Cameron Mitchell (born Cameron McDowell Mitzell, November 4, 1918 – July 7, 1994) was an American film, television, and Broadway actor with close ties to one of Canada’s most successful families. From 1967-71, Mitchell appeared in the western television series The High Chaparral.
Films
Year Title Role Director Notes
1945 The Last Installment Clyde Peeler Walter Hart Crime Does Not Pay short subject
The Hidden Eye Electrician Richard Whorf Scenes deleted
What Next, Corporal Hargrove? Joe Lupot Richard Thorpe
They Were Expendable Ensign George Cross John Ford
1946 A Letter for Evie Joe the wounded soldier Jules Dassin Uncredited
1947 The Mighty McGurk Johnny Burden John Waters
High Barbaree Lt. Joe Moore Jack Conway
Cass Timberlane Eino Roskinen George Sidney
1948 Tenth Avenue Angel Narrator/Visitor to Tenth Avenue Roy Rowland Uncredited
Homecoming Sgt. ‘Monk’ Monkevickz Mervyn LeRoy
Leather Gloves Dave Collins William Asher
Richard Quine First feature lead role
Adventures of Gallant Bess Ted Daniels Lew Landers
Command Decision Lt. Ansel Goldberg Sam Wood
1951 Smuggler’s Gold Mike Sloan William Berke
Flight to Mars Steve Abbott Lesley Selander
Man in the Saddle George Vird Andre DeToth
Death of a Salesman Happy Loman László Benedek Reprising his Broadway role
1952 Japanese War Bride Art Sterling King Vidor
Okinawa ‘Grip’ McCleary Leigh Jason
The Outcasts of Poker Flat Ryker Joseph M. Newman
The Sellout Randy Stauton Gerald Mayer
Nyomorultak – Les Misérables Marius Pontmercy Lewis Milestone
Pony Soldier Konah Joseph M. Newman
1953 Man on a Tightrope Joe Vosdek Elia Kazan
Powder River Mitch Hardin Louis King
The Robe Jesus (voice) Henry Koster Uncredited
How to Marry a Millionaire Tom Brookman Jean Negulesco
1954 Hell and High Water “Ski” Brodski Samuel Fuller
Gorilla at Large Joey Matthews Harmon Jones 3D film
Garden of Evil Luke Daly Henry Hathaway
Désirée Joseph Bonaparte Henry Koster
1955 Strange Lady in Town Lt. David Garth Mervyn LeRoy
Love Me or Leave Me Harry Myrl “Johnny” Alderman Charles Vidor
House of Bamboo Griff Samuel Fuller
The Tall Men Clint Allison Raoul Walsh
The View from Pompey’s Head Michael “Mickey” / “Mico” Higgins Philip Dunne
1956 Carousel Jigger Craigin Henry King
Tension at Table Rock Fred Miller Charles Marquis Warren
1957 All Mine to Give Robert Eunson Allen Reisner
Monkey on My Back Barney Ross Andre DeToth
Escapade in Japan Dick Saunders Arthur Lubin
No Down Payment Troy Boone Martin Ritt
1959 Face of Fire Ned Trescott Albert Band
Inside the Mafia Tony Ledo Edward L. Cahn
Pier 5, Havana Steve Daggett
As the Sea Rages (de) Psarathanas Horst Hächler (de) German language film
1960 Three Came to Kill Marty Brill Edward L. Cahn
1961 The Last of the Vikings Harald Giacomo Gentilomo
Mario Bava (uncredited) French language film
The Unstoppable Man James Kennedy Terry Bishop
Erik the Conqueror Eron Mario Bava Italian language film
1962 Dulcinea El Renegado Vicente Escrivá Spanish language film
Caesar the Conqueror Julius Caesar Tanio Boccia Italian language film
Attack of the Normans Wilfrid, Duke of Saxony Giuseppe Vari
1963 The Black Duke Cesare Borgia Pino Mercanti
1964 Blood and Black Lace Max Marian Mario Bava
Dog Eat Dog Lylle Corbett Richard E. Cunha
Gustav Gavrin German language film
The Last Gun (de) Bill / Jim Hart Sergio Bergonzelli Italian language film
Minnesota Clay Minnesota Clay Sergio Corbucci
1966 Knives of the Avenger Rurik / Helmut Mario Bava
Ride in the Whirlwind Vern Monte Hellman
In the Shadow of the Eagles (it) Tribune Marcus Ventidius Ferdinando Baldi Italian language film
