James Mitchell
Biography
An American actor and dancer, James Mitchell was best known to television audiences for playing Palmer Cortlandt on All My Children, a role he held from 1979 to 2009. He studied drama at Los Angeles City College, then joined Lester Horton's dance company. After moving to New York, he auditioned for Agnes de Mille and worked as her principal dancer and assistant choreographer from 1944 to 1969. His Broadway credits included Bloomer Girl, Brigadoon, and Paint Your Wagon, and he won a Theatre World Award and a Donaldson Award for Brigadoon. On film he appeared in Colorado Territory (1949), Border Incident (1949), Stars in My Crown (1950), The Band Wagon (1953), Oklahoma! (1955), and The Turning Point (1977). His television work included The Edge of Night and Where the Heart Is; All My Children brought him several Daytime Emmy nominations. He later taught at Juilliard, Yale University, and Drake University, and died in 2010.
89years old at death
- Born Sacramento
- Died Los Angeles
- Star sign: PiscesThe sign runs February 19 to March 20
Movie Career
- Films
- 7
- Career span
- 28 years1949 to 1977
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Early training
James Mitchell did not study ballet until his mid-twenties, and when he auditioned for Agnes de Mille he had so little familiarity with the style that he simply threw himself across the floor until she stopped him and asked where he had trained.
Early training
Mitchell discovered modern dance at Lester Horton's school while taking drama classes at Los Angeles City College. After finishing his associate degree, he spent almost four years with Horton's company.
Getting ready for a role
Mitchell played choreographer Paul Byrd in Vincente Minnelli's The Band Wagon, an unsympathetic part he disliked so much that he would not watch the finished film.
A first
Mitchell played gunfighter Terrall Butler in Hal R. Makelim's Western The Peacemaker in 1956. It was the only time he was billed above the title, and his film career ended abruptly after that.
Behind the camera
Mitchell also took on directing and choreography work, mainly during the late 1960s and 1970s. Musicals he staged included shows at the Paper Mill Playhouse, the Mark Taper Forum and The Muny, and in 1956 he co-staged The Enchanted with Katherine Litz for American Ballet Theatre.
James Mitchell movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Anthony Mann directed two of these films. Marshall Thompson appears in three of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Marshall Thompson's page
Joel McCrea's page
Jack Lambert's page
Arthur Hunnicutt's page
Harry Antrim's page
Anthony MannDirector, 2 films, 1949 to 1950
All films by Anthony Mann
Awards
One award and honor.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other honors | |||
| 1947 | Theatre World Award | Won | |
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.