Jim Mitchum, actor and son of Hollywood icon Robert Mitchum, who as a teen co-starred with his father in the 1958 bootlegger classic Thunder Road, has passed away.
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The actor died at his ranch in Skull Valley, Arizona, on Sept. 20, after a long illness. According to Deadline, a family spokesperson announced his death on Saturday, noting that Mitchum’s wife, Pamela, and the couple’s beloved poodle were by his side.
Mitchum was 84.
According to Variety, Mitchum, born in 1941, grew up in Los Angeles. His young family reportedly lived in a converted chicken coop behind his grandmother’s West Hollywood bungalow until his father’s success allowed them to rent a nearby house. Family stories recall that when Jim was born, Robert Mitchum was performing as a Russian peasant in a small theater production and rushed to the hospital in full makeup, where he paced the floor with the other expectant fathers.
Jim Mitchum debuted in film at age 8 in the Raoul Walsh Western, Colorado Territory. Despite his mother’s desire to keep him out of the Hollywood spotlight, Jim’s striking resemblance to his father at 16 led to his casting as Robert’s younger brother in Thunder Road (in a part intended for Elvis Presley). Robert Mitchum produced the film, which centered on Southern whiskey runners battling federal agents and organized crime.
Playing an auto mechanic in Thunder Road sparked a real-life passion for cars. He got into stock car racing and even worked on Elvis Presley’s hot rods. The two became friends, which led to a brief—and unsuccessful—singing career with the 1961 single “Lonely Birthday.”
Though his singing career didn’t take off, Mitchum shifted focus to acting. Throughout the 1960s, he appeared in 11 films and television series. Key roles included The Victors (1963), Ride the Wild Surf (1964), In Harm’s Way (1965), and Ambush Bay (1966).
Jim Mitchum Starred in a Film That Inspired The Dukes of Hazzard
In 1971, Mitchum made a cameo in Monte Hellman’s drive-in classic Two-Lane Blacktop, starring James Taylor and Dennis Wilson. He was part of Dennis Hopper’s eclectic crew—including Peter Fonda and Kris Kristofferson—invited to Peru to work on The Last Movie, a film that’s perhaps better known for its legendary flop status. While there, Mitchum put his own spin on things by creating a behind-the-scenes documentary cheekily titled The Last Movie Movie.
One of his notable later credits was 1975’s Moonrunners, a spiritual sequel to Thunder Road that inspired the TV series The Dukes of Hazzard.
Mitchum retired from acting in 1994, three years before his father died. He then became a Quarter Horse breeder at his ranch in Skull Valley. He also developed a line of premium moonshine, corn whiskey, and rye whiskey as an homage to his father’s films, Thunder Road and Out of the Past.
Mitchum married actress Wende Wagner in 1968, but they divorced 10 years later. In 1985, he married Vivian Ferrand, and their marriage ended in 1995. He met Arizona English professor Pamela K. Smith in 1993, and their friendship eventually turned into a romance. They married in 2025.
Mitchum is survived by his wife, brother Christopher Mitchum, sister Petrine Day Mitchum, and his children Ana Liljeback, Will Spence Mitchum, Tiffany Mitchum Greene (stepdaughter), Brian Price Mitchum and Caitlin Ann Mitchum. He also leaves behind numerous grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.