Bentley Mitchum

Bentley Mitchum (born February 22, 1967) is an American actor, film director, and screenwriter who has built a diverse career spanning more than three decades. He first entered the entertainment industry in 1985, appearing alongside his father Christopher Mitchum and grandfather Robert Mitchum in the television movie Promises to Keep, a project that highlighted the family's multi‑generational talent. Over the years he has accumulated credits in roughly forty films and television series, ranging from the Sundance Grand Jury Prize‑winning Ruby in Paradise to mainstream titles such as The Man in the Moon and The Wonder Years. His versatility is evident in genre work, including the horror cult classic Demonic Toys, the comedic teen adventure Meatballs 4, and the aquatic thriller Shark Attack. In a groundbreaking move for an American actor, Bentley starred as the lead in the Tamil‑language Indian film Little John, sharing the screen with actress Jyothika and introducing cross‑cultural visibility to his résumé. Beyond acting, Bentley pursued formal training at the University of Southern California, where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in drama, a foundation that later supported his ventures behind the camera as a director and writer. He also explored music, founding the band The Velvet Box, which showcased his creative range beyond the silver screen. His personal life reflects both triumph and tragedy; he married three times—first to Samra Wolfin (1990‑1996), then to Noelle Balfour (1997‑2003), and finally to Jaime Anstead (2004‑2014)—and fathered two daughters, Allexanne and Carrington. Allexanne’s untimely death in 2019 from fentanyl poisoning added a somber chapter to his family story. Despite these challenges, Bentley continues to work actively in film and television, maintaining a presence in the industry from 1985 to the present day.