1967 Maneater of Hydra Baron von Weser Mel Welles German/Italian language film
The Treasure of Makuba Coogan José María Elorrieta Spanish language film
Hombre Sheriff Frank Braden Martin Ritt
Massacre in the Black Forest Consul Aulus Sessina Ferdinando Baldi
Rudolf Nussgruber German language film
1968 Autopsy of a Ghost (es) Prof. Moléculo Pulido Ismael Rodríguez Spanish language film
1969 Nightmare in Wax Vince Rinaud Bud Townsend
The Dream of Hamish Mose Captain Eli Cameron Mitchell Only directing credit
1970 The Rebel Rousers Paul Collier Martin B. Cohen Filmed in 1967
The Andersonville Trial Maj. Gen. Lew Wallace George C. Scott TV movie
1971 The Killers Col. Stewart Ewing Miles Brown
Eye for an Eye Huck Alberto Mariscal Spanish language film
Thief Charles Herrod William A. Graham TV movie
The Reluctant Heroes Sgt. Marion Bryce Robert Day
1972 Cutter Riggs Richard Irving
Buck and the Preacher Deshay Sidney Poitier
Slaughter A.W. Price Jack Starrett
1973 The Stranger George Benedict Lee H. Katzin TV movie
Featured on Mystery Science Theater 3000
The Big Game Bruno Carstens Robert Day
Medusa Bruno Carstens Gordon Hessler
1974 Hitchhike! Hadley TV movie
The Midnight Man Quartz Willinger Burt Lancaster
The Hanged Man Lew Halleck Michael Caffey TV movie
The Girl on the Late, Late Show Norman Wilder Gary Nelson
Death in Space Arnold Chester Charles S. Dubin
The Klansman Butt Cutt Cates Terence Young
1975 The Swiss Family Robinson Jeremiah Worth Harry Harris TV movie pilot for the 1975-76 series
Political Asylum MacPherson Manuel Zecena Diéguez Spanish language film
1976 The Quest Shadrack Peltzer Lee H. Katzin TV movie pilot for the 1976 series
Enforcer from Death Row Marshall M. Borden
Efren C. Piñon
Flood! Sam Adams Earl Bellamy TV movie
1977 Viva Knievel! Barton Gordon Douglas
Haunts Carl Herb Freed
The Hostage Heart Arnold Stade Bernard McEveety TV movie
1978 Slavers Da Silva Jürgen Goslar
The Toolbox Murders Vance Kingsley Dennis Donnelly
The Bastard Captain Plummer Lee H. Katzin TV movie
Texas Detour John Hunter Howard Avedis
The Swarm General Thompson Irwin Allen
The Scalp Merchant Howard Rubie Australian TV movie
1979 The Demon Colonel Carson Percival Rubens
Island of the Fishmen Decker Sergio Martino Scenes added to US version
The Hughes Mystery Manuel Zecena Diéguez
Hanging by a Thread Lawton Georg Fenady TV movie
Supersonic Man Dr. Gulik Juan Piquer Simón
The Silent Scream Lieutenant McGiver Denny Harris
1980 OHMS Wilbur Dick Lowry TV Movie
Turnover Smith Colonel Simmons Bernard L. Kowalski
Without Warning Hunter Greydon Clark
The Last Reunion Sam Hacker Jay Wetz
Cataclysm Lt. Sterne Phillip Marshak
Tom McGowan
Gregg G. Tallas
Captive Robert Emenegger
Allan Sandler
1981 The Perfect Woman Mordo TV Movie
Texas Lightning Karl Stover Gary Graver
Frankenstein Island Clay Jayson Jerry Warren
The Guns and the Fury Jack Piper Tony Zarrindast
1982 Kill Squad Dutch Patrick G. Donahue
Raw Force Captain Harry Dodds Edward D. Murphy
My Favorite Year Karl “Boss” Rojeck Richard Benjamin
Blood Link Bud Waldo Alberto De Martino
1983 Dixie Ray Hollywood Star The Lieutenant Anthony Spinelli Pornographic film
Kenny Rogers as The Gambler: The Adventure Continues Col. Greeley Dick Lowry TV movie, part of The Gambler series
Terror on Tape Video Store Clerk Robert Worms
1984 Killpoint Joe Marks Frank Harris
Prince Jack Gen. Edwin Walker Bert Lovitt
Go for the Gold Phillip Pritchard Stuart F. Fleming
1985 Night Train to Terror The Lieutenant Jay Schlossberg-Cohen Anthology film, uses footage from Cataclysm (1980)
1986 Low Blow Yarakunda Frank Harris
The Tomb Dr. Howard Phillips Fred Olen Ray
