Editing Robert Mitchum (section)

===Getting established===
[[File:Robert Dorothy Mitchum.jpg|thumb|right|Robert and Dorothy Mitchum (1948)]]
[[File:Robert Mitchum and sons 1946.jpg|thumb|right|Mitchum with his sons (1946)]]
[[File:Robert Mitchum på Fornebu - L0056 879Fo30141701030132.jpg|thumb|right|Dorothy and Robert Mitchum (1955)]]

By 1937, Mitchum had settled in [[Long Beach, California]].{{sfn|Roberts|1992|p=14}}<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wilson |first=Jeff |title=Actor Robert Mitchum dead at 79 |url=https://www.southcoasttoday.com/story/entertainment/local/1997/07/02/actor-robert-mitchum-dead-at/50613012007/ |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=New Bedford Standard-Times |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2017-10-21 |title=FILM AND TV STAR ROBERT MITCHUM DIES AT AGE 79 - The Washington Post |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1997/07/02/film-and-tv-star-robert-mitchum-dies-at-age-79/2c7c3de9-3293-4d7c-bee6-3124b3d73d4c/ |access-date=2025-02-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171021220634/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1997/07/02/film-and-tv-star-robert-mitchum-dies-at-age-79/2c7c3de9-3293-4d7c-bee6-3124b3d73d4c/ |archive-date=October 21, 2017 }}</ref> His older sister, [[Julie Mitchum|Julie]], tried to return to show business and became a member of the Players Guild, a local theater group.{{sfn|Server|2001|p=41}} Often accompanying her home after her rehearsals, he took an interest in the group's productions and became acquainted with her colleagues.{{sfn|Roberts|1992|p=14}}{{sfn|Roberts|2000|p=119}} With his mother's encouragement,{{sfn|Roberts|1992|p=205}} Mitchum joined the Players Guild and made his stage debut in August 1937.{{sfn|Roberts|1992|pp=26, 206–7}}{{sfn|Server|2001|pp=43–44}} He continued appearing in their productions{{sfn|Roberts|1992|pp=207–9}}{{sfn|Server|2001|pp=44–45}} and also wrote two children's plays.{{sfn|Roberts|1992|pp=208, 218}}<ref name="parkinson2016">{{cite web |last1=Parkinson |first1=David |title=Robert Mitchum: 10 Essential Films |url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/lists/robert-mitchum-10-essential-films |website=[[British Film Institute]] |access-date=July 10, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230201010728/https://www.bfi.org.uk/lists/robert-mitchum-10-essential-films |archive-date=February 1, 2023 |date=August 5, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> After Julie began working as a cabaret singer, he started writing lyrics for her and other performers.{{sfn|Server|2001|pp=46–47}} In 1939, he wrote and composed an oratorio that was presented at a Jewish-refugee-benefit show, produced and directed by [[Orson Welles]].<ref name="time1968"/>{{sfn|Tomkies|1973|p=35}}

