The Western Robert Mitchum

The unique screen style and presence of Robert Mitchum would never place the actor in the conventional western star category. No viewer would confuse Mitchum's threatening anti-hero persona with white hat Saturday matinée heroes riding the straight and narrow. However, Mitchum made 25 westerns during his long craeer and several rank among his finest efforts. The star expressed a keen interest in westerns and was an avid horseman very comfortable in a western setting.

Who would have thought Hopalong Cassidy would help launch the career of a major Hollywood star and believe it or not, that is what happened. Mitchum was bumming around the studios scratching out a meager living as an extra when Harry Sherman, producer of the Hoppy series, spotted Mitchum and hired him. "I could look mean and my hair was long," explained Mitchum. "Sherman spotted that and told me not to have my hair cut if I wanted to be in his next picture. I had a bit as one of the outlaw gang in 'The Last Frontier'."

Sherman tossed quite a bit of work toward Mitchum and unbilled bits grew into small roles providing valuable experience for the struggling actor. He proved himself to William Boyd (Hopaling Cassidy) and the other Hoppy regulars by competently handling himself in the saddle. Mitchum received billing in six Hoppy films: "Border Patrol" (1943), "Hoppy Serves a Writ" (1943), "The Leather Burners" (1943), "Colt Comrades" (1943), "False Colors" (1943) and "Riders of the Deadline" (1943). At Universal, he acted in "The Lone Star Trail" (1943) starring Johnny Mack Brown and Tex Ritter and for Republic, he did
Beyond the Last Frontier" (1943) with Smiley Burnette.