Author |
Topic: Robert Mitchum |
R. L. Jones
From: Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA
|
Posted 25 Dec 2002 6:07 pm
|
|
I`m always having an old tune in my mind, I dont try to explain it.
How many of you out there knew that Robert Mitchum was a singer. In the movie ,"Thunder Road " ,he not only sang the aong Thunder Road, He also wrote it.
Then there was the movie "River of no Return with Marylin Monroe, Mitchum sang yhe background music River of no Return, in that movie.
If any of you were in the Korean War, you may recall the song ,American boys reffered to as the "YO-YO song ,( China Moon) was the real name of that song.
In an old Mitchum movie ,One minute to Zero, or something like that Robert Mitchum sang that song to the woman he was courting. She remarked, pretty good in Japanese, Mitchum said I only knew of it in Japanese. She then sang the song to him in English, It was a beautiful love song.
Anyway Mitchum had a very rich baritone voice, was a very good singer. Anymore out there ??
R. L. |
|
|
|
Bill Ford
From: Graniteville SC Aiken
|
Posted 25 Dec 2002 6:56 pm
|
|
Mitchum did sing Thunder road,my cousin lived in Bearden,think maybe he may have supplied a little cargo for that old"50"Ford with the "51"interior.
Tennesee Ernie Ford Sang the background in
River of no return tho.
BF
------------------
Bill Ford[This message was edited by Bill Ford on 25 December 2002 at 06:58 PM.] |
|
|
|
Roger Kelly
From: Bristol,Tennessee
|
Posted 26 Dec 2002 6:01 am
|
|
Bill, I think you are right on both counts. FWIW I was doing a Radio Show one Saturday afternoon at WCYB in Bristol, Va/Tn., "Tennessee" Ernie's hometown, when I was surprised to see Robert Mitchum and Robert "Bob" Porterfield, who, If I remember right, started the Barter Theatre in Abingdon Virginia. They came by to talk to Fran Russell, the announcer of the "Farm and Fun Time" Radio Show, and who was a friend of "Bob" Porterfield. I got to meet Robert Mitchum and "Bob" Porterfield, after our radio show, which was quite a thrill for me. They were in the area "Scouting" for the "Thunder Road" movie. Mr. Porterfield, who was very familiar with the area and had been friends with Robert Mitchum for years, was giving him a "Tour" of the area. A couple of my picking buddys managed to get a small part in that movie, if I remember correctly. You might be interested to know that Ernie Ford used to sing on WCYB occasionally, with some of the Bands there back in the early to mid 50's. One of the "Stars" of the radio show told Ernie, during that time, that he might as well get out of the music business because he "couldn't sing"..... He later became "Tennessee" Ernie Ford and you know the "Rest of the Story". LOL!
As I think back about some of those days playing Radio and TV Shows and all, there was guy in our Band, Mel Taylor, who was playing Rhythm Guitar and singing Harmony, left Bristol, as Ernie Ford did, and went to California to become one of the "Ventures". He was the Drummer.
|
|
|
|
Mike Sweeney
From: Nashville,TN,USA
|
Posted 26 Dec 2002 6:30 pm
|
|
Mitchum also wrote and recorded "Little Ole Wine Drinker Me".
About Thunder Road, alot of that movie was shot in Franklin County Va. And as anyone from up there will tell you it's the "Moonshine Capitol Of The World". The U.S. government will never find all the stills in Franklin and Floyd counties.
I believe Mitchum could have been a great country singer had he chose to. Of chorse he more than likely wouldn't have made as much money as he did in the movies. I think music was mainly a hobby to him.
Sweeney |
|
|
|