James Mitchum

James Mitchum (born May 8, 1941) is an American actor. Mitchum was born in Los Angeles, California, the elder son of actor Robert Mitchum (whom he closely resembles) and his wife, Dorothy Spence. His brother is actor Christopher Mitchum, and he is the uncle of actor Bentley Mitchum. His only child was born during his marriage to actress Wende Wagner (1941-1997). Film career James Mitchum had his first role, which was small and unbilled, at the age of eight in the Western Colorado Territory (1949) with Joel McCrea, Virginia Mayo, and Dorothy Malone. His credited debut was in Thunder Road (1958), in which he played his father's much younger brother, a role written for Elvis Presley, who was eager to do it until his manager demanded too much money. This film became a drive-in cult favorite, revived in the 1970s and ’80s. Curiously, he was again credited as being "introduced" in the Have Gun Will Travel flashback episode "Genesis" (season 6, episode 1, 1962). He has appeared in more than 30 films including The Beat Generation in 1959; The Victors in 1963; as a surfer named Eskimo in Ride the Wild Surf in 1964; In Harm's Way (1965) with John Wayne, Kirk Douglas, and Henry Fonda.