James "Jim" Mitchum was the eldest son of famous actor
Robert Mitchum and the spitting image of his famous father. By inheriting his dad's sexy, sleepy eyes and taciturn good looks, it was obvious from the start that Jim would lean towards an acting career with so much going for him. The comparison helped him as well as hurt him. Jim got his first taste of filmmaking at the age of 8 with a tiny uncredited role in the sturdy western
Colorado Territory (1949) with
Joel McCrea,
Virginia Mayo, and
Dorothy Malone, but made his credited debut playing his father's much younger brother in
Thunder Road (1958), which became a drive-in cult favorite. He gained experience in other films made by his father including
The Last Time I Saw Archie (1961).
Jim's solo career would be composed of primarily westerns and war pictures, achieving a degree of stability but little distinction in the long run. Such films as
Young Guns of Texas (1962),
Ambush Bay (1966),
Trackdown (1976),
Blackout (1978), and
Hollywood Cop (1987) would come and go. Younger brother
Christopher Mitchum would follow a similarly rugged path in films.
Jim Mitchum was formerly married to the late actress
Wende Wagner (died 1997 of cancer); the couple had one child together.
Stickfighter(1994)as Mule
Genghis Khan: The Story of a Lifetime(1992)
Enemy(1990)as Maj. Bauer
Beyond Kilimanjaro, Across the River of Blood(1990)as Frank
Marked for Murder(1990)as Rainier
The Bob Braun Show(1967)as Self
Mondo Hollywood: Hollywood Laid Bare!(1967)as Self
Dream Girl of '67(1966)as Self - Bachelor Judge
The Juke Box Jury(1953)as Self
TCM Remembers 2025(2025)as Self - Actor
Robert Mitchum, le mauvais garƧon d'Hollywood(2018)as Self
