Lester Mandiville Mitchel (October 27, 1904Armstrong, Alice Catt (1950). Who's Who in Los Angeles County. Los Angeles, CA: Who's Who Historical Society. p. 145. . – January 12, 1975) was an American film actor and radio producer, director and actor, known for directing Stars over Hollywood and Backstage Wife, as well as hosting, producing and directing Skippy Hollywood Theatre.
Early life Born in Malinta in Henry County, Ohio,"Ohio, County Births, 1841-2003", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q236-4FK1 : Thu Oct 26 12:48:53 UTC 2023), Entry for Lester Mandiville Mitchel and Jeremiah Mitchel, 27 Oct 1904."California Birth Index, 1905-1995," database 61903/1:1:V25Z-KMZ, Norman S. Macdonnell, November 8, 1916, Los Angeles, California, Department of Health Services, Vital Statistics Department, Sacramento. Mitchel was the son of Jeremiah Ezekiel Mitchel and Myrtle Lucy Fairbank. He attended the University of Toledo.
Radio career Mitchel made his radio debut in Detroit in 1935,"Les Mitchell to Freelance". Radio Daily. August 24, 1943. p. 5.Hackett, Walter (December 21, 1947). "Walt Visits Skippy Hollywood Show". Lansing State Journal. p. 65. later serving as producer, actor, writer and announcer on several Detroit stations."Behind the Microphone". Broadcasting. February 1, 1936. p. 40."WTOL Completes Staff, Headed by M. E. Kent; Dedicated on Feb. 27". Broadcasting. March 1, 1938. p. 26. He joined WBBM in Chicago as a producer in 1939 and four years later was appointed assistant program director in charge of commercial broadcasts in 1943.
On May 31, 1942, on WBBM, Mitchel directed the Columbia Workshop's world premiere presentation of poet Kenneth Patchen's radio play The City Wears a Slouch Hat, accompanied by a five-member percussion ensemble performing John Cage's score, conducted by the composer. The cast included Mitchell's soon-to-be wife Madelon Grayson (né Baker), Les Tremayne, Forrest Lewis, Jonathan Hole, Frank Dane, and John Larkin.Fetterman, William (1996). John Cage's Theatre Pieces : Notations and Performances. Amsterdam, Netherlands : Harwood Academic Publishers. p. 8. .
In August 1942, Mitchel succeeded Blair Walliser as director of The Romance of Helen Trent. In June 1944, he was hired as director of The Dreft Star Playhouse. At approximately the same time, Mitchel succeeded Paul Pierce as producer-director of Stars Over Broadway.Dunning, John (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 634. .Ferris, Earle (July 6, 1944). "Who's News?". Gonzales Tribune. p. 1.
From 1947 to 1950, Mitchel produced, directed and hosted Skippy Hollywood Theatre;Taliaferro, Walt (July 21, 1949). "Les Mitchel Selfish—He Gives Time to Beginners". Los Angeles Daily News. p. 29. he also occasionally starred on the show.Palmer, Zuma (November 28, 1949). "Trip to England Bears Good Fruit; Triple Task". Los Angeles Citizen-News. p. 20."Annual Presentation of Easter Classic on Skippy Theatre". The Shreveport Times. April 2, 1950. p. 29."Radio and Television". The Memphis Scimitar. July 20, 1950. p. 20. "Les Mitchel, producer and director of the Skippy Hollywood Theater, takes the leading role in 'Perfect Gentleman' on tonight's program, portraying a self-made man who has risen to the top in business and hires a pretty coach to tutor him in the social amenities.""Radio and Television". Tampa Bay Times. September 21, 1950. p. 26. "Les Mitchel, producer-director-host of CBS' Skippy Hollywood Theatre,' will star in its production, 'Stormbound,' tonight at 10:30 over WDAE. Mitchel plays an author whose book creates a nationwide turmoil. The book, according to the author, was written about an actual occurrence when he was stormbound and rescued by people from a lost continent, supposed to be living on Mount Shasta. Featured with Mitchel is Lurene Tuttle."
