Like many army brats, John Cameron Mitchell found his peripatetic childhood a good training ground for a career in show business. Moving often and being the new kid in school, he perfected an ability to adapt to a variety of situations. While attending Northwestern University's well-regarded theater school, the openly gay Mitchell landed roles in industrial films and a Chicago stage production of "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn". A photograph of him in character caught the attention of an agent who suggested him to the producers of the 1985 musical "Big River" (which itself was based on "Huckleberry Finn") and the actor was hired as understudy for Daniel H Jenkins in the leading role. The following year, Mitchell debuted in films in "Band of the Hand" and "One More Saturday Night" and on TV in the "American Playhouse" production "The Roommate". He spent the next decade dividing his time between stage and screen, with the former providing a wider range of opportunities.
After a turn as a Polish violinist in the little-seen "Misplaced" (1989), Mitchell appeared in the 1990 Broadway staging of "Six Degrees of Separation" as the gay lover of the young imposter. The following season, he delivered a nice turn as the mysterious Dickon in the stage musical adaptation of "The Secret Garden". In Larry Kramer's autobiographical drama, "The Destiny of Me" (1992), Mitchell offered a brilliant turn as the young Ned Weeks (the hero of Kramer's "The Normal Heart"), as he comes to terms with his homosexuality. He went on to co-star as one of the lovers in "Hello Again" (1994), Michael John LaChiusa's chamber musical based on "La Ronde".
While on a plane flight in 1994, Mitchell struck up a conversation with the only other passenger not watching the in-flight film, composer Stephen Trask. They would later collaborate on what was to be the actor's most influential role -- the transsexual East German rock singer Hedwig of "Hedwig and the Angry Inch". But it would take them some three years to fully realize the project, during which Mitchell appeared in the short-lived Fox sitcom "Party Girl" and honed his directorial skills with stage productions. When "Hedwig" debuted in 1997, no one could have anticipated how successful it was to become. When it was re-staged the following year, "Hedwig" received mostly raves and Mitchell and company enjoyed a hit. He went on to play the role in the West Coast premiere of the show and then developed the material as a feature film at the Sundance Screenwriters Lab. When the film version premiered at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival, it proved a hot ticket and the movie took home the Audience Award as well as the directing award for Mitchell (who also recreated his stage role).
- Also Credited As:
John Cameron Mitchell
- Born:
April 21, 1963 in El Paso, Texas, USA
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Job Titles:
Actor, Director, Playwright, Screenwriter, Singer
Family
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Brother: Colin Mitchell. younger; Mitchell based the character of Hedwig on a woman who used to babysit his younger brother
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Father: John Henderson Mitchell.
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Mother: Joan Mitchell. Scottish
Significant Others
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Companion: Jack Steeb. Mitchell referred to his companion in his acceptance speech at Sundance
Education
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Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, theater
Milestones
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1985 Broadway debut as understudy to lead role in Big River , the musical version of Mark Twain s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
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1986 Film debut in small role in One More Saturday Night ; shot first but released after Band of the Hand
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1986 TV acting debut, The Roommate , a PBS American Playhouse presentation
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1988 Co-starred in the Disney Channel movie A Friendship in Vienna
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1989 Starred as a Polish violinist in Misplaced alongside Viveca Lindfors
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1990 Appeared in the stage production of Six Degrees of Separation ; originated role Off-Broadway and reprised it when show transferred to Broadway
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1990 Had leading role in the futuristic drama Teach 109 , a presentation of PBS American Playhouse
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1991 Cast as Dickon in Broadway musical adaptation of The Secret Garden
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1992 Portrayed Ned Weeks (the authorial stand-in) in Larry Kramer s autobiographical stage drama The Destiny of Me
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1994 Had featured role in the Off-Broadway Hello Again , Michael John LaChiusa s musical adaptation of La Ronde
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1994 Met musician Stephen Trask on an airplane flight; later collaborated on idea that developed into Hedwig and the Angry Inch
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1996 Debut as TV series regular, cast as the title character s gay best friend in the very short-lived Fox sitcom Party Girl
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1996 Played small role as an aspiring actor in Girl 6 , directed by Spike Lee
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1997 Directed the Drama Dept. production of Kingdom of Earth
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1997 Wrote book for the stage musical Hedwig and Angry Inch ; also starred in title role of a German-born transsexual rock singer; originated role in NYC and later played it in L.A.
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2001 Feature directorial debut, the film adaptation of Hedwig and the Angry Inch ; also scripted and reprised starring role
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2003 Executive produced the documentary film, Tarnation
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2005 Directed the Scissor Sisters video of Filthy/Gorgeous, which was banned from American MTV for its explicitly sexual content
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2006 Helmed the feature Shortbus which incorporates explicit sex in a naturalistic way; presented out of competition at the Cannes festival
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Acted in industrial films, Just Along for the Ride and My Father s Son
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Appeared in the L.A. production of Our Country s Good
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Portrayed Huck Finn in a Chicago production at the Goodman Theater
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Raised as an army brat ; family lived in Germany, Scotland and all around the USA including a year in Junction City, Kansas