Movie producer Jack Broder intended to star Mitchell and Petrillo in a feature-length comedy.

The resulting film was Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla, a jungle-themed comedy.

After Mitchell and Petrillo parted ways, Mitchell stayed in show business, performing at nightclubs in New York, Las Vegas, Seattle, Palm Springs, Chicago (opening for his friend Lenny Bruce), and The Cloisters, Crescendo and Coconut Grove in Los Angeles and began directing self-financed independent films such as Massacre Mafia Style (1974) and Gone with the Pope (1976), which have since developed a cult following.

Mitchell was a regular on the scene in Palm Springs, California, where he started the fad and trend of "Sunday Brunches" with shows including Liza Minnelli, David Janssen, Cary Grant, Frank Sinatra, and his son, guitarist/songwriter Jeffrey Mitchell, who got his start at the Ranch Club brunches with his father, Doug McClure, James Drury, and a myriad of stars including Lucille Ball, Red Skelton, Vince Edwards, and acts from the world of show-biz.

Stars would take the weekend plunge into the Palm Springs scene and join the brunch festivities on Sunday.