Thomas Mitchell (actor) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Thomas Mitchell
Mitchell in 1953
Born	Thomas John Mitchell (1892-07-11)July 11, 1892 Elizabeth, New Jersey, U.S.
Died	December 17, 1962(1962-12-17) (aged 70) Beverly Hills, California, U.S.
Resting place	Chapel of the Pines Crematory
Occupation	Actor writer
Years active	1916–1962
Spouse(s)	Ann Stuart Breswer ​ ​ (m. 1915; div. 1935)​ (m. 1941) Rachel Hartzell ​ ​ (m. 1937; div. 1939)​
Relatives	James P. Mitchell (nephew)

Thomas John Mitchell (born July 11, 1892 – died December 17, 1962) was a famous American actor and writer. He played many well-known characters in movies and TV shows. Some of his most famous roles include Gerald O'Hara in Gone with the Wind, Doc Boone in Stagecoach, and Uncle Billy in It's a Wonderful Life.

Thomas Mitchell was the first male actor to win the "Triple Crown of Acting." This means he won an Oscar (for movies), an Emmy (for TV), and a Tony Award (for theater). He was nominated for two Oscars for Best Supporting Actor, winning one for his role in Stagecoach. He also won an Emmy in 1953 for his role in the TV show The Doctor. In the same year, he won a Tony Award for his part in the musical Hazel Flagg. Besides acting, he also directed plays and wrote scripts.

Early Life and Beginnings

Thomas Mitchell was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey. His parents were immigrants from Ireland. His family was involved in journalism and community leadership. Both his father and brother were newspaper reporters. His nephew, James P. Mitchell, later became a government official.

Thomas also started as a newspaper reporter after high school. But he soon found that he loved writing short plays and skits more than reporting news. In 1927, he joined a famous actors' club called The Lambs.

A Busy Acting Career

Trailer for High Barbaree (1947)

Thomas Mitchell began his acting career in 1913. He even toured with Charles Coburn's Shakespeare Company. While acting in plays on Broadway in the 1920s, he continued to write. One play he helped write, Little Accident, was even made into a movie three times! His first movie role was in Six Cylinder Love in 1923.

His big break came in 1937 with the movie Lost Horizon. After this, Hollywood wanted him for many roles. That same year, he was nominated for an Oscar for his acting in The Hurricane.

Mitchell was known as one of the best character actors in film. A character actor is someone who plays many different types of supporting roles. From 1936 to 1946, he acted in 43 out of his 59 movies! The year 1939 was especially busy for him. He had important roles in five major films: Stagecoach, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Only Angels Have Wings, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Gone with the Wind.

Portraying Tom Blue in The Black Swan (1942)

Many people remember him as Scarlett O'Hara's father in Gone with the Wind. However, he won his Oscar for playing the kind, drunken Doc Boone in Stagecoach. In his acceptance speech, he joked, "I didn't know I was that good."

Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, Mitchell played many different characters. These included roles in Swiss Family Robinson (1940) and High Noon (1952), where he played the town mayor. Today, he is perhaps best known for his role as the lovable Uncle Billy in the Christmas movie It's a Wonderful Life (1946), starring James Stewart.

Mitchell (right) with Tyrone Power in a trailer for The Black Swan (1942)

In the 1950s and early 1960s, Mitchell mostly worked in television. He appeared in many popular early TV shows like Playhouse 90. In 1955, he played Kris Kringle in a TV version of The Miracle on 34th Street. In 1959, he starred in 39 episodes of the TV series Glencannon.

In the early 1960s, Mitchell was the first to play the detective "Columbo" on stage. This role later became very famous on TV with actor Peter Falk. Columbo was Thomas Mitchell's last acting role.

Later Life and Passing

Thomas Mitchell passed away at age 70 in Beverly Hills, California. He was cremated, and his ashes are kept at the Chapel of the Pines Crematory.

His Work

Films

Writer

• Little Accident (1928) – play Little Accident
• Papa Sans le Savoir (1932) – play Little Accident
• All of Me (1934) - Dialogue Director
• All of Me (1934) - Screenplay
• Life Begins with Love (1937) - Screenplay
• Little Accident (1939) – play Little Accident
• Casanova Brown (1944) – play Little Accident
• Peter's Baby (1961) – play Little Accident (uncredited)

Television

Theatre

Staged by

Radio

Awards and Honors

In 1953, Thomas Mitchell made history. He was the first man to win the "triple crown" of acting awards. This means he won an Oscar (for movies), an Emmy (for television), and a Tony (for theater). He is still one of only a few people to have achieved this amazing feat.

Thomas Mitchell has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. One is for his work in television, and the other is for his work in movies.

See also

In Spanish: Thomas Mitchell para niños

• List of actors with Academy Award nominations