948, which he later joked helped his 'bad boy' image.
Mitchum co-wrote and sang the theme song for the film 'Thunder Road,' in which he also starred.
He claimed to have learned his lines for 'The Night of the Hunter' in a single afternoon.
Before acting, he was a professional boxer, fighting under the name 'Bob Mitchum.'
He was an accomplished poet, with several of his works published in literary magazines.
“I’m not an actor, and I have 64 pictures to prove it.”