Mission Kill Harry David Winters
The Messenger Police Capt. Carter Fred Williamson
1987 Hateman Steve Harry Hope
Nightforce Sen. Adam Hansen Lawrence David Foldes Direct-to-video
From a Whisper to a Scream Sergeant Gallan Jeff Burr Anthology film
Hollywood Cop Capt. Bonano Amir Shervan
Deadly Prey Jamie’s father David A. Prior
Code Name Vengeance Dutch David Winters
Terror Night Detective Sanders Nick Marino
Mutant War Reinhart Rex Brett Piper Direct-to-video
1988 Space Mutiny Cmdr. Alex Jansen David Winters Featured on Mystery Science Theater 3000
Trapped Alive John Adams Leszek Burzynski
Rage to Kill Sergeant Bill Miller David Winters
1989 Action U.S.A. Frankie Navarro John Stewart
No Justice Mayor Johnson Fred H. Dresch
Richard Wayne Martin
Terror in Beverly Hills Captain Stills John Myhers
Memorial Valley Massacre Allen Sangster Robert C. Hughes
Easy Kill Eddie Josh Spencer
1990 Return to Justice Wayne Vincent G. Cox
Crossing the Line Sheriff Williams Gary Graver
Demon Cop Rocco Karega
Hal Miles
1995 Jack-O Dr. Cadaver Steve Latshaw
2018 The Other Side of the Wind Matt Zimmer Orson Welles Filmed 1970-76
Television
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The Beachcomber – lead role
Colt.45 – episode – “Point of Honor” – Dr. Allen McMurdo (1958)
Wagon Train (1959) The Duke LeMay Story
The Untouchables – episode – Ain’t we Got Fun – Johnny Paycheck (1959)
Bonanza – episode – A House Divided – Fredrick Kyle (1960)
Daniel Boone – episode – The Fifth Man – George Rogers Clark (1966)
Daniel Boone – episode – The Loser’s Race – James Dorsey (1966)
McCloud – episode – Somebody’s Out to Get Jennie – Robert Devlin (1971)
The F.B.I. – episode – Bitter Harbor – Unknown (1971)
Mod Squad – episode – Home is the Streets – Karl Milligan (1971)
McMillan & Wife – episode – Night of the Wizard – Harry Hastings (1972)
Night Gallery – episode – Finnegan’s Flight – Pete Tuttle (1972)
Night Gallery – episode – Green Fingers/The Funeral/The Tune in Dan’s Cafe – Michael J. Saunders (1972)
Ironside – episode – Buddy Can you Spare a Dime? – Kent (1972)
Alias Smith and Jones – Which Way to the O.K. Corral? – Wyatt Earp (1972)
The Magician – episode – Illusion in Terror – Walter C. Marsh/Canfield (1973)
Hawkins – episode – Murder in Movieland – Jake Parkins (1973)
Mission Impossible – episode – The Fountain – Matthew Drake (1973)
Ironside – episode – The Helping Hand – Graham (1973)
Police Story – episode – Line of Fire – Arnie Holcombe (1973)
Hawaii Five-O – episode – Welcome to our Branch Office – Bowman (1974)
Ironside – episode – What’s New with Mark – Kincaid (1974)
Amy Prentiss – episode – The Desperate World of Jane Doe – Satin Charlie (1974)
Gunsmoke – episode – The Iron Man – Chauncey Demon (1974)
The Swiss Family Robinson – TV movie – Jeremiah Worth (1975)
S.W.A.T. – episode – Jungle War – Bo Pritchard (1975)
Cannon – episode – The Investigator – Peter DeAba (1975)
Movin’ On – episode – Landslide – Casey’s Father (1975)
The Swiss Family Robinson – 20 episodes – Jeremiah Worth (1975-1976)
Bronk – episode – The Vigilante – Mankowski (1976)
Testimony of Two Men – miniseries – Jeremiah Hadley (1977)
Hunter – episode = UFM 13 (1977)
Quincy, M.E. – episode – Last of the Dinosaurs – Dan Granger (1977)
Police Story – episode – Stigma – Taggart (1977)
Fantasy Island – episode – Return to Fantasy Island – Raoul (1978)
Fantasy Island – episode – The Big Dipper/The Pirate – Sgt. Broylan (1978)
Vega$ – episode – Lady Ice – Willie ‘Sparrow’ Salter (1978)
How the West Was Won – Mini series – episodes – #1.1-1.3 – Coulee John Brinkerhoff (1978)
Vega$ – episode – Lady Ice – Willie ‘Sparrow’ Salter (1978)