In 1951, he directed 26 episodes of Orson Welles's The Adventures of Harry Lime.Ames, Walter (July 1, 1951). "Crime Pays---On TV and Radio in Britain; Cantor Will Bow Out". Los Angeles Times. pt. IV, pg. 8.
As of October 1958, Mitchel was an instructor at the Virginia Rose School of Arts in Sunland-Tujunga, Los Angeles.Rich, Allen (October 17, 1958). "Listening Post and TV Review". Valley Times. p. 22. The following year he produced, directed, and starred in a revival of Death Takes a Holiday, playwright Walter Ferris's English-language adaptation of Alberto Casella's La morte in vacanza.Von Blon, Katherine (June 24, 1959). "'Death Takes a Holiday' Done on Metro Stage". The Los Angeles Times. p. 29.
Film and television Mitchel's 1951 documentary short subject, Maya Are People, was acquired the following year by the San Diego Museum of Man and screened on April 22, 1952."Anthropology Films Will Be Shown at SD's Balboa Park". Times-Advocate. April 5, 1952. p. 3.
A second short subject, People of OaxacaKrahn, Frederic A., ed. (1953). Educational Film Guide, Volume 11. H. H. Wilson Company. p. 926. (likely made during the same visit to Mexico and presumably now lost), concerns the Zapotec peoples of Oaxaca in southern Mexico."Mexico Filmed". The Cincinnati Enquirer. August 8, 1954. p. 50. Retrieved February 27, 2024. The film received what may have been its world premiere in November 1952 on WGAL in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where it aired on consecutive Saturday mornings, November 8 and 15."WGAL-TV, Channel 4: Saturday, November 8, 1952". Intelligencer Journal. November 8, 1952. p. 14. Retrieved February 27, 2024. See also: "WGAL-TV, Channel 4: Saturday, November 15, 1952". Intelligencer Journal. November 15, 1952. p. 14. It next surfaced with Mitchel's Maya on October 17, 1954, as the two formed the back end of a trio of shorts screened at the Memorial Art Gallery in Rochester, New York."Gallery Schedules, Films, Tour Today". Democrat and Chronicle. October 17, 1954. p. 10B. Retrieved February 27, 2024. It returned to the Gallery three weeks later, minus Maya and grouped intentionally with two utterly unrelated shorts."Museum to Show 3 Movies Today". Democrat and Chronicle. November 7, 1954. p. 6B. Retrieved February 27, 2024. Subsequent sightings extend at least as far as February 1959, when the film was screened at the main branch of the Cincinnati Public Library."Mirror of the City". The Cincinnati Enquirer. February 19, 1959. p. 5-A. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
Later career Beginning in 1961 and continuing through 1973, Mitchel was a prominent figure in the Religious Science movement."Discover Your Power: 10 Weeks to a Great New Life". The Daily Oklahoman. October 4, 1966. p. 46."The Church of Religious Science". The Sacramento Bee. February 3, 1973. p. 15. At his death, Variety reported that this portion of his career was "headquartered, variously, in Oklahoma City, Cleveland and Alburquerque." Contemporaneous newspaper listings indicate that, for at least one six month period (December 1964–May 1965), Mitchel hosted a 30-minute, weekly, eponymous Sunday evening radio program on KTOK in Oklahoma City."Radio Logs". The Daily Oklahoman. November 29, 1964. p. TV-22."Radio Logs". The Daily Oklahoman. May 30, 1965. p. TV-22 The Sacramento Bee confirms that he founded Religious Science Churches in Oklahoma City in 1964—during which time he also helped establish one in Albuquerque—and Cleveland in 1968,"Obituaries: Dr. Lester Mitchel". The Sacramento Bee. January 14, 1975. p. B2. before settling in Sacramento in 1971, where he succeeded the outgoing Rev. Lester M. Bashara as minister of the Sacramento Church of Religious Science."Rev. Bashara Accepts Post in St. Louis". The Sacramento Bee. February 13, 1971. p. 13. Upon his death, he was succeeded by his then wife, the former Tracy Parsons."Woman Pastor". The Sacramento Bee. January 25, 1975. p. A13.
