Herb Mitchell

Herbert L. Mitchell Jr. (June 18, 1937 – January 4, 2011), credited as Herb Mitchell and sometimes Herb L. Mitchell, was an American actor, director, and teacher. He was a stockbroker before he made the switch to acting, appearing in films; stage plays such as The Fiddler on the Roof, in which he played the lead role of Tevye; television shows including The Practice, on which he had a recurring role; and commercials, including ones for stock brokerage firms Dean Witter Reynolds and Paine Webber. He was married twice and had five children. Early life Herb Mitchell was born June 18, 1937, in Bar Harbor, Maine. He was one of three sons of Herbert L. Mitchell Sr. and Estella Mae Bourgeois Mitchell. He grew up in Bar Harbor, where he attended local schools, served as an altar boy in the local Catholic church, and participated in high school sports. Following studies at the University of Maine and the Maine Maritime Academy, he became a stockbroker in Bangor, Maine. Acting career In the late 1960s, Mitchell joined a community theater group in Ellsworth, Maine, the Ellsworth Players; he eventually became its president. He was purely a behind-the-scenes participant in the group's stage productions until 1971, when director Bill Raiten persuaded him to take the role of Tevye in a production of the musical Fiddler on the Roof. His portrayal won praise, including a favorable review by playwright Samuel A. Taylor. A New York City producer who saw the show offered Mitchell a chance to play the same role in an off-Broadway production of the musical in Brooklyn. Mitchell, as the father of four children, felt committed to his financial career and declined the offer. However, he continued to act in local productions in the following years, became disenchanted with his job, and decided to pursue acting as a profession. During the 1970s, he became co-owner of a jazz club and bar that operated seasonally in Maine; he spent the off-season acting on stage in southern California. He auditioned for the television series M*A*S*H (1972–83) without success. By 1980, he was working in Los Angeles as an actor, appearing in films, television programs, live performances, and commercials. He portrayed roles in commercials for stock brokerage firms Dean Witter, as the company spokesman, and Paine Webber, as an executive.