Bob Mitchell was born in Los Angeles on October 12, 1912. He began piano study at four and pipe organ at the age of ten. He accompanied silent movies beginning in 1924 (age twelve) until 1928 when sound replaced live music. At eighteen, he was the youngest candidate to receive the degree of Fellow of the American Guild of Organists (F.A.G.O). He was a scholarship winner at Eastman School of Music and the New York College of Music and still found time to sing and play on his own radio show in New York City. Returning to Los Angeles, he founded the Mitchell Choirboys in 1934 - which continued for nearly 70 years. They performed in some one hundred motion pictures, most notably Going My Way, The Bishop's Wife, and White Christmas. They toured extensively - five times abroad and once around the world, and made thousands of radio and TV appearances. Bob served overseas in the Navy during World War II, and was pianist/organist for Meredith Willson's Armed Forces Radio Service Orchestra. He served as staff pianist/organist at several Los Angeles radio stations - KFI, KHJ, KECA, among others, and on TV with Art Linkletter's House Party, The Jack LaLanne Show, and even The Mitchell Choirboys Show. Bob and the choir were featured in the Academy-monimated short film Forty Boys and a Song, and he was honored on Ralph Edwards' This is Your Life. Bob was organist for four years for the Dodgers and Angels at the then new stadium, the only person to 'play' for both the National and American leagues at the same time. He was musical director for many religious institutions over his 87 years as a professional musician, and most recently regularly exciting his many fans at the Silent Movie Theatre, Hollywood. Bob passed away peacefully on Saturday afternoon, July 4, 2009. (taken from Mitchell's funeral program)∼Robert Mitchell (October 12, 1912 – July 4, 2009) was an American organist and choir director whose career spanned 85 years, from 1924 to 2009. He was one of the last original silent film accompanists, having accompanied films from 1924 to 1928. Mitchell revived the art from 1992 until his death in 2009, usually to wild acclaim. During the 1930s, he organized the Robert Mitchell Boys Choir, who were cast in many films from the 1930s to the 1960s. Mitchell's Victorian era mother found the new art form of silent film "cheap and vulgar". However, as an avid music lover, she allowed him to take music lessons with the reasoning he could accompany church services. At the age of 12 he was allowed to take a stint at The Strand Theatre in Pasadena, California to play Christmas carols between showings of films. However, he did not stop playing once the film started, and his career as an accompanist began.[1] He played for four years until the arrival of talkies made accompanists irrelevant. At age 18 in 1930, Mitchell became the youngest person to become a Fellow of the American Guild of Organists (AGO), the highest level of professional certification awarded by the organization. In 1932 Mitchell won a scholarship to the Eastman School of Music, where he studied piano. He stayed in New York City performing gigs that varied from church accompaniment to speakeasies and radio. Returning to Los Angeles, he started the Mitchell Singing Boys (also known as the St. Brendan's Church Choir or Bob Mitchell's Singing Boys, from 1934–2000). The choir performed in over 100 films, including 1944's Best Picture winner Going My Way with Bing Crosby, Carefree with Fred Astaire, Angels with Dirty Faces with Pat O'Brien, and The Bishop's Wife with Cary Grant. Noted film composer Dimitri Tiomkin said of them, "Bob Mitchell's boys represent the unusual combination of musicianship, artistry and versatility. Bob Mitchell's genius is ever present. It was a great pleasure to have them sing and appear in The Great Waltz." Mitchell and the choir were featured in a special short documentary film, Forty Boys and a Song (1941), which described the choir and showed the students rehearsing at their school desks as Mitchell provided instruction. The film was nominated for an Academy Award (for Best Short Subject, One-reel). In December 1949 Mitchell was honored on the TV show, "This is your life" for his work with the choir. From 1962 to 1966 Mitchell played the organ for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Mitchell was musical director for several churches: St. Ann, St. Brendan, St. Kevin, and St. Peter in Los Angeles, and The Church of the Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills. From 1992 until his death in 2009 Mitchell regularly accompanied silent films in revival houses, particularly in California. He performed at The Orpheum and played a weekly stint at The Silent Movie Theatre, playing some of the original scores he had in the 1920s. True to his art Mitchell noted, "I never play anything that wasn't published before the picture was made," he says, "but I don't know how many people would actually know that." Mitchell's accompaniments were well known, and he received wild acclaim for his performances. Mitchell performed until May 2009. After a bout with pneumonia his health began to decline. Mitchell hated missing a performance and according to a friend he tried to check himself out of the hospital weeks before his death so he could perform. The Silent Movie Theatre noted, "You don't really replace somebody like Bob Mitchell." Surrounded by a few close friends and listening to a recording of one of his performances, Mitchell died on July 4, 2009 at the age of 96. His funeral was held at Christ the King Roman Catholic Church in Los Angeles on July 10, 2009. He is buried at Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Mitchell received many awards during his lifetime. He received the Silver Medal awarded at the Royal Palace in Monte Carlo by Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace of Monaco. He also received a Silver Beaver Award, the highest honor awarded volunteers by local councils of the Boy Scouts of America. The American Melkite Archimandrate acclaimed Mitchell as a Knight of Malta with a medal. He also received an Honorary Plaque in the Amphitheater of Temple Ahavat Shalom, Northridge, California, as well as the "Pro Papa et Ecclesia" Certificate from Pope John Paul II.