In late 1939, Mitchum was hired by astrologer [[Carroll Righter]] as an assistant for an Eastern Seaboard tour.{{sfn|Roberts|2000|pp=120–121}}{{sfn|Eells|1984|pp=45–46}}{{sfn|Server|2001|pp=48–49}}{{refn|group=note| Some sources report that Mitchum once worked as a ghostwriter for Righter.{{sfn|Tomkies|1973|pp=35–36}}<ref name="SatEvePost"/><ref name="thr2014"/> However, in a 1991 interview, Mitchum denied such rumors, saying that he had never done any writing for Righter.{{sfn|Roberts|2000|pp=120–121}}}} He returned to Delaware to marry Dorothy Spence in 1940 during this trip and then moved back to California with her.{{sfn|Server|2001|pp=49–50}}<ref name="ap"/> He quit his work as a writer for cabaret acts after a promised payment failed to materialize.{{sfn|Tomkies|1973|p=38}} Intending to provide a steady income for his family after his wife became pregnant, Mitchum took a job as a sheet metal worker at the [[Lockheed Aircraft Corporation]] during [[World War II]].{{sfn|Tomkies|1973|pp=38–39}}{{sfn|Eells|1984|pp=48–49}} He acted part-time for a while, and his last stage appearance before his entrance into films was in 1941.{{sfn|Tomkies|1973|p=40}}{{sfn|Roberts|1992|p=209}}{{refn|group=note|Mitchum's first child was born on the opening night of a local theater production he appeared in.{{sfn|Tomkies|1973|p=40}}{{sfn|Roberts|1992|p=209}}}} The noise of the machinery at Lockheed damaged his hearing.<ref>{{Cite news | title = Obituary – Robert Mitchum Actor played tough guys | newspaper = [[The Ottawa Citizen]] | location = [[Ottawa]], Ontario | date = July 2, 1997 | page = A-11 | id = {{ProQuest|240116189}}}}</ref> Assigned to a graveyard shift, he suffered from chronic insomnia and went temporarily blind. Told by his doctors that his illness was caused by job-related anxieties, he left Lockheed.{{sfn|Eells|1984|pp=49–51}}<ref name="SatEvePost"/><ref name="thomas1993">{{cite news |last1=Thomas |first1=Bob |title=Robert Mitchum - The Sleepy-Eyed Tough Guy |url=https://www.deseret.com/1993/11/25/19078475/robert-mitchum-the-sleepy-eyed-tough-guy/ |access-date=July 12, 2024 |work=[[Deseret News]] |date=November 25, 1993 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202222133/https://www.deseret.com/1993/11/25/19078475/robert-mitchum-the-sleepy-eyed-tough-guy/ |archive-date=February 2, 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Mitchum then sought work as a film actor.{{sfn|Server|2001|pp=55–56}} An agent he knew from his work in theater got him an interview with [[Harry Sherman]], the producer of [[United Artists]]' ''[[Hopalong Cassidy (film series)|Hopalong Cassidy]]'' Western film series, which starred [[William Boyd (actor)|William Boyd]].{{sfn|Tomkies|1973|pp=44–46}}{{sfn|Freese|2020|p=12}} In June 1942, Mitchum began his film career with a part as a minor villain in ''[[Border Patrol (1943 film)|Border Patrol]]'', the first of seven Hopalong Cassidy films he made that were released in 1943.{{sfn|Server|2001|pp=59–65}}{{sfn|Freese|2020|pp=13–17}} That year, he appeared in a total of 19 films.{{sfn|Roberts|2000|p=121}} His first non-Western was ''[[Follow the Band]]'', a musical at [[Universal Pictures|Universal]],{{sfn|Roberts|1992|p=37}} and he went uncredited as a soldier in ''[[The Human Comedy (film)|The Human Comedy]]'', a major [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer|MGM]] picture starring [[Mickey Rooney]].{{sfn|Roberts|1992|pp=38–39}} Other films in which he played supporting parts included a [[Laurel and Hardy]] comedy, ''[[The Dancing Masters]]'',{{sfn|Roberts|1992|p=44}} and two war films starring [[Randolph Scott]], ''[[Corvette K-225]]''{{sfn|Roberts|1992|p=42}} and [[Gung Ho! (1943 film)|''Gung Ho!'']].{{sfn|Roberts|1992|pp=45–46}}<ref>{{Citation | title = Bugs Bunny-War Bonds | date = 1943 | url = https://archive.org/details/GungHo-1943Trailer | access-date = September 21, 2017}}</ref> [[Harry Cohn]] offered him a studio contract after viewing his performance in [[Columbia Pictures|Columbia]]'s musical ''[[Doughboys in Ireland]]''. Mitchum, however, declined the offer.{{sfn|Eells|1984|pp=55–56}}{{sfn|Server|2001|pp=69–70}}

Mitchum's first important role was in ''[[When Strangers Marry]]'', a thriller directed by [[William Castle]] and released by [[Monogram Pictures|Monogram]] in 1944.{{sfn|Tomkies|1973|p=49}}{{sfn|Marill|1978|pp=80–81}}{{sfn|Roberts|1992|pp=48–49}} Opposite [[Dean Jagger]] and [[Kim Hunter]], he played a salesman who helps his former girlfriend solve a murder mystery. Mitchum received positive reviews for his performance, and in retrospect, the film is considered a fine example of B movies.{{sfn|Roberts|1992|pp=48–49}}  That same year, he was cast in a small role in the war film ''[[Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo]]'', starring [[Van Johnson]] and [[Robert Walker (actor, born 1918)|Robert Walker]] and featuring [[Spencer Tracy]] in a guest performance.{{sfn|Roberts|1992|pp=49–50}} Director [[Mervyn LeRoy]] was impressed by Mitchum's talent and recommended him to [[RKO Pictures|RKO]].{{sfn|Eells|1984|pp=64–65}}

