Scoey Mitchell
Scoey Mitchlll[1] (born March 12, 1930) is an American actor, writer and TV director known for frequent appearances on 1970s game shows, including Match Game and Tattletales. He starred in the short-lived series Barefoot in the Park (based on the Neil Simon play) and had a recurring role on Rhoda.
Scoey Mitchlll | |
---|---|
Mitchell (left) as a boxer on an episode of TV's That Girl, 1969. | |
Born | Newburgh, New York, U.S. | March 12, 1930
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1967–1990; 2017 |
Spouse(s) | Claire T. Thomas (1973–present) |
He also created two short lived NBC TV series, Me and Mrs. C and 13 East. He appeared as Richard Pryor's father in the film Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling.
Early life and career
Mitchlll was born on March 12, 1930, in Newburgh, New York. His legal name uses an unusual spelling with three Ls, and no E.[2] He started his career on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour in 1967.[3] Mitchlll was in What's It All About, World? as himself in 1969.[4][5]
He was a guest star in many television series such as The Mothers-in-Law, Here Come the Brides, That Girl, The Odd Couple, The Six Million Dollar Man, and Baretta. Mitchlll starred in several made-for-TV movies, such as Voyage of the Yes,[6] Cops,[7] and Cindy.[8] He also turned to directing television with such as Me & Mrs. C. in 1984[9] and episodes of 13 East in 1989–90. Mitchlll wrote for television and made-for-TV movies such as The Scoey Mitchlll Show in 1972,[10][9] Just a Little More Love in 1983,[11] and Handsome Harry's.[12] In addition, he ventured into production of television and made-for-TV movies such as Grambling's White Tiger in 1981,[13] Gus Brown and Midnight Brewster in 1985,[14] and Miracle at Beekman's Place in 1988.[15] Mitchlll also was on a number of television shows as himself such as Match Game from 1974 to 1979, Super Password in 1988, The Joey Bishop Show 1968–69, Hollywood Squares in 1968, and Tattletales from 1974 to 1978 and from 1982 to 1984.
In September 1970, ABC cast Mitchlll in Barefoot in the Park based on Neil Simon's Broadway play of the same name. The series cast members were predominantly black, making it the first American television sitcom since Amos 'n' Andy to have a predominantly black cast (Vito Scotti was the sole major white character). Barefoot in the Park had been a successful 1967 film starring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda.[16] It was thought by ABC that placing Barefoot in the Park behind Bewitched would do well, but because that show was already in a slump, Barefoot in the Park never developed high numbers for the network. During its first few episodes, Barefoot in the Park developed behind-the-scenes strife that sealed its fate: Mitchlll was fired due to "differences of opinion" with the series' producers. Rather than replace Mitchlll with another actor—and already disenchanted with the low ratings—ABC decided to cancel Barefoot in the Park in December 1970. In 1986, Mitchlll was in Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling, a semi-autobiographical film about Richard Pryor.[17] In 2017, after a hiatus of thirty years, Mitchlll returned to acting in A Kindred Soul.
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1986 | Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling | Father | Semi-autobiographical;[18] directed by Richard Pryor.[17] |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Episode(s) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1965 | Get Smart | Credited as Scoey Mitchlll | ||
1967 | The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour | Himself | "Episode #2.12" (S2:Ep 12) | Credited as Scoey Mitchlll |
1968 | "Episode #2.17" (S2:Ep 17) | Credited as Scoey Mitchlll | ||
"Episode #2.24" (S2:Ep 24) | Credited as Scoey Mitchlll | |||
1969 | What's It All About, World? | Himself | Contract role | |
The Mothers-in-Law | Solomon Elkins | "Guess Who's Coming Forever" (S2:Ep 20) | Credited as Scoey Mitchlll[19] | |
Here Come the Brides | Sheriff Bond | "Far Cry from Yesterday" (S2:Ep 1) | ||
The Carol Burnett Show | Himself | "Episode #3.4" (S3:Ep 4) | ||
That Girl | Tony Harris | "Shake Hands and Come Out Acting" (S4:Ep 9) | Credited as Scoey Mitchlll[19] | |
1970 | Barefoot in the Park | Paul Bratter | Contract role
Credited as Scoey Mitchlll[20] | |
1972 | The Odd Couple | Consul from Nigeria | "The Princess" (S3:Ep 3) | Uncredited[19] |
1973 | Voyage of the Yes | Pretty | Made-for-TV movie | Directed by Lee H. Katzin.[6] |
Cops | Sergeant Monroe Dupree | Made-for-TV movie |
| |
1974 | The Six Million Dollar Man | Major Chooka | "Little Orphan Airplane" (S1:Ep 5) | Credited as Scoey Mitchlll |
1974–76 | Rhoda | Justin Culp | Recurring | Credited as Scoey Mitchlll[21] |
1975 | Joe Forrester | Guest | Pilot: "Stake Out" | |
Police Story | Investigator Mal Groves | "The Execution" (S2:Ep 18) "The Cut Man Caper" (S3:Ep 5) |
||
1976 | Doc | The Father | "And Baby Makes Eight" (S1:Ep 16) | |
1977 | Baretta | Mike | "Playin' Police" (S3:Ep 24) | Credited as Scoey Mitchlll[19] |
