James Mitchell, Soap Star and Dancer Dies at 89

One of the most famous stars of daytime, All My Children’s James Mitchell, died Friday, January 22 in Los Angeles. He was 89 and suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, complicated by pneumonia. He hadn’t been on the show much of the past couple of years, but he did make it back for the AMC 40th anniversary episode on January 5, and that turned out to be his last professional appearance.
James Mitchell was a man with two great careers. To soap fans, he was the indomitable Palmer Cortlandt, a brilliant tycoon and businessman, but also a man obsessed with his family and not above manipulation to get his way.
From 1979 to 2010, he was a loving father and family scion to some characters, but to others, Cortlandt was a ruthless bastard who lied and cheated to get what he wanted. He romanced the ladies, was discovered to have a secret past, and did things that should have gotten him thrown in prison.
In other words, as played by James Mitchell, Palmer was the perfect villain. The man you loved to hate.
But there was another career that most All My Children watchers weren’t even aware of unless they watched old movies or had been a theater and ballet buff. James Mitchell was gifted dancer, a professional performer who was known for his style and grace and masculinity. He bullied Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse in The Bandwagon, as a know-it-all choreographer. In Oklahoma, he was the dancing Curly, the embodiment of Gordon MacRae’s character when the fantasy ballet commenced. Watch these movies now and you can see and appreciate what James Mitchell had that was special.
In the theater, James was a leading man in Broadway musicals, including Brigadoon, Carnival, Paint Your Wagon and Mack and Mabel.
But it was truly on television, that James became a big-time star. Palmer Cortlandt was the kind of role that made a soap and he savored every machination and manipulation by the character.