Busy Actor, the Other Mitchum

For the role of the Chandlereseque title character in the TV movie, “Jake Spanner, Private Eye,” producer Andrew Fenady thought of Robert Mitchum.

For the role of Jake’s brother, Fenady came up with another natural: John Mitchum, Bob’s real-life brother--and a veteran character actor who’s logged more than 70 feature and 400 TV appearances.

Due to air in November on the USA Network, “Jake Spanner” marks a first for the Mitchum boys. They’ve acted together previously in features (“The Way West”) and TV (“The Family Man”)--but never before played brothers.

Speaking from his home in Nevada City, Calif.--where he and wife Bonnie are active in the local Foothill Theater--John dubbed the assignment “a breeze.” Even though he takes a bullet during the action.

After all, said John, “Bob’s the consummate professional. And I hope I’m considered the same.”

At 70, John is two years younger than the brother who has long overshadowed him. “But there’s no jealousy,” declared John. “I feel very definitely that my forte is as a character actor.”

It would be hard, he said, to name a favorite role. “There’ve been so many--and they’ve been so varied.” But younger audiences may know him best as Clint Eastwood’s partner, Frank DiGiorgio, in “Dirty Harry,” “Magnum Force” and “The Enforcer.”

Also a singer/songwriter--he wrote “America, Why I Love Her,” the only album ever recorded by John Wayne--John’s currently at work on a massive project that traces the historic roots of songs, hoping to put it out on audio cassette. And he’s just authored the anecdotal, “Them Ornery Mitchum Boys” (Creatures at Large Press).

“It’s about my brother--and me.”