Bob Mitchell was born in Los Angeles on October 12, 1912. He began piano study at four and pipe organ at the age of ten. He accompanied silent movies beginning in 1924 (age twelve) until 1928 when sound replaced live music. At eighteen, he was the youngest candidate to receive the degree of Fellow of the American Guild of Organists (F.A.G.O). He was a scholarship winner at Eastman School of Music and the New York College of Music and still found time to sing and play on his own radio show in New York City. Returning to Los Angeles, he founded the Mitchell Choirboys in 1934 - which continued for nearly 70 years. They performed in some one hundred motion pictures, most notably Going My Way, The Bishop's Wife, and White Christmas. They toured extensively - five times abroad and once around the world, and made thousands of radio and TV appearances. Bob served overseas in the Navy during World War II, and was pianist/organist for Meredith Willson's Armed Forces Radio Service Orchestra. He served as staff pianist/organist at several Los Angeles radio stations - KFI, KHJ, KECA, among others, and on TV with Art Linkletter's House Party, The Jack LaLanne Show, and even The Mitchell Choirboys Show. Bob and the choir were featured in the Academy-monimated short film Forty Boys and a Song, and he was honored on Ralph Edwards' This is Your Life. Bob was organist for four years for the Dodgers and Angels at the then new stadium, the only person to 'play' for both the National and American leagues at the same time. He was musical director for many religious institutions over his 87 years as a professional musician, and most recently regularly exciting his many fans at the Silent Movie Theatre, Hollywood. Bob passed away peacefully on Saturday afternoon, July 4, 2009. (taken from Mitchell's funeral program)∼Robert Mitchell (October 12, 1912 – July 4, 2009) was an American organist and choir director whose career spanned 85 years, from 1924 to 2009. He was one of the last original silent film accompanists, having accompanied films from 1924 to 1928. Mitchell revived the art from 1992 until his death in 2009, usually to wild acclaim. During the 1930s, he organized the Robert Mitchell Boys Choir, who were cast in many films from the 1930s to the 1960s. Mitchell's Victorian era mother found the new art form of silent film "cheap and vulgar". However, as an avid music lover, she allowed him to take music lessons with the reasoning he could accompany church services. At the age of 12 he was allowed to take a stint at The Strand Theatre in Pasadena, California to play Christmas carols between showings of films. However, he did not stop playing once the film started, and his career as an accompanist began.[1] He played for four years until the arrival of talkies made accompanists irrelevant. At age 18 in 1930, Mitchell became the youngest person to become a Fellow of the American Guild of Organists (AGO), the highest level of professional certification awarded by the organization. In 1932 Mitchell won a scholarship to the Eastman School of Music, where he studied piano. He stayed in New York City performing gigs that varied from church accompaniment to speakeasies and radio. Returning to Los Angeles, he started the Mitchell Singing Boys (also known as the St. Brendan's Church Choir or Bob Mitchell's Singing Boys, from 1934–2000). The choir performed in over 100 films, including 1944's Best Picture winner Going My Way with Bing Crosby, Carefree with Fred Astaire, Angels with Dirty Faces with Pat O'Brien, and The Bishop's Wife with Cary Grant. Noted film composer Dimitri Tiomkin said of them, "Bob Mitchell's boys represent the unusual combination of musicianship, artistry and versatility. Bob Mitchell's genius is ever present. It was a great pleasure to have them sing and appear in The Great Waltz." Mitchell and the choir were featured in a special short documentary film, Forty Boys and a Song (1941), which described the choir and showed the students rehearsing at their school desks as Mitchell provided instruction. The film was nominated for an Academy Award (for Best Short Subject, One-reel). In December 1949 Mitchell was honored on the TV show, "This is your life" for his work with the choir. From 1962 to 1966 Mitchell played the organ for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Mitchell was musical director for several churches: St. Ann, St. Brendan, St. Kevin, and St. Peter in Los Angeles, and The Church of the Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills. From 1992 until his death in 2009 Mitchell regularly accompanied silent films in revival houses, particularly in California. He performed at The Orpheum and played a weekly stint at The Silent Movie Theatre, playing some of the original scores he had in the 1920s. True to his art Mitchell noted, "I never play anything that wasn't published before the picture was made," he says, "but I don't know how many people would actually know that." Mitchell's accompaniments were well known, and he received wild acclaim for his performances. Mitchell performed until May 2009. After a bout with pneumonia his health began to decline. Mitchell hated missing a performance and according to a friend he tried to check himself out of the hospital weeks before his death so he could perform. The Silent Movie Theatre noted, "You don't really replace somebody like Bob Mitchell." Surrounded by a few close friends and listening to a recording of one of his performances, Mitchell died on July 4, 2009 at the age of 96. His funeral was held at Christ the King Roman Catholic Church in Los Angeles on July 10, 2009. He is buried at Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Mitchell received many awards during his lifetime. He received the Silver Medal awarded at the Royal Palace in Monte Carlo by Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace of Monaco. He also received a Silver Beaver Award, the highest honor awarded volunteers by local councils of the Boy Scouts of America. The American Melkite Archimandrate acclaimed Mitchell as a Knight of Malta with a medal. He also received an Honorary Plaque in the Amphitheater of Temple Ahavat Shalom, Northridge, California, as well as the "Pro Papa et Ecclesia" Certificate from Pope John Paul II.
Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/39344403/bob-mitchell: accessed
), memorial page for Bob Mitchell (12 Oct 1912–4 Jul 2009), Find a Grave Memorial ID 39344403, citing Hollywood Forever, Hollywood,
Los Angeles County,
California,
USA;
Maintained by Allan Ellenberger (contributor 47029529).
Add Photos for Bob Mitchell
Fulfill Photo Request for Bob Mitchell
Photo Request Fulfilled
Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request
There is an open photo request for this memorial
Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request?
Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s).
Oops, something didn't work. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again.
Make sure that the file is a photo. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced.
All photos uploaded successfully, click on the <b>Done button</b> to see the photos in the gallery.
General photo guidelines:
Photos larger than 8.0 MB will be optimized and reduced.
Each contributor can upload a maximum of 5 photos for a memorial.
A memorial can have a maximum of 20 photos from all contributors.
The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional 10 photos (for a total of 30 on the memorial).
Include gps location with grave photos where possible.
No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments.)
You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial.
Memorial Photos
This is a carousel with slides. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel.
Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried.
Show Map
If the memorial includes GPS coordinates, simply click 'Show Map' to view the gravesite location within the cemetery. If no GPS coordinates are available, you can contribute by adding them if you know the precise location.
Photos
For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab.
Photos Tab
All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer.
Flowers
Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button.
Family Members
Family members linked to this person will appear here.
Related searches
Use the links under See more… to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc.
Sponsor This Memorial
Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option.
Share
Share this memorial using social media sites or email.
Save to
Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print.
Edit or Suggest Edit
Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager.
Have Feedback
Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you.
You may not upload any more photos to this memorial
"Unsupported file type"
Uploading...
Waiting...
Success
Failed
This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has photos
This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded photos to this memorial
This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has photos
This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded photos to this memorial
Invalid File Type
Uploading 1 Photo
Uploading 2 Photos
1 Photo Uploaded
2 Photos Uploaded
Added by
GREAT NEWS! There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery.
Sorry! There are no volunteers for this cemetery. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request.
Enter numeric value
Enter memorial Id
Year should not be greater than current year
Invalid memorial
Duplicate entry for memorial
You have chosen this person to be their own family member.
Reported!
This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates.
0% Complete
Saved
Sign in or Register
Sign in to Find a Grave
Sign-in to link to existing account
There is a problem with your email/password.
There is a problem with your email/password.
There is a problem with your email/password.
We encountered an unknown problem. Please wait a few minutes and try again. If the problem persists contact Find a Grave.
We’ve updated the security on the site. Please reset your password.
Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. Please contact Find a Grave at [email protected] if you need help resetting your password.
This account has been disabled. If you have questions, please contact [email protected]
This account has been disabled. If you have questions, please contact [email protected]
Email not found
Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person.
Sign in to your existing Find a Grave account. You’ll only have to do this once—after your accounts are connected, you can sign in using your Ancestry sign in or your Find a Grave sign in.
We found an existing Find a Grave account associated with your email address. Sign in below with your Find a Grave credentials to link your Ancestry account. After your accounts are connected you can sign in using either account.
Please enter your email to sign in.
Please enter your password to sign in.
Please enter your email and password to sign in.
There is a problem with your email/password.
A system error has occurred. Please try again later.
A password reset email has been sent to EmailID. If you don't see an email, please check your spam folder.
We encountered an unknown problem. Please wait a few minutes and try again. If the problem persists contact Find a Grave.
Password Reset
Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code.
Registration Options
Welcome to Find a Grave
Create your free account by choosing an option below.
or
Ancestry account link
To create your account, Ancestry will share your name and email address with Find a Grave. To continue choose an option below.
or
If you already have a Find a Grave account, please sign in to link to Ancestry®.
New Member Registration
Email is mandatory
Email and Password are mandatory
This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. Resend Activation Email
Your password is not strong enough
Invalid Email
You must agree to Terms and Conditions
Account already exists
Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox
Internal Server error occurred
If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map
You must select an email preference
We have sent you an activation email
Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters.
We just emailed an activation code to
Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account.
cemeteries found in will be saved to your photo volunteer list.
cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list.
cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list.
Within 5 miles of your location.
Within 5 kilometers of your location.
0 cemeteries found in .
0 cemeteries found.
Add a cemetery to fulfill photo requests
You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below.
Search above to list available cemeteries.
Getting location…
Loading...
Loading...
No cemeteries found
Find a Grave Video Tutorials
Default Language
Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [email protected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. Thanks for your help!
Preferred Language
We have set your language to based on information from your browser.