Greatest Heroes of the Bible – episode – Joshua and the Battle of Jericho – Assurabi (1978)
Fantasy Island – episode – Eddie Collins – The Chain Gang/The Boss (1979)
Hawaii Five O – episode – A Very Personal Matter – Tom Riorden (1979)
Charlie’s Angels – episode – Avenging Angel – Frank Desmond (1979)
Vega$ – episode – Siege of the Desert Inn – Zinberg (1980)
Charlie’s Angels – episode – To See An Angel Die – Tom Granger (1980)
Mrs. Columbo – episode – Love, On Instant Replay – Unknown (1980)
Magnum, P.I. – episode – Adelaide – Captain Charles Cathcart, U.S.N. Retired (1981)
Fantasy Island – episode – Devil and Mr. Roarke/Ziegfeld Girls/Kid Corey Rides Again – Sheriff Matt (1981)
The Incredible Hulk – episode – Goodbye Eddie Cain – Eddie Cain (1981)
Kenny Rogers as The Gambler: The Adventure Continues – TV movie/mini-series – Colonel Greeley (1983)
Knight Rider – episode – Diamonds Aren’t a Girls Best Friend – Bernie Mitchell (1984)
Hardcastle and McCormick – episodes – The Homecoming: PARTS One and Two – Mayor Broadmore (1984)
Partners in Crime – episode – Duke – Duke (1984)
Murder, She Wrote – episode – Murder to a Jazz Beat – Dr. Aaron Kramer (1985)
Simon & Simon – episode – Something for Sarah – Ben Coffield (1986)
Dream West – TV mini-series – Commander Robert Stackton (1986)
Matlock – episode – The Network – Lane Lockletter (1987)
Early life and stage career
Mitchell was born in Dallastown, Pennsylvania of Scottish and German descent, one of seven children of Rev. Charles Michael Mitzell and Kathryn Isabella (née Ehrhart) Mitzell.
Young Cameron moved to Chicora, Pennsylvania in 1921 when his father was accepted as pastor of the St. John’s Reformed Church, Butler, Pennsylvania, and went on to grow up in Shrewsbury, Pennsylvania. He was a 1936 graduate of Greenwood High School in Millerstown, Pennsylvania.
Cameron became an NBC page at NBC Radio City that led him into making his debut appearing in a production of The Taming of the Shrew, with Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne’s National Theater Company.
Mitchell’s Broadway credits include The Trojan Women (1940), The November People (1977), Southern Exposure (1950), and Death of a Salesman (1948).
Mitchell served as a bombardier with the United States Army Air Forces during World War II.
Film career
His film career began with being contracted to MGM in 1945 for three years, initially with minor roles in films including They Were Expendable (with John Wayne and Robert Montgomery), but Mitchell quickly rose to leading man status. He co-starred with Wallace Beery in The Mighty McGurk, and he concluded his MGM period with two 1948 films starring Clark Gable, Homecoming and Command Decision.
One of his best-known films was the 1951 adaptation of Death of a Salesman where he originated the role of Happy on Broadway. He was then contracted to 20th Century Fox where he had a prolific career in such films as the 1952 version of Les Miserables (as Marius), the 1953 comedy How to Marry a Millionaire (with Marilyn Monroe), and 1956’s film version of the stage musical Carousel. He voiced Jesus of Nazareth in The Robe.
He appeared alongside Gary Cooper, Susan Hayward and Richard Widmark in Garden of Evil, with Lana Turner and Spencer Tracy in Cass Timberlane, with Clark Gable, Robert Ryan and Jane Russell in The Tall Men, with Marlon Brando, Merle Oberon and Jean Simmons in Désirée, with Leo Fong in Enforcer from Death Row, and with Joanne Woodward and Sheree North in No Down Payment. Mitchell was loaned out back to MGM with Doris Day and James Cagney in Love Me or Leave Me.