Personal life and death Mitchel was married at least five times: to Florence Lillian Aubry in 1925;"Michigan Marriages, 1868-1925", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NQ72-GLS : Sat Oct 21 06:15:52 UTC 2023), Entry for Lester Mitchell and Jerry, 31 Jul 1925."California, County Birth and Death Records, 1800-1994", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGL7-T9XG : Sun Oct 15 14:41:18 UTC 2023), Entry for Dolores Joyce Mitchell and Lester Mandeville Mitchell, 14 Aug 1927. to Elaine Beeson, as of 1939;"Station Manager". WTOL. 1939. to Madelon Grayson (née Baker) from 1942 to 1952,"Can't Live With 'Genius,' Says Wife; Gets Divorce". The Los Angeles Times. December 12, 1952. p. 41. to Lovita Pauline Scrydloff (née Lohbach) in March 1953,"California, County Marriages, 1850-1953", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K86Z-9DC : Thu Oct 19 16:53:13 UTC 2023), Entry for Lester Mandeville Mitchel and Lovita Pauline Scrydloff, 19 Dec 1953. and, from 1971 until his death, Tracy Parsons,"Nevada Marriage Index, 1956-2005", FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VVJ3-Q6L : 20 September 2019), Lester M Mitchel and Tracy Parsons, 4. with whom he had a daughter, Leslie Mitchel. Mitchel had at least two other children, including a daughter, Delores, with his first wife, and a son, Jerry, with his second."United States Census, 1940", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K49M-BSX : Tue Nov 28 18:40:04 UTC 2023), Entry for Lester M Mitchell and Elaine Mitchell, 1940.
A longtime resident of Sunland-Tujunga,"All in the Business". Pasadena Independent. June 24, 1949. p. 23. Mitchel attained a double distinction in 1950: becoming both the neighborhood's first honorary mayor and the president of the local chamber of commerce.Dickinson, Vonnie (May 3, 1955). "Valley Mayors: Mayor's Job Open in Sunland - Tujunga; Twin Cities First". Valley Times."Mitchel Head of C. of C.". Valley Times. December 31, 1949. p. 3."Les Mitchel Named Booster Group Head". Los Angeles Evening Citizen-News. January 5, 1950. p. V-11.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1949 Once More, My Darling None Dialogue director (uncredited) 1950 The Return of Jesse James None Dialogue director,"Radio-TV Briefs". Los Angeles Evening Citizen News. May 5, 1950. p. 22. Retrieved February 28, 2024. See also: "Dialogue Director". The Press of Atlantic City Radio Guide. May 14, 1950. p. 1. assistant producer (uncredited) 1951 Maya Are People Self (uncredited) Documentary short subject, directed by MitchelAlexander, Geoff (2014). Films You Saw in School: A Critical Review of 1,153 Classroom Educational Films (1958–1985) in 74 Subject Categories. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. p. 17. 1951 People of Oaxaca Self (uncredited) Documentary short subject, directed by Mitchel 1957 Outlaw's Son Bill Somerson
Television Year Title Role Notes 1956 Dragnet, episode "The Big Revision" Unknown Hayde, Michael J. (2001). My Name's Friday: The Unauthorized But True Story of Dragnet and the Films of Jack Webb. Nashville, TN: Cumberland House. p. 277, 283. . 1956 The Roy Rogers Show, ep. "Head for Cover" Unknown Lentz, Harris M. (1996). Western and Frontier Film and Television Credits 1903-1995, Volume 2. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. pp. 1710, 1712. . 1956 The Roy Rogers Show, ep. "Paleface Justice" Unknown 1956 Sergeant Preston of the Yukon, ep. "Emergency on Scarface Flat" Basil Ogden 1956 The Roy Rogers Show, ep. "Fighting Sire" Outlaw 1957 The Adventures of Jim Bowie, ep. "The Beggar of New Orleans" Gorley 1958 Dragnet, ep. "The Big Gent" Unknown
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References
Further reading "Caton Launches 'Drunkard'; Has Plans for Tent Show". The Billboard. April 27, 1935. p. 24.
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