SANTA BARBARA, Calif., July 1 -- Actor Robert Mitchum, a 50-year veteran of the big screen who once said he played everything 'but women and midgets,' died in his sleep at his Santa Barbara, Calif., home. He was 79.
Chris Mitchum said his father apparently died about 5 a.m. today (Tuesday) and was discovered by his wife, Dorothy. The cause of death was not immediately clear. Mitchum had been diagnosed last month with lung cancer and already had been suffering from emphysema, but his death came as a shock to the family. Mitchum's sleepy-looking eyes -- attributed to childhood insomnia and a boxing injury -- and his genuine nonchalant attitude followed him through a wide range of roles. He began his movie career playing bad guys in low-budget Westerns and became a real star in 1949 with 'The Story of G.I. Joe,' for which he received his only Oscar nomination. He played private eye Philip Marlowe in a pair of movies, a menacing ex-con in 'Cape Fear,' and high-ranking military officers in 'Midway' and the miniseries 'Winds of War.' Mitchum was one of Hollywood's bad boys in the '40s and '50s, carrying on well-publicized affairs with Ava Gardner, Rita Hayworth, Shirley MacLaine and others. Mitchum also was known for his hard drinking and marijuana use. In 1949 he served a 60-day jail term for a drug charge, but the conviction later was expunged after prosecutors determined it was possible he had been set up. Chris Mitchum said Tuesday, 'He had a good ride.' ---
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