On May 25, 1944, Mitchum signed a seven-year contract with RKO at an initial salary of $350 per week, effective June 1. [[David O. Selznick]]'s [[Vanguard Films]] bought a piece of the contract.{{sfn|Eells|1984|pp=56, 65}} Mitchum's first film for RKO was ''[[Girl Rush]]'' (1944), a comedy starring [[Brown and Carney]].{{sfn|Roberts|1992|pp=50–51}} He was groomed for B-Western stardom in two [[Zane Grey]] adaptations, ''[[Nevada (1944 film)|Nevada]]'' (1944){{sfn|Freese|2020|pp=35–37}} and ''[[West of the Pecos (1945 film)|West of the Pecos]]'' (1945),{{sfn|Freese|2020|pp=41–43}} with the former marking his first time receiving star billing.{{sfn|Eells|1984|p=67}} Both films did well at the box office{{sfn|Tomkies|1973|p=51}} and received positive reviews from critics.{{sfn|Freese|2020|pp=41–43}}

Following the filming of the two Westerns, RKO lent Mitchum to independent producer Lester Cowan for a prominent supporting actor role in ''[[The Story of G.I. Joe]]'' (1945), directed by [[William A. Wellman]].{{sfn|Marill|1978|p=26}} He portrayed a war-weary officer based on Captain [[Henry T. Waskow]], who remains resolute despite the troubles he faces.<ref>{{AFI film|24602|G.I. Joe}}</ref> The film, which followed the life of an ordinary soldier through the eyes of journalist [[Ernie Pyle]], played by [[Burgess Meredith]], became an instant critical and commercial success.{{sfn|Roberts|1992|pp=54–56}}<ref>{{cite news |title=British Exhibition Chill Continues Against 'GI Joe' and 'Objective Burma' |url=https://archive.org/details/variety163-1946-09/page/n2/mode/1up |access-date=July 17, 2024 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=September 4, 1946 |pages=3, 27}}</ref> General [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] called it the greatest war picture he had ever seen.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=The New Pictures, Jul. 23, 1945 |url=https://time.com/archive/6605976/the-new-pictures-jul-23-1945/ |access-date=July 17, 2024 |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=July 23, 1945 }}</ref> Before its release, Mitchum was drafted into the [[United States Army]], serving at [[Fort MacArthur]], California, as a medic.{{sfn|Eells|1984|pp=70–75}} ''The Story of G.I. Joe'' was nominated for four [[18th Academy Awards|Academy Awards]],<ref>{{cite web |title=The 18th Academy Awards {{!}} 1946 |url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1946 |website=[[Academy Awards]] |date=April 9, 2024 |access-date=July 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240520004844/https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1946 |archive-date=May 20, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref> including Mitchum's only nomination for an Academy Award, for [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor|Best Supporting Actor]].<ref name="champlin1997">{{cite news |last1=Champlin |first1=Charles |title=Mitchum: Hollywood's Enduring Bad Boy |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-jul-02-ca-8843-story.html |access-date=July 17, 2024 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=July 2, 1997}}</ref> The film established Mitchum as a star,{{sfn|Roberts|1992|pp=54–56}} and nearly three decades later, [[Andrew Sarris]] described his performance as "extraordinarily haunting" in ''[[The Village Voice]]''.<ref name="sarris">{{cite news |last=Sarris |first=Andrew |title=He Does Something Different |work=[[The Village Voice]] |date=July 26, 1973 |pages=61–62}}</ref>

In 1946, Mitchum appeared in ''[[Till the End of Time (film)|Till the End of Time]]'',  [[Edward Dmytryk]]'s box office hit about returning Marine [[veteran]]s, with [[Dorothy McGuire]] and [[Guy Madison]],{{sfn|Roberts|1992|pp=56–57}}{{sfn|Jewell|2016|p=51}} before migrating to a genre that came to define his career and screen persona: [[film noir]].<ref name="Biography"/>