Robert Mitchum

Everyone has their favourite actor for whatever reason and mine is Robert Mitchum.

Edward G Robinson, Humphrey Bogart, Spencer Tracy might well be considered better film actors so why Mitchum?

In brief, his personality. This was revealed in the BBC 2 series Talking Pictures basically archival interviews narrated by Sylvia Sims.

Robert Mitchum never took himself nor the film industry seriously and was difficult to interview as unlike so many he did not want to talk about himself.

He would refer to himself as a professional actor who kept his reserve and cherished his private life.

He married but the once and served a term for possession of marijuana.

It was typical of the man that he served 9 months in stir and did not try to wiggle out.

He often quoted John Huston’s dictum of the film industry:

“If you want it bad, I’ll do it bad. It will  cost you more money but I’ll do it bad.”

Though without formal education, Mitchum was a highly intelligent self-taught man and capable screen writer.

He would look at the script first  and if he judged it mediocre would produce a  performance to match it .    His reputation was as a generous actor helpful to his co- stars

Yet at his best as Night of the Hunter where he played a psychopathic false priest he could be mesmerising. Actors like James Stewart, Gregory Peck and Spencer Tracy would never have taken such a part.

I doubt if he would understand why Tom Cruise would do selfies with fans on premieres.

Rest assured, though,  if a fan was attacked by a steward Bob Mitchum would be the first to sort him out.