Thomas Mitchell

albatros1 ( 2008-01-23 )

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Thomas Mitchell (July 11, 1892 – December 17, 1962) was born the son of Irish immigrants in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Mitchell's breakthrough role was as the regenerate embezzler in Frank Capra's classic 1937 film Lost Horizon. That same year he would also be nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for his performance in the film The Hurricane directed by John Ford. In 1939 he would enjoy key roles in five classic films: Stagecoach, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Only Angels Have Wings, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Gone with the Wind. His performance as the drunken Doc Boone in Stagecoach, that Mitchell won the Best Supporting Actor Academy Award. Mitchell would work in a wide variety of roles, such as 1944's The Keys of the Kingdom and 1952's High Noon. He is probably best known to audiences today for his role as sad sack Uncle Billy in Capra's 1946 Christmas classic It's a Wonderful Life. Mitchell was the first person to win the "triple crown" of acting awards (Oscar, Emmy, Tony). Mitchell is often regarded as one of motion pictures most talented and "realistic" character actors. In the early 1960s he originated the stage role of "Columbo", later made famous on television by Peter Falk. Thomas Mitchell died in 1962 at age 70 from cancer in Beverly Hills, California. He has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.