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01
While at RKO, Mitchum became the first male movie star to refuse to shave his chest for shirtless roles; he even developed a pot belly to avoid taking off his shirt.
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02
He claimed his eyes were the result of boxing injuries and chronic insomnia.
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03
On the set of The Last Tycoon 1976, Mitchum nicknamed Robert De Niro Kid Monroe because De Niro stayed in character as Monroe Stahr.
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04
Mitchum turned down the lead in The Defiant Ones 1958, believing the premise of a black man and white man chained together would never happen in the South, a fact often misrepresented.
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05
His 1940s marijuana arrest was one of the first times a major actor was jailed for that crime; according to his biographer, he still smoked pot into old age.
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06
He turned down the role of General Patton in Patton 1970, recommending George C. Scott instead, because he thought the studio would focus on battles, not character.
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07
Howard Hughes cast Mitchum in Holiday Affair 1949 to soften his image after the marijuana conviction.
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08
Mitchum was cremated and his ashes were scattered at sea by his wife and neighbor Jane Russell; no memorial service was held.
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09
He was a huge Elvis Presley fan and wanted Presley for Thunder Road 1958, but Tom Parker’s salary demands were too high.
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10
He played the saxophone, wrote poetry, and ghostwrote for astrologist Carroll Righter.
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11
On the set of El Dorado 1966, Mitchum was amused by John Wayne’s attempts to act his screen persona in real life, including wearing lifts and a raised car roof.
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12
Mitchum’s favorite role was Reverend Harry Powell in The Night of the Hunter 1955.
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13
He had a photographic memory, could memorize lines from a single glance, and rarely rehearsed.
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14
He met his future wife when they were both teenagers.
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15
He was treated for alcoholism at the Betty Ford Center in 1984.
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16
During a break in War and Remembrance 1988, he replaced John Huston in Mr. North 1988 and later substituted for Edward Woodward on The Equalizer 1985.
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17
In 1981, his secretary Reva Frederick sued him for pension back-pay, but dropped the suit when evidence showed she had stolen millions; Mitchum agreed not to prosecute.
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18
During the filming of Angel Face, director Otto Preminger demanded Mitchum slap Jean Simmons harder, so Mitchum turned and slapped Preminger instead.
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19
Katharine Hepburn once shouted at Mitchum that he couldn’t act and would never work if not handsome; he simply shrugged.
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20
He initially wanted to be a writer.
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21
Despite numerous affairs, he stayed with wife Dorothy Mitchum for nearly 60 years.
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22
The family moved to a Maryland farm in 1959, then returned to a Bel Air mansion in 1965; he also owned a 76-acre ranch for his horses.
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23
He was the defendant in the 1965 Australian taxation case FTC vs. Mitchum regarding income from The Sundowners 1960.
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24
The American Film Institute ranked him #23 on its list of 50 Greatest Screen Legends.
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25
An interview with Esquire in 1983 led to accusations of anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial, which he recanted via a letter to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
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26
He had two villainous roles ranked in AFI’s 100 Years… Heroes & Villains: #28 as Max Cady in Cape Fear 1962 and #29 as Reverend Harry Powell in The Night of the Hunter 1955.
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27
He considered retiring in 1968 due to poor film quality, but returned for Ryan’s Daughter 1970 after a year off.
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28
He visited the set of Rio Lobo 1970 where his son Christopher was acting; Howard Hawks asked him to reprise his El Dorado role but he declined, saying he was retired, to which John Wayne replied, Mitch has been retiring ever since the day I met him.
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29
He briefly served in the US Army from April to October 1945, drafted as a medic checking recruits for venereal disease.
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30
Mitchum wrote an oratorio that Orson Welles produced at the Hollywood Bowl in the 1940s.
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31
Jack Hawkins wrote in his autobiography that Mitchum drank 49 glasses of rum before dinner while filming Rampage 1963.
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32
Robert De Niro has called Mitchum one of his favorite actors.
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33
While filming 5 Card Stud 1968, a large camera nearly hit Mitchum, but he casually stepped aside as it smashed.
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34
Charles Laughton called Mitchum one of the best actors in the world.
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35
He died one day before his The Big Sleep 1978 co-star James Stewart.
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36
Howard Hawks told Mitchum he pretended not to care but worked hard; Mitchum replied, ‘Don’t tell anybody.
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37
He disliked fellow actors Steve McQueen and Charles Bronson.
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38
Early in his career he was promoted as a new Clark Gable, but found his own identity with Out of the Past 1947.
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39
He was a talented storyteller, poet, and impressionist.
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40
Entertainment Weekly voted him the 61st Greatest Movie Star of all time.
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41
After being fired from Blood Alley 1955 for allegedly throwing a crew member into a river, Mitchum denied the charge.
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42
Three of his films have been selected for the National Film Registry: Story of G.I. Joe 1945, Out of the Past 1947, and The Night of the Hunter 1955.
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43
In 1947 he recorded songs with Gary Gray for Delta Records; in 1968 he released an album later compiled as Robert Mitchum Sings.
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44
Michael Madsen cited Mitchum as his role model and inspiration to become an actor.
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45
He was offered his high school diploma in 1975 but did not attend the ceremony; the diploma was mailed to him.
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46
He is reputed to have played Douglas MacArthur uncredited in a scene of MASH season three, but this is unverified.
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47
His vocal support for the Vietnam War did not hurt his appeal; a 1968 teen poll named him the coolest celebrity, and he joked they must have missed his recent films.
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48
He turned down the role of Popeye Doyle in The French Connection 1971 because he found the story offensive.
