In Praise of Thomas Mitchell (1892-1962)

In Praise of Thomas Mitchell (1892-1962)

I have always been and continue to be a fan of the character actor -- the men and women who aren't stars but make stars and movies better. So I'm watching Stagecoach (1939) the other night and couldn't help but smile when I saw Thomas Mitchell stagger onto the screen as Doc Boone. It was terrific, of course, and made a great movie even better. He adds a poignancy and a smile to any movie he's in. Turns out he actually won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his work on Stagecoach. He was nominated for the same award for The Hurricane (1937).

Most of us remember Mitchell as forgetful Uncle Billy from It's a Wonderful Life (1946) or as the Mr. O'Hara from Gone with the Wind (1939). Here is a quick look at his resume (yes, 1939 was a great year for Mitchell and the movies):

Stagecoach (1939)
Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939)
Gone With The Wind (1939)
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939)
The Fighting Sullivans (1944)
It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
High Noon (1952)