Biography for
Cameron Mitchell (I) More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

4 November 1918, Dallastown, Pennsylvania, USA

Date of Death

6 July 1994, Pacific Palisades, California, USA (lung cancer)

Birth Name

Cameron McDowell Mitzell

Height

5' 11" (1.80 m)

Mini Biography

Cameron Mitchell was the son of a minister, but chose a different path from his father. Prior to World War II, in which he served as an Air Force bombardier, Mitchell appeared on Broadway, and, in 1940, an experimental television broadcast, "The Passing of the Third Floor Back". He made his film debut in What Next, Corporal Hargrove? (1945), but continued with stage as well as film work. He gained early recognition for his portrayal of Happy in the stage and screen versions of "Death of a Salesman". Still, out of more than 300 film and TV appearances, he is probably best remembered for his work on "The High Chaparral" (1967) TV series in which he, as the happy-go-lucky Buck Cannon, and Henry Darrow, as Manolito Montoya, stole the show.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Kat Parsons <fke2d@Virginia.EDU>

Spouse

Margaret Brock Johnson Mozingo	(9 May 1973 - 19 November 1976) (annulled)
Lissa Jacobs Gertz	(15 June 1957 - 23 February 1974) (divorced) 3 children
Joanna Mitchell	(17 August 1940 - 3 May 1960) (divorced) 4 children

Trivia

Father of Chip Mitchell and Camille Mitchell.

Father of actor Cameron Mitchell Jr., who also goes by the name Cameron Mitchell, Jr.

Uncredited, he provided the voice of Jesus Christ in The Robe (1953), although another actor played the character.

Interviewed in Tom Weaver's book "Attack of the Monster Movie Makers" (McFarland & Co., 1994).

Was originally assigned to star in Seven Cities of Gold (1955).

Personal Quotes

All the men in our family as far back as I cam remember were ministers. We had a corner on the market. It just figured that I would follow along.

I like to play things for real, and we Americans kid ourselves a lot about other people. I was in Europe for 10 years making movies, many of them behind the Iron Curtain, and those people over there are miserable, but the Commie leaders told them it's because of Yankee imperialism. If we'd pull out of Vietnam right now, that argument would collapse and the Commies with it. I wish just one of our presidential candidates had the sense to see that.

[Who said in 1958 when he was replacing an ill actor in the York Little Theater's production of 'Inherit the Wind']: It's a great part, just right for my father, but not for me.

[Prior to his release from prison, he would bestow his wife $1,500, three weeks past when more was coming]: This comes like a shot out of the blue. I don't know if she wants to slowly kill me, you know, privately and professionally, I just don't know; but I'm not bitter.

[In 1961]: I have to live too. 40% for her, 10% to an agent, 5% to a manager and on and on. It all comes to about 128%.

[Who said in 1973 about marrying a widow]: I love her very much. She's a real Southern belle, so much so that she reminds me of Scarlett O'Hara. I'm very much in love with her.

What people forget is that a professional actor works hard at his job, even when a vehicle is terrible, an actor can be good; though the public may not give him credit.

[In 1974]: I have only $26 in two bank accounts despite receiving $200,000 in movie residuals during the last two years.

[In 1975]: Still, I like to act, because I don't like myself very much, and acting is an escape.

[Of his globe-trotting lifestyle]: I feel like Willie Lowman, because I'm always packing my suitcases. I don't think anybody's traveled more than I have.

[About his taste in movies]: Many years ago, I liked every picture - and today, I don't like any!

[When playing golf, he always mind gambling at it, when wound up a winner in a round-robin match]: I like to bet the dogs, but I enjoy golf too much to spoil it with gambling.

[In 1970]: I was playing badly and when I asked my partner for help in selecting a club for that par-three, he cracked, 'The way you're hitting it, you might as well use a putter.' I retorted that I could get it at least hole high with a putter and he said he'd give me $50 if I could.

[In 1968]: I was almost mobbed when I went into the black compound. All those lousy movies I made in Europe were the only ones those poor people could afford to see. I was a big star to them.

I must admit that I rather enjoyed the laughter.

[on his role in Westerns]: I guess Gallant Bess in 1949 was my first Western. The horse in that film was remarkable. She knew a couple hundred verbal commands.

[on his popularity of playing the fifty-something Buck Cannon on The High Chaparral]: You should see the letters I get. A mother asked me for some pictures of Buck which she's going to mount against a background of other western stuff and give to her son for his graduation gift. I got a 47-page letter from a 65-year old gal in Pittsburgh who thinks I'm the greatest thing on her TV set. These things move me. When a person believes something, you've got to take him seriously.

I ride Prince, an 11-year-old bay. He's a smart horse --- smart enough to occasionally get impatient with all the fooling around required when filming. He can steal a scene, too. I'll be doing dialogue and he'll come up and nibble my sleeve or rub his head.

[Of his role on "The High Chaparral" (1967)]: Here in Hollywood, it's another Bonanza, but just alone out there in the desert, you have a feeling you're doing something that really happened to somebody 100 years ago.

[In 1969]: They are not used to this sun. They are so keen to see us that they forget. They're not even dressed properly. Every weekend during the summer season there's an average of twenty-five people who collapse as they watch.

[In 1994]: That was from the play Liliom by Ferenc Molnar. Originally Frank Sinatra was supposed to play the lead part in that, and we were all on location in Boothbay Harbor, Maine - beautiful place. Frank and I had left California on a Thursday, and on Sunday, Frank quit. But we had prerecorded all of his songs, including a duet with me! It was a comedy number and we had a long sustained note, and I was nervous about it because I'm no singer, and I had heard that Frank only did things one time.

I don't like gore pictures, I won't see them. I make them, but I don't have to look at them.

I've played the game for years. My real problem is that I'm a compulsive club buyer. I've got a real collection. In fact, I've got more than 100 clubs in my hotel room right now. You think I don't catch the devil from my wife, having those things scattered all over the place?

[While playing Buck Cannon, he discussed about the bad grammar he was using]: I said yes, it did. These cowhands, most of them were illiterate and when you showed them a watch they weren't too sure whether it was the big hand or the little one that told the hour.

[When he was to described if "The High Chaparral" (1967) was a dirty, Western series]: As for the dirt, which NBC complained about at first, well, you ride for two hours in that stuff around Tucson and try not to look dirty. I'm that kind of a guy anyway. I spill more things in real life than most people.