Scoey Mitchell Dies: TV’s ‘Barefoot In The Park’ Actor, Comedian Was 92
He was not on the list.
Scoey Mitchell, the comedian and actor whose busy television career in the 1970s included a co-starring role in a groundbreaking comedy series adaptation of Neil Simon’s Barefoot in the Park, died March 19 at a health care facility in Torrance, CA. He was 92.
His death was announced by his brother, the jazz pianist Billy Mitchell, who posted the news on Facebook. “He had a very successful and colorful career during 70s and 80s as an actor, writer and film director,” Billy Mitchell wrote. “He sacrificed much in the struggle to get blacks behind the camera, into production and into positions that are taken for granted today. Its important to remember those few that opened up the doors for so many!”
Mitchell, who sometimes used the family spelling “Mitchlll,” already was familiar to TV viewers from his late-1960s stand-up, talk show and variety show appearances on The Tonight Show, The Ed Sullivan Show, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, The Mike Douglas Show and numerous others before he landed the co-starring role opposite Tracy Reed in the 1970 sitcom Barefoot in the Park.
With Black actors in the newlywed roles made famous on Broadway and in the 1967 feature film by white actors (Robert Redford and Jane Fonda in the movie), the series was a pioneering, if at just one season short-lived, effort. Reports at the time suggest Mitchell was fired from the show after clashing over creative differences with producers, and ABC canceled the low-rated sitcom rather than find a new actor.
Mitchell returned to series television in 1974 with a two-year recurring role on Rhoda, in which he played a co-worker of Rhoda’s husband Joe.
A frequent and witty guest on game shows of the era, Mitchell appeared often on The Hollywood Squares, Match Game, Tattletales, Password Plus and Super Password.
In 1972, Mitchell wrote and hosted the TV special The Scoey Mitchlll Show, and in 1984 he wrote and co-directed a TV movie titled Me & Mrs. C, about a young Black female ex-convict who lives in a boarding house owned by an elderly white woman. The movie was later adapted as a sitcom in 1986.
Born Roscoe Mitchlll Jr. in Newburgh, NY, Mitchell continued acting, writing and directing for television well into the 1980s, if more sporadically than in his ’70s heyday. His most prominent role on the big screen came in 1985, when he played the father of Richard Pryor’s in the movie Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling.
Filmography
Acting
Film
Year Title Role Notes
1986 Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling Father Semi-autobiographical;[20] directed by Richard Pryor.
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
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
1970 Barefoot in the Park Paul Bratter Contract role
Credited as Scoey Mitchlll
1972 The Odd Couple Consul from Nigeria "The Princess" (S3:Ep 3) Uncredited
1973 Voyage of the Yes Pretty Made-for-TV movie Directed by Lee H. Katzin.
Cops Sergeant Monroe Dupree Made-for-TV movie
Credited as "Scoey Mitchlll"
Directed and written by Jerry Belson.
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
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
1978 Cindy Cindy's father Made-for-TV movie Directed by William Graham.
Baretta Aterna "The Bundle" (S4:Ep 24)
Taxi Robber "Memories of Cab 804: Part 1" (S1:Ep 11) Credited as Scoey Mitchlll
1979 Lou Grant Minister "Skids" (S2:Ep 23) Credited as Scoey Mitchlll
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
1985 Gus Brown and Midnight Brewster Maurice Made-for-TV movie Directed by James Fargo.
Handsome Harry's Harry Marquette Made-for-TV movie
Credited as "Scoey Mitchlll"
Directed by Bill Foster.[13]
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.
Directing
Television
Year Title Production Type Episodes Notes
1984 Me & Mrs. C. Made-for-TV movie Co-directed with Drew R. Handley [10]
1987 Me & Mrs. C. TV series
"The Jailbird" (S2:Ep 2)
"Happy Birthday to You" (S2:Ep 3)
"A Bump in the Night" (S2:Ep 12)
"Smarty Pants" (S2:Ep 13)
1989–90 13 East TV series
Pilot: "Where's the Ticket?" (S1:Ep 1)
"I've Got a Loan to Pick with You" (S1:Ep 2)
"A Day in the Life" (S1:Ep 3)
"The Switch" (S1:Ep 4)
"Tabloid Time" (S1:Ep 5)
"Poppa's Coming" (S1:Ep 6)
"Bullseye" (S2:Ep 10)
Writing
Television
Year Title Production Type Directed by Notes
1972 The Scoey Mitchlll Show Made-for-TV movie Marc Breslow
1983 Just a Little More Love Made-for-TV movie Burt Brinckerhoff
1984 Me & Mrs. C. Made-for-TV movie Co-directed with Drew R. Handley
1985 Gus Brown and Midnight Brewster Made-for-TV movie James Fargo Story by Mitchlll and Martin Rips; teleplay by Mitchlll.
Handsome Harry's Made-for-TV movie Bill Foster Co-written and story by Mitchlll with Calvin Kelly and James Tisdale (credited as Jim Tisdale).
1986 Me & Mrs. C. TV series Episodes:
Pilot: "Moving in and Moving Out" (S1:Ep 1)
"Ladies' Choice: Part 2" (S1:Ep 3)
"The Checks Are in the Mail" (S1:Ep 4)
"The Lottery" (S1:Ep 5)
"Let's Have a Party" (S1:Ep 6)
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.
Miracle at Beekman's Place Made-for-TV movie Bernard L. Kowalski
Production
Television
Year Title Production Type Credited as Notes
1981 Grambling's White Tiger Made-for-TV movie Associate producer
Directed by Georg Stanford Brown
1983 Just a Little More Love Made-for-TV movie Executive producer
1984 Me & Mrs. C. Made-for-TV movie Producer
1985 Gus Brown and Midnight Brewster Made-for-TV movie Producer
Handsome Harry's Made-for-TV movie Executive producer
1986 Me & Mrs. C. TV series Producer
1988 A Whole Lotta Fun Made-for-TV movie Executive producer
Miracle at Beekman's Place Made-for-TV movie Producer
1989 13 East TV series Producer
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