Another timely interview by our Classic Movies correspondent, who interviews three good friends of the late actor Robert Mitchum.

By A.J. FLICK

Tucson, Arizona (Special to Classic Movies) - The death of "tough-guy" movie actor Robert Mitchum marks "the end of a golden era," one of his longtime friends says.

"He'll be missed," Snuff Garrett said.

"I'm sorry he's gone. Everybody should be; he was a good guy."

Mitchum died July 1 at age 79 in his home in Montecito, California.

Not only did Mitchum have an Arizona home, near Scottsdale, but he was a frequent visitor to Tucson over the years.

His mother, Ann Morris, lived here as did his sister, Julie Sater. Morris died on Feb. 2, 1990. Sater has since moved.

Long before that, though, Mitchum filmed three movies at Old Tucson Studios: El Dorado and The Way West, which were both released in 1967, and Young Billy Young, which came out in 1968.

Former Old Tucson president and actor Robert Shelton remembered Mitchum as a "very professional" actor who acted like an ordinary guy on the set of El Dorado.

"He was extremely friendly and very professional in his work," said Shelton. "He was considerate of people around him. He was a guy who liked to hang out with the other guys, the wranglers in the corral, rather than be with the big wigs. "He was one of the guys I worked with over the years that I really admired. He was a man's man. But the ladies liked him, too, to say the least."

Former Western star Rex Allen Sr. also mourned Mitchum.

"He was one hell of a guy," Allen said. "He was a man's man. He was a great guy to be around, a good friend. We're going to miss him."

Mitchum and Allen never appeared in a film together, but met through a mutual acquaintance: Snuff Garrett, a former neighbor of Allen's in Sonoita and Mitchum's in Bel Air, California.

Allen also ran into Mitchum at the Sonoita horse races, where each had an interest in the ponies.

Mitchum, whose movie career spanned six decades, loved to tell stories, which led to his reputation as a carouser.

"Some of his stories, I won't tell ya," Allen said, laughing. "You couldn't print them."

Mitchum was excited about moving to Arizona, Allen said.

"He talked a lot about that, about moving out from Santa Barbara to Scottsdale, where he wanted to spend the rest of his life."

Allen last saw Mitchum about a year ago in Sonoita when Mitchum was visiting Garrett.

"He was doing fine, I thought. I didn't know he had lung cancer, but he did."

Of Mitchum's career, Allen said, "He left his mark. He had a great career. He made over 100 pictures in his life. He started out playing heavies in the Hopalong Cassidy movies," he added.

Garrett was noticeably shaken at Mitchum's passing.

"I always liked him. We always had a good time when he was around; it was great," he said softly.

Those who didn't know Mitchum might be surprised to learn he was "very bright, very well read," according to Garrett.

"You usually wouldn't expect that of a matinee idol-type of guy. He was his own man."

Mitchum never discussed show business, Garrett said.

"It was just work to him, like going to work in the morning. It was all a business with him. He had lots of interests besides that."

Likewise, Shelton remembered Mitchum yesterday as a fun-loving, easy-going, down-to-earth person. Shelton once rented a house for Mitchum in Tucson.

Shelton last saw Mitchum in the late 1970s in the lobby of the Beverly Hills Hotel.

"I walked over to him and stuck out my hand and said, 'I'm Bob Shelton from Tucson.' He said, 'I know who the hell you are. You don't have to say that.'

"He was very gracious," Shelton added. "Most everybody I know who'd spent any time around him would say that."

Mitchum's death came one week after the suicide of actor Brian Keith.

"He was a good pal of mine, too," Shelton reflected. "Now here's Bob's turn this week. It's kind of scary.

"Bob, in my book, was in the Clark Gable, John Wayne, Kirk Douglas, Jimmy Stewart category. We've lost one of the great Western 'he man' hero types. We've lost a lot of 'em lately. There's not many left.

"I hope everyone understands what a nice man he (Robert Mitchum) was," Shelton said. "Because he was."


Please enjoy our special 4-page Robert Mitchum tribute.

Other classic movie interviews that you'll enjoy.