James Mitchell was born on February 29, 1920 in Sacramento, California, USA. He was an actor, known for All My Children (1970), The Band Wagon (1953) and Oklahoma! (1955). He died on January 22, 2010 in Los Angeles, California.
[About still thinking of himself as a dancer at age 84] When I go to the theater to watch dance, my muscles twitch. I can't help but respond physically to music and the choreography. It simply moves me. There's no doubt that the dancer is still present inside.
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[About starring in The Peacemaker (1997)]: I'm an old face but a new voice.
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[on Jerome Robbins] He was the most charming, lovable son of a bitch that I have ever known.
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[In a promotional article for TSR's All My Children (1970) role-playing game] When I play, I like to be Erica.
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[on Palmer Cortlandt] He's not a threat at all. He's just aggravating.
He taught movement for actors at the American Laboratory Theatre, 1966-1967; movement for actors and directors at the Yale School of Drama, 1974, and movement for actors and directors at the Drama Division of The Juilliard School, 1976.
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In 1923, his mother, Edith, left his father and returned to England with Mitchell's brother and sister; she and Mitchell had no further contact. Unable to run a farm while single-handedly raising his remaining son, Mitchell's father fostered him out for several years to vaudevillians Gene and Katherine King.
His longtime partner was costume designer Albert Wolsky.
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Briefly co-owned an antiques shop called "Country Imports" in the late 1950s.
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The Harlem Renaissance artist Richmond Barthe (1901-1989) sculpted and exhibited a bust of Mitchell in 1947.
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His best-known role on film was in Agnes de Mille's spectacular dream sequence as 'Dream Curly' in the 1955 musical classic Oklahoma! (1955) He worked in tandem with the famed choreographer quite frequently.
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In 1947, his performance in the original Broadway production of "Brigadoon" earned him a Walter Donaldson Award (the predecessor of the "Tony" Award) as Best Dancer, as well as a Theatre World Award.
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Received a degree in drama from Los Angeles City College.
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First appeared on stage as part of his foster parents' vaudeville act.
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In his early career, he performed with the American Ballet Theatre.
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After he put up his dancing shoes, he turned to TV and found a nice niche for himself in soaps -- notably as the scheming old tycoon Palmer Cortlandt on All My Children (1970) playing the role since 1979.
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Has taught movement for actors to theater arts students at Yale University.
$900,000
