Don Mitchell, Co-Star of "Ironside"

Don Mitchell, a Co-Star on TV’s ‘Ironside,’ Dies

By DANIEL E. SLOTNIK

Published: December 13, 2013

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Don Mitchell, an actor best known for playingRaymond Burr’s assistant on the NBC police drama “Ironside” in the 1960s and ’70s, died on Sunday at his home in Encino, Calif.

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Don Mitchell, left, and Raymond Burr in “Ironside,” on NBC.

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His death was confirmed by Joseph Babineaux, the publicist for one of his daughters, the actress Julia Pace Mitchell.

“Ironside” starred Mr. Burr as Robert T. Ironside, a retired detective who used a wheelchair. Mr. Mitchell played Mark Sanger, an ex-convict who became Ironside’s bodyguard and assistant. He remained with the show from its debut as a made-for-TV movie in 1967 until it went off the air eight seasons later; along the way his character joined the police force and became a judge.

Mr. Mitchell also appeared on shows like “I Dream of Jeannie,” “The Fugitive” and “The Virginian,” and withPam Grier and William Marshall in the 1973 film “Scream Blacula, Scream.”

According to most sources, Donald Michael Mitchell was born on March 17, 1943, in Houston. He studied acting at the University of California, Los Angeles. He reprised the role of Mark Sanger in his last credited acting role, in the TV movie “The Return of Ironside,” in 1993.

His marriages to the actress Judy Pace and to Emilie Blake Walker ended in divorce. In addition to Ms. Pace Mitchell, he is survived by another daughter, Shawn Meshelle Mitchell.

A remake of “Ironside,” starring Blair Underwood in the Raymond Burr role, appeared on NBC this fall without a Mark Sanger. It was canceled after a handful of episodes.

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Don Michael Mitchell (March 17, 1943 – December 8, 2013) was an American actor, best known for appearing with Raymond Burr in the NBC TV series Ironside.  He played the role of Mark Sanger, and reprised the role in the made-for-TV "reunion" film in 1993 – his last TV appearance.

Other television roles include McMillan & Wife and playing Ed Lawrence on the CBS daytime soap opera Capitol. 

From 1969 to 1970, Mitchell was married to the model Emilie Blake, with whom he had a daughter, Dawn Mitchell.  In 1972, Mitchell married actress Judy Pace.  They divorced in 1986. He and Pace have two daughters; actress Julia Pace Mitchell, who appears on the CBS daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless and attorney Shawn Meshelle Mitchell.  Mitchell died, aged 70, on December 8, 2013.