Them Ornery Mitchum Boys

By John Mitchum

Book Overview

"Anyone that's a Robert Mitchum fan: Man You've got to find this book by Mitchum's brother, John...a hilarious book about their lives together..."

Jim Jarmusch, director of 'Dead Man' featuring Robert Mitchum, 'Down By Law, ' 'Father Mother Sister Brother'

From boyhood to Hollywood, they remained Them Ornery Mitchum Boys....

Them Ornery Mitchum Boys is a vivid, no-holds-barred memoir by actor and raconteur John Mitchum, chronicling the extraordinary lives he and his older brother, movie legend Robert Mitchum, forged from hardscrabble beginnings to Hollywood immortality.

First published in 1989 and now proudly reintroduced by Henry Gray Publishing, the book captures a vanished America: Depression-era childhoods marked by tragedy, mischief, bare-knuckle fights, and restless wanderings across the country by freight train. Long before movie cameras found them, the Mitchum boys were already living larger-than-life adventures - surviving farm disasters, scrapes with the law, and the hard lessons of growing up fast.

As Robert Mitchum becomes one of cinema's most iconic stars, John follows his own path as a respected character actor, singer, and writer. Together, they navigate war, fame, temptation, loyalty, and loss, meeting a gallery of unforgettable figures along the way - from John Wayne and Marilyn Monroe to Clint Eastwood and countless unsung Hollywood craftsmen.

What sets this memoir apart is its voice: raw, funny, generous, and unvarnished. John Mitchum doesn't polish the rough edges. He embraces them. The result is a deeply human portrait of two brothers bound by blood, trouble, and love.

For fans of classic cinema, American memoir, and true stories that read like tall tales but carry the weight of lived experience, Them Ornery Mitchum Boys is an essential rediscovery - a funny, gritty, and deeply human chronicle of two lives lived full throttle.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1960415662
• ISBN13: 9781960415660
• Release Date: March 2026
• Publisher: Bruce Scivally
• Length: 434 Pages
• Weight: 2.43 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 8.0" x 10.0"

Customer Reviews

Them Onery Mitchum Boys

Fascinating look at one of the most legendary celebrities of our time. Robert Mitchum has always had one of the most unusual backgrounds. Getting a first hand look from the one (his brother) who shared it with him is fascinating and rare. John Mitchum also gives us a unique look into the behind-the-scenes lives of some of Hollywood's greatest stars as well. A totally absorbing read.

A very interesting and at times humorous book

This is one of the most interesting books that I have read in a long while. While OOP I was still able to obtain it here. It was hard to put it down once you started reading it, and at times made you laugh out loud. An honest and sincere story about two brothers growing up during hard times, their childhood pranks to their achievements as adults. Well worth the search to find it!

This is a great book! Funny, sincere, and good reading!

This is the best book that I've read in a long time!! It has humor, makes you laugh out loud, and basically a great book to read!! It is based on the true stories about two brothers growing up. It is honest, sincere, and truthful with no fluff added. It is hard to put it down once you have started reading it. The pictures are an added joy. I would rate it higher than 5 stars. Too bad it's out of print, though I got it here.