A Hollywood heir (84) and a celebrated novelist (88) have left us—here’s what you can learn from their lives

Two icons of screen and page have passed within weeks of each other, leaving fans reflecting on lives lived boldly and creatively.

One walked among Hollywood legends, the other redefined romance and scandal in literature.

Their stories are full of surprising twists, unforgettable encounters, and legacies that stretch far beyond their famous names.

Jim Mitchum, the son of Hollywood legend Robert Mitchum, has died at the age of 84.

Though he carried a famous surname, his life was filled with unexpected passions, adventures, and pursuits beyond acting.

Fans of classic cinema may remember him for his own contributions to Hollywood, not just as Robert Mitchum’s son.

Jim passed away on 20 September at his Arizona ranch in Skull Valley following a long illness, with his third wife Pamela K. Smith by his side, a family spokesperson confirmed.

He is survived by Pamela and his four children, Will, Brian, Ana, and Caitlin Ann.

Born in Los Angeles to Robert Mitchum and Dorothy Spence Mitchum, Jim first appeared on screen at eight years old in the Raoul Walsh Western Colorado Territory.

Despite his mother’s hopes he would avoid Hollywood, he entered the industry at 16 with a breakout role in the 1958 cult classic Thunder Road, originally intended for Elvis Presley, playing a mechanic and the younger brother of his father’s character.

His work on Thunder Road sparked a lifelong love of cars, leading him to work on Elvis Presley’s hot rods and form a friendship with the King himself.

Over the years, sometimes credited as James Mitchum, he appeared in more than 30 films, including In Harm’s Way (1965) alongside Kirk Douglas and John Wayne, and Ambush Bay (1966) with Mickey Rooney and Hugh O’Brian.

He also starred in Moonrunners (1975), the film that inspired the TV series The Dukes of Hazzard.

In addition to acting, Jim briefly pursued a singing career, releasing the 1961 single 'Lonely Birthday', though it failed to gain traction.

He retired from acting in 1994 to focus on life at his Arizona ranch, breeding horses and producing a line of premium moonshine inspired by his father’s films Thunder Road and Out of the Past.

Jim married three times, first to actress Wende Wagner in 1968, with the marriage ending after ten years.

He then wed Vivian Ferrand in 1985, with that union ending in 1995, before marrying Pamela K. Smith.

Though he walked in the shadow of a Hollywood titan, Jim carved out a life and career all his own, leaving a legacy on-screen and off.

Dame Jilly Cooper, the novelist who brought glamour, scandal, and risqué tales of the Cotswolds to readers, has died aged 88.

Her rollicking stories of rivalry, romance, and outrageous antics reshaped popular fiction and captivated generations.

Even in later life, she remained a force of personality, wit, and charm.

Dame Jilly passed away on 6 October following a fall, with her children Felix and Emily calling her the 'shining light' of their lives and describing her death as a 'complete shock'.

Queen Camilla, whose first husband Andrew Parker Bowles inspired the lothario Rupert Campbell-Black in The Rutshire Chronicles, hailed her as a 'legend' and a 'wonderfully witty and compassionate friend'.

Victoria Smurfit, star of the Disney+ adaptation of Rivals, called her a 'divine queen'.

Her agent Felicity Blunt said the author was 'sharply observant and utter fun'.

Dame Jilly admitted in an interview that she had enjoyed a clinch with James Bond star Sean Connery.

She was best known for The Rutshire Chronicles, which depicted the bedroom antics of the polo-playing classes and became a favourite of millions seeking scandalous bedtime reading.

Dame Jilly lost her husband Leo to Parkinson's disease in 2013, whom she had forgiven after a 'cataclysmic' six-year affair in the 1990s, and she refused to place him in a care home as his condition worsened.

She confessed that she continued writing later in life to pay for his medical bills.

Dame Jilly and Leo first met at a children’s party in the late 1940s, married in 1961, and adopted son Felix in 1968 and daughter Emily in 1971.

