James Edward Brown (March 22, 1920 – April 11, 1992) was an American film and television actor.[3] He was perhaps best known for playing Lt. Ripley Masters in the American western television series The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin.[1]
James Brown | |
|---|---|
 Brown (left) with Rin Tin Tin in The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin, 1955 | |
| Born | James Edward Brown[1] March 22, 1920 Desdemona, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | April 11, 1992 (aged 72) |
| Alma mater | Baylor University |
| Occupation(s) | Film and television actor |
| Years active | 1941–1992 |
| Spouse | Betty Brown[2] |
| Children | 2[2] |
Early life and education
editBrown was born in Desdemona, Texas.[2] He attended Baylor University,[4] representing the university in tennis.[2]
Career
editBrown began his acting career in 1941 with an uncredited role as a medic in the film Ride, Kelly, Ride. His first credited role was in the 1942 film The Forest Rangers.[4] Brown starred, co-starred and appeared on films including The Good Fellows, Objective, Burma!, Gun Street, The Big Fix, When the Clock Strikes, Air Force, Irma la Douce, The Fabulous Texan, Young and Willing, The Gallant Legion, The Younger Brothers, Corvette K-225, Sands of Iwo Jima, Yes Sir, That's My Baby, Our Hearts Were Young Gay (and its sequel Our Hearts Were Growing Up), Chain Lightning, Missing Women, Inside the Mafia, The Groom Wore Spurs, Space Probe Taurus, and Going My Way.[2][4]
In 1954, Brown joined the cast of the new ABC western television series The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin, in which he played Lt. Ripley Masters.[4][5] After the series ended in 1959, he guest-starred in television programs including Gunsmoke, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Lassie (3 episodes), The Virginian, Laramie, Route 66, Barbary Coast, Daniel Boone, Bronco, Honey West and Murder, She Wrote.[2][4]
For about a decade from the mid-1960s, Brown left acting to found a company making weight belts, eventually selling the company to Faberge. He returned to acting in television in the 1970s.[4] From 1979 to 1986, he played the recurring role of Detective Harry McSween in 39 episodes of the soap opera television series Dallas.[5]
Death
editBrown died on April 11, 1992 of lung cancer at his home in Woodland Hills, California, at the age of 72.[2][4] He was cremated.[6]
Filmography
edit| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1941 | Ride, Kelly, Ride | Medic | Uncredited |
| 1942 | Wake Island | Wounded Marine First Lieutenant | Uncredited |
| 1942 | The Forest Rangers | George Tracy | |
| 1943 | Air Force | Lieut. Tex Rader - Pursuit Pilot - Passenger | |
| 1943 | Young and Willing | Tony Dennison | |
| 1943 | The Good Fellows | Tom Drayton | |
| 1943 | Corvette K-225 | Lt. Paul Cartwright | |
| 1944 | Going My Way | Ted Haines Jr. | |
| 1944 | Our Hearts Were Young and Gay | Avery Moore | |
| 1945 | Objective, Burma! | SSgt. Treacy | |
| 1945 | Duffy's Tavern | Himself | |
| 1946 | Our Hearts Were Growing Up | Avery Moore | |
| 1947 | The Big Fix | Ken Williams | |
| 1947 | The Fabulous Texan | Shep Clayton | |
| 1948 | The Gallant Legion | Tom Banner | |
| 1949 | The Younger Brothers | Bob Younger | |
| 1949 | Anna Lucasta | Buster | |
| 1949 | Yes Sir, That's My Baby | Tony Cresnovitch | |
| 1949 | Brimstone | Bud Courteen | |
| 1949 | Sands of Iwo Jima | Pfc. Charlie Bass | |
| 1950 | Montana | Tex Coyne | |
| 1950 | Chain Lightning | Maj. Hinkle | |
| 1950 | Between Midnight and Dawn | Officer Haynes | Uncredited |
| 1950 | The Fireball | Allen | |
| 1951 | Missing Women | Sgt. Mike Pernell | |
| 1951 | The Groom Wore Spurs | Steve Hall | |
| 1951 | Father Takes the Air | Bob | |
| 1951 | The Sea Hornet | Pete Hunter | |
| 1951 | The Wild Blue Yonder | Sgt. Pop Davis | |
| 1951 | Starlift | Non-Com | Uncredited |
| 1952 | The Pride of St. Louis | Moose | |
| 1952 | Springfield Rifle | Pvt. Ferguson | Uncredited |
| 1953 | The Man Behind the Gun | Lt. Catliff | Uncredited |
| 1953 | Woman They Almost Lynched | Frank James | |
| 1953 | The Charge at Feather River | Pvt. Connors | |
| 1953 | Sea of Lost Ships | Ice Patrol Boat Executive Officer | |
| 1953 | Thunder Over the Plains | Conrad | |
| 1953 | Flight Nurse | Flight Engineer | |
| 1953 | Crazylegs | Bill | |
| 1954 | A Star Is Born | Glenn Williams | |
| 1957 | Jet Pilot | Sergeant | Uncredited |
| 1959 | Inside the Mafia | Capt. Doug Blair | |
| 1960 | Five Guns to Tombstone | Billy Wade | |
| 1961 | Police Dog Story | Norman 'Norm' Edwards | |
| 1961 | Wings of Chance | Steve Kirby | |
| 1961 | Gun Fight | Wayne Santley | |
| 1961 | When the Clock Strikes | Sam Morgan | |
| 1961 | 20,000 Eyes | Jerry Manning | |
| 1961 | Gun Street | Sheriff Chuck Morton | |
| 1963 | Irma la Douce | Customer from Texas | |
| 1965 | Black Spurs | Sheriff | |
| 1965 | Town Tamer | Davis | |
| 1965 | Space Probe Taurus | Col. Hank Stevens | |
| 1968 | Targets | Robert Thompson Sr. | |
| 1975 | Whiffs | State Trooper | |
| 1975 | Mean Johnny Barrows | Police Sergeant | |
| 1975 | Adios Amigo | Sheriff | |
| 1976 | I Will, I Will... for Now | Reservations Clerk | |
| 1976 | Gus | Mammoth Coach | |
| 1979 | The Swap | Lt. Benson | |
| Television | |||
| 1954-1959 | The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin | Lt. Rip Masters | 164 episodes |
| 1979-1986 | Dallas | Detective Harry McSween | 39 episodes |
References
edit- ^ a b "James Brown, Rin Tin Tin Back Protecting the Fort". The Daily Times-News. Burlington, North Carolina. May 8, 1976. p. 31. Retrieved February 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e f g "James Brown Is Dead; 'Rin Tin Tin' Actor, 72". The New York Times. Associated Press. April 14, 1992. Retrieved February 5, 2022.
- ^ Tucker, David (May 27, 2018). Gale Storm: A Biography and Career Record. McFarland. p. 140. ISBN 9781476632469 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b c d e f g Folkart, Burt (April 13, 1992). "James Brown; Actor Played Lt. Masters on 'Rin Tin Tin'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 5, 2022.
- ^ a b Brode, Douglas (January 1, 2010). Shooting Stars of the Small Screen: Encyclopedia of TV Western Actors, 1946–Present. University of Texas Press. pp. 61–62. ISBN 9780292783317 – via Google Books.
- ^ Wilson, Scott (August 19, 2016). Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed. McFarland. p. 93. ISBN 9781476625997 – via Google Books.
