James Mitchum - Actor Profile

James Mitchum

Acting
Updated: Apr 13, 2026
32Total Films
9.0 Highest Rated
Born: May 8, 1941
Birth Place: Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California, US

About James Mitchum

James Mitchum (born May 8, 1941 in Los Angeles, California) was an American actor and the eldest son of actor Robert Mitchum. His brother is actor Christopher Mitchum, and he was the uncle of actor Bentley Mitchum. He 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 pilot episode "Genesis" (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; Ambush Bay (1966); The Invincible Six (1970); Two-Lane Blacktop (1971); and The Last Movie (1971). In 1975 he starred in the movie Moonrunners, where he played the character Grady Hagg in the influence for the television series The Dukes of Hazzard. He was also in Zebra Force and Trackdown co-starring Karen Lamm and Erik Estrada in 1976; Ransom (a k a Assault on Paradise) (1977); Blackout (1978); Monstroid (1980); Crazy Jungle Adventure (1982); Code Name Zebra (1987); Hollywood Cop (1987); Jake Spanner, Private Eye (1989); and Fatal Mission (1990). Description above from the Wikipedia article James Mitchum, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

James Mitchum Movies & Career Overview

The filmography of James Mitchum reflects a career marked by diverse experimentation. Across 32 major appearances, the actor has built a reputation through performances in multiple genres and storytelling styles.

Dominant Genre

A large portion of James Mitchum's work falls within the Action genre, where audiences tend to respond most strongly to their on-screen presence.

Success Ratio

Approximately 19% of James Mitchum's films maintain ratings above 6.5, indicating a consistent level of audience approval.

One of the most highly rated entries in their career remains Fatal Mission, which stands out as a key performance.

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Best James Mitchum Movies Ranked

Must-watch hits from James Mitchum's career based on audience ratings.

Full Filmography

Every movie James Mitchum has appeared in, with audience ratings and verdicts.

YearMovieCharacterSuccessMore
2018 Robert Mitchum, le mauvais garçon d'Hollywood Self (archive footage) Hit Similar →
1994 Stickfighter Mule (uncredited) Flop Similar →
1990 Beyond Kilimanjaro, Across the River of Blood James Mitchum Flop Similar →
1990 Fatal Mission Maj. Bauer Super Hit Similar →
1989 Hoodwinked Lieutenant Kevin Spanner Average Similar →
1989 Leathernecks - Hit Similar →
1989 Marked for Murder Rainier Flop Similar →
1988 Raiders of the Magic Ivory Sugar Average Similar →
1988 Mercenary Fighters Wilson Jeffords Flop Similar →
1987 Code Name: Zebra Frank Barnes (as Jim Mitchum) Flop Similar →
1987 Hollywood Cop Feliciano Flop Similar →
1982 Crazy Jungle Adventure Butch Donovan Average Similar →
1980 Monstroid Travis Flop Similar →
1978 Blackout Dan Evans Flop Similar →
1977 Ransom Tracker Average Similar →
1976 Trackdown Jim Calhoun Flop Similar →
1975 Moonrunners Grady Hagg Flop Similar →
1971 The Last Movie Art Average Similar →
1971 Two-Lane Blacktop Man #2 at Race Track Hit Similar →
1970 The Invincible Six Nazar Flop Similar →
1966 Ambush Bay Pvt. James Grenier Flop Similar →
1965 The Tramplers Hoby Cordeen Average Similar →
1965 The Money Trap Detective Wolski Flop Similar →
1965 In Harm's Way Ensign Griggs Hit Similar →
1964 Ride the Wild Surf Eskimo Flop Similar →
1964 Massacre At Grand Canyon Wes Evans Average Similar →
1963 The Victors Grogan Average Similar →
1962 Young Guns of Texas Morgan Coe Flop Similar →
1959 Girls Town Charley Boy Flop Similar →
1959 The Beat Generation Art Jester Flop Similar →
1958 Thunder Road Robin Doolin Average Similar →
1949 Colorado Territory Child (uncredited) Hit Similar →

James Mitchum - Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best movie of James Mitchum?

According to audience ratings, the best movie starring James Mitchum is "Fatal Mission" with a rating of 9.0/10.

How many movies has James Mitchum acted in?

James Mitchum has been featured in at least 32 major films throughout their career.

What are some other popular movies by James Mitchum?

Other notable films include "Robert Mitchum, le mauvais garçon d'Hollywood", "Leathernecks", and "Colorado Territory".

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