Today we are remembering Robert Mitchum, who died on this date 21 years ago.  Mitchum (August 6th 1917 – July 1st 1997) was an American film actor, director, author, poet, composer, and singer.  He worked consisently over 5 decades and some of his biggest film credits include: “Cape Fear,” “The Longest Day” and “Heaven Knows Mr Allison.”  Marilyn fans will recognise him for his starring role alongside Monroe in the 1954 western “River Of No Return.”

Mitchum had first encountered Marilyn many years earlier as Norma Jeane, when she was just seventeen and married to Jim Dougherty, then a colleague of his at the Lockheed factory in Van Nuys.  Norma Jeane and Mitchum met once or twice at the time and Mitchum reportedly thought she was “very shy and sweet, but not very comfortable around people.”

After working together on “River Of No Return,” Mitchum and Marilyn remained friends.