Whitey Mitchell

Whitey Mitchell
Whitey Mitchell
Birth name	George Mitchell
Born	February 22, 1932; Hackensack,New Jersey,U.S.
Died	January 16, 2009(aged 76); Palm Springs,California
Genres	Jazz
Occupation(s)	Musician, TV producer, screenwriter
Instrument	Bass
Years active	1966–1994

Gordon"Whitey"Mitchell(February 22, 1932 – January 16, 2009) was an Americanjazzbassist and television writer/producer. He was born inHackensack,New Jersey.

Life and career

Mitchell was the brother of bassistRed Mitchell.He began on clarinet and tuba as a youngster before choosing bass as his primary instrument.^[1]He studied radio & television at Syracuse University and then plunged into the New York jazz scene, becoming a regular at the famed nightspots Birdland and Basin Street East. He led his own groups at The Village Vanguard and The Embers and later toured with big band greats Benny Goodman and Pete Rugolo, played Carnegie Hall with Gene Krupa, appeared with Buddy Rich, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie and Lester Young on Jazz At The Philharmonic. He played withElinor SherryandShep Fieldsin the early 1950s before serving in theArmyduring theKorean War.From 1954 he worked freelance inNew York City,playing withGene Krupa(1955), Mel Tormé, Jack Jones,J.J. Johnson,Kai Winding,Pete Rugolo,Lester Young,Charlie Ventura,Herbie Mann,Betty Roche,Oscar Pettiford(1956–1957),Gene Quill,Joe Puma,Johnny Richards,Peter Appleyard,André Previn,andBenny Goodman(1963–1964). He performed on hundreds of recording sessions, television and film scores but only released one album under his own leadership onABC-Paramountin 1956, and one with Red andBlue Mitchellin 1958 as "The Mitchells: Red, Whitey & Blue," released onMetroJazz Records.^[1]Mitchell recorded with Anita O'Day, Barbra Streisand, Anthony Newley, and played the bass solo introduction on Ben E. King's hit record "Stand by Me".He often placed in the Metronome and Downbeat jazz polls.

After 1965 he largely ceased playing jazz and moved toHollywoodon advice fromLenny Bruceand André Previn to pursue a career as a television writer. He worked on shows such asGet Smart,All in the Family,The Jeffersons,Good Times,The Mary Tyler Moore Show,The Odd Couple,Mork and Mindy,and severalBob Hopetelevision specials. He wrote the feature filmPrivate Resortstarring Johnny Depp.

Mitchell taught screenwriting atUCLAandUC Riverside.In 1995 he, and his wife Marilyn, moved toPalm Desert, California,where he had his own radio show,The Power Lunchand wrote agolfcolumn for a local magazine. He recorded his CDJust In Timeand played jazz in all the nightclub venues. He was the author of two books,Hackensack to Hollywood: My Two Show Business Careers^[2]andStar Walk: A Guide to the Palm Springs Walk of Stars.^[3]

Mitchell was a board member of thePalm Springs Walk of Starsand was honored with his own Golden Palm Star in tribute to his two show business careers in 2006.^[4]He's been inducted into his New Jersey high school's Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame.