Grant Mitchell

Grant Mitchell

Known For

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

Biography

Grant Mitchell (born John Grant Mitchell Jr.) was an American stage and screen actor. He is best remembered for his portrayals of fathers, husbands, bank clerks, businessmen, school principals and similar type characters, usually supporting, in films of the 1930s and 1940s.

Mitchell, a Yale post graduate at Harvard Law, gave up his law practice to become an actor, making his stage debut at age 27. He appeared in lead roles on Broadway in such plays as "It Pays to Advertise", "The Champion", "The Whole Town's Talking", and "The Baby Cyclone", the last which was specially written for him by George M. Cohan.

His screen career took off with the advent of sound (years earlier he had appeared in at least two silent films). He appeared primarily in B films, though from time to time enjoyed being a part of A-quality productions such as Dinner at Eight (1933), A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935), Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942), and Arsenic and Old Lace (1944).

Grant Mitchell retired from show business in 1948. He died, age 82, in Los Angeles in 1957.

Movies Featuring Grant Mitchell

The Big Parade of Comedy

The Big Parade of Comedy (1964)

as Ed Loomis in 'Dinner at Eight' (archive footage) (uncredited)
Blondie's Anniversary

Blondie's Anniversary (1947)

as Samuel Breckenbridge
Honeymoon

Honeymoon (1947)

as Congressman Crenshaw
Blondie's Holiday

Blondie's Holiday (1947)

as Samuel Breckenridge
Easy to Wed

Easy to Wed (1946)

as Homer Henshaw
Leave Her to Heaven

Leave Her to Heaven (1945)

as Carlson (uncredited)
Guest Wife

Guest Wife (1945)

as House Detective
Conflict

Conflict (1945)

as Dr. Grant
A Medal for Benny

A Medal for Benny (1945)

as Mayor of Pantera
Crime, Inc.

Crime, Inc. (1945)

as Wayne Clark
Watchtower Over Tomorrow

Watchtower Over Tomorrow (1945)

as Passenger with newspaper
Dixie

Dixie (1943)

as Mr. Mason
My Sister Eileen

My Sister Eileen (1942)

as Walter Sherwood
Cairo

Cairo (1942)

as Mr. O.H.P. Boggs
The Gay Sisters

The Gay Sisters (1942)

as Gilbert Wheeler
March On, America!

March On, America! (1942)

as John Quincy Adams (archive footage) (uncredited)
Larceny, Inc.

Larceny, Inc. (1942)

as Mr. Aspinwall
Skylark

Skylark (1941)

as Frederick Vantine
Footsteps in the Dark

Footsteps in the Dark (1941)

as Wellington Carruthers
Tobacco Road

Tobacco Road (1941)

as George Payne
New Moon

New Moon (1940)

as Governor of New Orleans
Castle on the Hudson

Castle on the Hudson (1940)

as Dr. Ames - the Psychologist (uncredited)
The Monroe Doctrine

The Monroe Doctrine (1939)

as John Quincy Adams
Hell's Kitchen

Hell's Kitchen (1939)

as Hiram Krispan
6,000 Enemies

6,000 Enemies (1939)

as Warden Alan Parkhurst
Reformatory

Reformatory (1938)

as Arnold Frayne
Lady Behave!

Lady Behave! (1937)

as Burton Williams
First Lady

First Lady (1937)

as Ellsworth T. Banning
Music for Madame

Music for Madame (1937)

as District Attorney Ernest Robinson
My American Wife

My American Wife (1936)

as Robert Cantillon
Parole!

Parole! (1936)

as Marty Crawford
The Ex-Mrs. Bradford

The Ex-Mrs. Bradford (1936)

as John Summers, Luxury's Owner
The Garden Murder Case

The Garden Murder Case (1936)

as District Attorney Markham
Next Time We Love

Next Time We Love (1936)

as Michael Jennings
Her Master's Voice

Her Master's Voice (1936)

as Horace J. Twilling
A Dream Comes True

A Dream Comes True (1935)

as Egeus (archive footage) (uncredited)
In Person

In Person (1935)

as Thaddeus Parks
Redheads on Parade

Redheads on Parade (1935)

as Minor Role (uncredited)
Broadway Gondolier

Broadway Gondolier (1935)

as E.V. Richards, Radio Producer
Men Without Names

Men Without Names (1935)

as Andrew Webster, banker
One More Spring

One More Spring (1935)

as Henry Sheridan
The Case of the Howling Dog

The Case of the Howling Dog (1934)

as District Attorney Claude Drumm
The Cat's-Paw

The Cat's-Paw (1934)

as Silk Hot McGee
Convention City

Convention City (1933)

as J.B. Honeywell
King for a Night

King for a Night (1933)

as Rev. John Williams
Dancing Lady

Dancing Lady (1933)

as Jasper Bradley Sr.
I Love That Man

I Love That Man (1933)

as Dr. Crittenden - Dentist
Our Betters

Our Betters (1933)

as Thornton Clay
20,000 Years in Sing Sing

20,000 Years in Sing Sing (1932)

as Tester of Convicts' IQs (uncredited)
If I Had a Million

If I Had a Million (1932)

as Prison Priest (uncredited)
Three on a Match

Three on a Match (1932)

as Mr. Gilmore (uncredited)
Big City Blues

Big City Blues (1932)

as Station Agent
Man to Man

Man to Man (1930)

as Barber John Martin Bolton
The Misleading Lady

The Misleading Lady (1916)

as Stephen Weatherbee