Dec. 17, 1962 - Thomas Mitchell (pictured with Jean Arthur in 1939), Academy Award-winning character actor, died of cancer today at the age of 70 — the second star to die in the past 3 days. Charles Laughton died Saturday, also of cancer. Both men had been patients at the same hospital during the fall in their unsuccessful battle against the disease. Mr. Mitchell was most fond of the stage but made his greatest success as an exuberant character actor in the movies. He had also appeared on television, most recently on the Perry Como show. He is best remembered for his film roles in “Gone with the Wind,” “Stagecoach,” “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” and “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