1978 | Cindy | Cindy's father | Made-for-TV movie | Directed by William Graham.[8] |
Baretta | Aterna | "The Bundle" (S4:Ep 24) | ||
Taxi | Robber | "Memories of Cab 804: Part 1" (S1:Ep 11) | Credited as Scoey Mitchlll[19] | |
1979 | Lou Grant | Minister | "Skids" (S2:Ep 23) | Credited as Scoey Mitchlll[19] |
Just Friends | Guest | "Room at the Top" (S1:Ep 8) | ||
A New Kind of Family | Carl Ashton | "Thank You for a Lovely Evening" (S1:Ep 7) | ||
Password Plus | Guest | Air date 4/2/79 with Lee Meriwether | Credited as Scoey Mitchlll[22] | |
1985 | Gus Brown and Midnight Brewster | Maurice | Made-for-TV movie | Directed by James Fargo.[14] |
Handsome Harry's | Harry Marquette | Made-for-TV movie |
| |
1986 | Me & Mrs. C. | Reverend Kilgore | "Ladies' Choice: Part 1" (S1:Ep 2) "Ladies' Choice: Part 2" (S1:Ep 3) |
|
Miracle at Beekman's Place | Dr Cyrus Beekman | Made-for-TV movie | Directed by Bernard L. Kowalski and written by Mitchlll.[15] | |
Television
Year | Title | Production Type | Episodes | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1984 | Me & Mrs. C. | Made-for-TV movie | Co-directed with Drew R. Handley [9] | |
1987 | Me & Mrs. C. | TV series |
"The Jailbird" (S2:Ep 2) |
|
1989–90 | 13 East | TV series |
Pilot: "Where's the Ticket?" (S1:Ep 1) |
|
Television
Year | Title | Production Type | Directed by | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1972 | The Scoey Mitchlll Show | Made-for-TV movie | Marc Breslow [9] | |
1983 | Just a Little More Love | Made-for-TV movie | Burt Brinckerhoff [11] | |
1984 | Me & Mrs. C. | Made-for-TV movie | Co-directed with Drew R. Handley [9] | |
1985 | Gus Brown and Midnight Brewster | Made-for-TV movie | James Fargo [14] | Story by Mitchlll and Martin Rips; teleplay by Mitchlll.[14] |
Handsome Harry's | Made-for-TV movie | Bill Foster [12] | Co-written and story by Mitchlll with Calvin Kelly and James Tisdale (credited as Jim Tisdale).[12] | |
1986 | Me & Mrs. C. | TV series | Episodes:
| |
1988 | A Whole Lotta Fun | Made-for-TV movie | Co-written with Cassandra Clark, James Hampton, Tracy Morgan, Deborah Pearl (credited as Debbie Pearl), Steve Robertson, and John Vornholt.[23] | |
Miracle at Beekman's Place | Made-for-TV movie | Bernard L. Kowalski [15] | ||
Television
Year | Title | Production Type | Credited as | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1981 | Grambling's White Tiger | Made-for-TV movie | Associate producer [13] | Directed by Georg Stanford Brown [13] |
1983 | Just a Little More Love | Made-for-TV movie | Executive producer[11] | |
1984 | Me & Mrs. C. | Made-for-TV movie | Producer[9] | |
1985 | Gus Brown and Midnight Brewster | Made-for-TV movie | Producer [14] | |
Handsome Harry's | Made-for-TV movie | Executive producer [12] | ||
1986 | Me & Mrs. C. | TV series | Producer | |
1988 | A Whole Lotta Fun | Made-for-TV movie | Executive producer [23] | |
Miracle at Beekman's Place | Made-for-TV movie | Producer [15] | ||
1989 | 13 East | TV series | Producer | |
References
- "Still Scoey After All These Years – Wayne Powers". Retrieved 2021-01-27.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dyhja1Y6T8k Tattletales, August 1974. Timepoint: 19:29
- "Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour Episode Schedule". Smothers Brothers. Retrieved 2016-06-11.
- "What's It All About, World?". Getty Images. The Carlyle Group. 1969-03-20. Retrieved 2016-06-10.
- "What's It All About, World?". Getty Images. The Carlyle Group. 1969-03-20. Retrieved 2016-06-10.
- "Voyage of the Yes". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 2016-06-10.
- "Cops". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 2016-06-10.
- "Cindy". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 2016-06-10.
- "Me & Mrs. C." Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 2016-06-10.
- Terrace, Vincent (2013-06-06). Television Specials: 5,336 Entertainment Programs, 1936-2012 (2nd ed.). McFarland. p. 325 of 488. ISBN 978-0-7864-7444-8. Retrieved 2019-09-28.
- "Just a Little More Love". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 2016-06-10.
- "Handsome Harry's". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 2016-06-10.
- "Grambling's White Tiger". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 2016-06-10.
- "Gus Brown and Midnight Brewster". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 2016-06-10.
- "Miracle at Beekman's Place". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 2016-06-10.
- "Barefoot in the Park". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 2016-06-10.
- "Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 2016-06-10.
- Siskel, Gene (May 4, 1986). "Richard Pryor Comes Clean In Harrowing Recap Of Life". Chicago Tribune. Tribune Publishing. Retrieved 2016-06-10.
- "Scoey Mitchell". IMDb. Retrieved 2021-01-27.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGHfbX-glTc
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5FpxoVbsl4 Rhoda, Episode 47, February 16, 1976 Timepoint: 24:47
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMwoua_6Qi8 Password Plus, April 4, 1979, Timepoint 0:14
- "A Whole Lotta Fun". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 2016-06-10.