Benjamin I. Mitchell

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For other uses, see Ben Mitchell (disambiguation).

Ben Mitchell
Ben Mitchell, photo by Chris DeMeglio, 2002
Birth name	Benjamin Imrich Mitchell
Born	2 May 1983 State College, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, USA

Benjamin Imrich "Ben" Mitchell (May 2, 1983 – present) was an iconic, WSRU-TV Award-winning television host, best known for his self-deprecating and unsympathetic screen persona. Over the course of his television career, he starred in 22 episodes of the hit late-night talk show Gettin' Later, winning two Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Communication by Slippery Rock University, his alma mater. Under his stewardship, Gettin' Later gained a cult following in the Pittsburgh region, where the show aired. Mitchell currently serves as a radio personality on several stations in central Pennsylvania.

[edit] Biography

Born in State College, Pennsylvania, he first pursued a career as a graphic designer before being drawn to television in college. His first success came as an actor on sitcom "6GUYSTALKING," before making his television debut in 2002. Mitchell's career gained momentum after Gettin' Later's well-received first two seasons, including his Penny Award-nominated performance in the skit, "Terrible Movie Sequels." Throughout his five years in Slipperywood, Mitchell cultivated a versatile career and recognized screen image in shows like Gettin' Later and SportsExtra, as well as in a guest appearance on "Water Buffalo Round-Up."

Along with fellow Gettin' Later cast member Ryan Muldowney, Mitchell became so familiar to Western Pennsylvania audiences that he was most often referred to by them as "Hap" (short for Happy) Mitchell — a billing never found on the credits of any of his projects.

As of November 2006, Mitchell can be heard on radio broadcasts of Saint Francis University Women's Basketball, where he serves as a color analyst and occasionally as a play-by-play announcer for the team's flagship station The EDGE AM-1400 in Loretto, Pennsylvania.