During the 1960s, Mitchell starred in numerous Italian sword and sandal, horror, fantasy, and thriller films, several of which were directed by Mario Bava, including Erik the Conqueror (1961), Blood and Black Lace (1964), Ride the Whirlwind (1965) and Knives of the Avenger (1966). He also participated in Spaghetti Westerns, like Minnesota Clay by Sergio Corbucci. He appeared as Captain Alex Jansen in Space Mutiny, a 1988 South African science fiction movie that appeared as an “Experiment” in Episode 820 of Mystery Science Theater 3000.
In later years, Mitchell appeared in villainous roles as a sheriff turned outlaw in Hombre (1967), a bandit in Buck and the Preacher (1972) and a Ku Klux Klan racist in The Klansman (1974). He also played a gangster for laughs in My Favorite Year. Late in his career, Mitchell played a police detective in a 1983 film, Dixie Ray, Hollywood Star. He portrayed right-wing General Edwin A. Walker in Prince Jack (1985).
Television career
Mitchell starred in an unsold 1959 television pilot called I Am a Lawyer however, he achieved success on television during the latter part of his career, where he is best remembered for starring as Buck Cannon in the 1960s/1970s NBC western series, The High Chaparral.:458 He had the lead as John Lackland in the 1961 syndicated adventure series The Beachcomber.
He played Henry Gordon in the television adaptation of Black Beauty.:110 In 1984, he had the role of Duke Kovak in Partners in Crime (U.S. TV series).:814 In 1975-1976, he portrayed Jeremiah Worth in the Swiss Family Robinson TV series.:1046
He was featured on an episode of Bonanza and ABC’s S.W.A.T.. He guest starred on the “Landslide” episode of Movin’ On in 1975. He appeared on Gene Evans’s short-lived Spencer’s Pilots on CBS in 1976. Mitchell also had roles in horror films and in many exploitation films such as The Toolbox Murders (1978), the creature feature The Swarm (1978), the slasher film The Demon (1979), the slasher film Silent Scream (1980), and the anthology film From a Whisper to a Scream (1987).
In 1979, Mitchell became the national spokesman for Ziebart in a series of television commercials that ran for several years.
Personal life
In 1940, Mitchell married Johanna Mendel, daughter of self-made Canadian business tycoon Fred Mendel. The Mendel family was based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, where Fred Mendel founded Intercontinental Packers, a major family-owned meat packing operation. The Mitchells’ four children held dual US/Canadian citizenship.
Johanna Mitchell gave birth to their first son, Robert Cameron Mitchell, in New York on July 4, 1941; he died in 1981. Although Mitchell and Johanna divorced around 1960, he maintained close ties to Canada. Their daughter, Camille Mitchell (born 1954), and another son, Charles (later known as Cameron Mitchell Jr.; born 1951), are both actors.
Cameron and Johanna’s second son, Michael Fredrick “Fred” Mitchell (1946–1998), was president of Intercontinental Packers for many years working alongside his mother, Johanna, who was Chairwoman of the Board. Today the company is known as Mitchell’s Gourmet Foods and still operates out of Saskatoon, now owned by Maple Leaf Foods. Mitchell and his second wife, Lissa Jacobs Gertz, had three children (Kate, Jake and Jono) before divorcing in 1973. Mitchell’s third wife was Margaret Brock Johnson Mozingo, whom he met when he was in Florence, South Carolina, making a film. They were married from 1973 to 1976, when the union was annulled.
Bankruptcy
In February 1974, Mitchell entered his second bankruptcy, with $2.4 million in debts contrasted with $26 in two bank accounts. He told Associated Press writer Bob Thomas: “The reasons are the same as have happened to other actors over the years. Stupid, bad investments. Parasites who live off you. Too much trust in people who handle your money.”
Death
Mitchell died of lung cancer on July 7, 1994 in Pacific Palisades, California. He was 75 years old. He is buried in Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City, California.
On his deathbed, he was surrounded by his wife, six of his seven children (eldest child Robert Cameron Mitchell (1941–1981) predeceased both his parents), and five grandchildren.
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