Cameron Mitchell (November 4, 1918 – July 6, 1994) was an American film, television and Broadway star with close ties to one of Canada's most successful families, and considered, by Lee Strasberg, to be one of the founding members of The Actor's Studio in New York City.
Born Cameron MacDowell Mitzel in Dallastown, Pennsylvania to Rev. Charles and Kathryn Mitzell, Mitchell served as a bombardier with the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. His film career began with minor roles in films dating back to 1945, but he quickly rose to young leading man status opposite such stars as Wallace Beery in The Mighty McGurk, Doris Day and James Cagney in Love Me or Leave Me, Lana Turner and Spencer Tracy in Cass Timberlane, Clark Gable and Jane Russell in The Tall Men, and Marlon Brando and Jean Simmons in Desiree.
Some of his best-known films included the 1951 adaptation of Death of a Salesman (he originated the role of Happy on Broadway), the 1953 comedy How to Marry a Millionaire (with Marilyn Monroe), and 1956's film version of Carousel.
It was on TV where Mitchell made the greatest impact during the latter part of his career, and he is best remembered for starring as Uncle Buck in the 1960s western series, The High Chaparral.
Between the first and second world wars, during his years as a young actor in Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne's National Theater Company, Fontanne suggested that Cameron's surname sounded "a bit too much like the Hun" and insisted he change it to "Mitchell".
In 1940, Mitchell married Johanna Mendel, the daughter of self-made Canadian business tycoon Fred Mendel. The Mendel family was based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, where Mr. Mendel founded Intercontinental Packers, a major family-owned meat packing operation.
Although Cameron and Johanna divorced in 1960, Cameron maintained close ties to his adopted second home. His daughter with Johanna, Camille Mitchell, is a Canadian actress. Another son, Cameron Mitchell Jr., is a Toronto-based actor. Yet another son, Fred Mitchell, was president of Intercontinental Packers for many years working alongside his mother, Johanna Mitchell who was Chairwoman of the Board. Today the company is known as Mitchell's Gourmet Foods and still operates out of Saskatoon, now owned by Maple Leaf Foods.
Mitchell's children from his second marriage - Jake, Jono and Kate Mitchell - live in Los Angeles, California.
He also provided the voice of Jesus in The Robe.
After a decades long career in radio, film and television, Cameron Mitchell died of lung cancer, aged 75, on July 6, 1994, in Pacific Palisades, California.
Cameron Mitchell was the son of a minister, but chose a different path from his father. Prior to World War II, in which he served as an Air Force bombardier, Mitchell appeared on Broadway, and, in 1940, an experimental television broadcast, "The Passing of the Third Floor Back". He made his film debut in What Next, Corporal Hargrove? (1945), but continued with stage as well as film work. He gained early recognition for his portrayal of Happy in the stage and screen versions of "Death of a Salesman". Still, out of more than 300 film and TV appearances, he is probably best remembered for his work on "High Chaparral, The" (1967) TV series in which he, as the happy-go-lucky Buck Cannon, and Henry Darrow, as Manolito Montoya, stole the show.