In 1990, Leo’s affair was revealed by publisher’s secretary Sarah Johnson after Dame Jilly had boasted about her 'perfect marriage'.

Reflecting on her marriage, she told the Daily Mail in 2019: 'At our ruby wedding anniversary, I compared marriage to two people rowing across a vast ocean in a tiny boat, sometimes revelling in blue skies and lovely sunsets, sometimes rocked by storms so violent we'd nearly capsized, but somehow we’d battled on.'

Her family said: 'Mum was the shining light in all of our lives. Her love for all of her family and friends knew no bounds. Her unexpected death has come as a complete shock. We are so proud of everything she achieved in her life and can't begin to imagine life without her infectious smile and laughter all around us.'

Dame Jilly’s first Rutshire novel, Riders, was published in 1985 when she was 48, following 22 sackings in public relations, and became her breakthrough.

Riders made the BBC list of 100 important English language novels in love, sex, and romance alongside Jane Austen’s Pride And Prejudice, and Rivals was later adapted for television by Disney+.

She remained active, hosting a party for the cast at her Gloucestershire home in August 2025, attended by Andrew Parker Bowles.

Dame Jilly and Queen Camilla met in March 2025 at the launch of the Queen’s Reading Room medal at Clarence House, with Camilla telling her: 'I'm so proud of you. For all you've done.'

The Queen added: 'Very few writers get to be a legend in their own lifetime but Jilly was one, creating a whole new genre of literature and making it her own through a career that spanned over five decades. In person she was a wonderfully witty and compassionate friend to me and so many… I join my husband The King in sending our thoughts and sympathies to all her family. And may her hereafter be filled with impossibly handsome men and devoted dogs.'

Dame Jilly’s agent said: 'Jilly will undoubtedly be best remembered for her chart-topping series The Rutshire Chronicles and its havoc-making and handsome show-jumping hero Rupert Campbell-Black. You wouldn't expect books categorised as bonkbusters to have so emphatically stood the test of time but Jilly wrote with acuity and insight about all things — class, sex, marriage, rivalry, grief and fertility. Emotionally intelligent, fantastically generous, sharply observant and utter fun Jilly Cooper will be deeply missed by all at Curtis Brown and on the set of Rivals. I have lost a friend, an ally, a confidante and a mentor. But I know she will live forever in the words she put on the page and on the screen.'

In her final interview, she said she had re-read Riders and 'adored it', joking about being shocked by Rupert’s antics.

She shared details of her flirtation with Sean Connery: 'Yes. Sean Connery was gorgeous, I necked him… We lived in Fulham and Sean and his lovely wife Diane were in Putney, and they came for dinner. I was in the kitchen, pretending to cook, and he came in and took me in his arms and kissed me.'

Born in Hornchurch, Essex in 1937, she grew up in Yorkshire and attended the private Godolphin School in Salisbury.

Her career began in journalism at The Middlesex Independent at age 20, followed by stints in public relations and book publishing, before achieving literary success.

She survived the 1999 Paddington rail crash, escaping from a derailed carriage while 'absurdly concerned' about a manuscript she was carrying.

A committed animal lover, she was patron of charities and spearheaded the Animals In War Memorial Fund in 1998, leading to a memorial in Park Lane in 2004.

A new book, How To Survive Christmas, is due for publication in November 2025, described as 'an irreverent and witty guide to surviving the festive season'.

For those reflecting on the legacies left behind by figures in film and literature, the impact of a distinctive voice in the courtroom offers another compelling story of influence and dedication.

Some lives leave an impression not just through art or writing, but through the way they shaped public understanding and held attention in high-stakes situations.

If you’re interested in exploring another story of a remarkable individual whose career touched countless people, this next piece provides a fascinating insight.

Read more: His voice explained the toughest courtroom battles—now, it has fallen silent at 75

Two very different lives, each marked by creativity, passion, and resilience, have left lasting impressions on the worlds of film and literature.

May they both rest in peace.