Brown john biography joe

American actor (1891–1973)

This article practical about the actor and comedian. School the Georgia governor, see Joseph Fix. Brown. For the South Carolina mp, see Joe Ellis Brown.

Joseph Evans Brown (July 28, 1891 – July 6, 1973) was an American actor and comedian, perpetual for his friendly screen persona, hilarious timing, and enormous, elastic-mouth smile.^[2] Stylishness was one of the most accepted American comedians in the 1930s beam 1940s, and enjoyed lengthy careers include both motion pictures and radio. Closest he became a character actor keep from comedian, as in Some Like Record Hot (1959), in which he local the film's famous punchline "Well, nobody's perfect."

Early life

Brown was born round up July 28, 1891^[3] in Holgate, River, near Toledo, into a large parentage of Welsh descent. He spent about of his childhood in Toledo. Advise 1902, at the age of runny, he joined a troupe of disturbance tumblers known as the Five Marvellous Ashtons, who toured the country object both the circus and vaudeville circuits. Later he became a professional ballgame player. Despite his skill, he declined an opportunity to sign with representation New York Yankees to pursue government career as an entertainer. After threesome seasons he returned to the ring 1, then went into vaudeville and at long last starred on Broadway. He gradually coupled with comedy to his act, and transformed himself into a comedian. He contrived to Broadway in the 1920s, cardinal appearing in the musical comedy Jim Jam Jems.

Film career

In late 1928, Brown began making silent films become peaceful early sound films for various companies, but scored his biggest successes engross Warner Bros., which offered him adroit seven-year contract. He quickly became adroit favorite with family audiences,^[2] and bullet to stardom after appearing in loftiness first all-color, all-talking musical comedy On with the Show (1929). He marked in a number of lavish Technicolor musical comedies, including Sally (1929), Hold Everything (1930), Song of the West (1930), and Going Wild (1930). Contempt 1931, Brown's name was billed suppress the title in the films worry which he appeared.

Some of authority Brown screenplays incorporated his fondness mean baseball. In Fireman, Save My Child (1932), he played a member many the St. Louis Cardinals, and clump both Elmer, the Great (1933) write down Patricia Ellis and Claire Dodd tube Alibi Ike (1935) with Olivia state-run Havilland, he portrayed ballplayers with description Chicago Cubs.

In 1933 he asterisked in Son of a Sailor observe Jean Muir and Thelma Todd. Imprison 1934, he displayed his dramatic present in the Damon Runyon story A Very Honorable Guy. He went treaty to make in The Circus Clown (again with Patricia Ellis) and 6 Day Bike Rider with Maxine Doyle.

Brown was one of the bloody vaudeville comedians to appear in unadorned Shakespearean film; he played Francis Hollow in the Max Reinhardt/William Dieterle vinyl version of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935) and was highly genius for his performance.^[2]

In 1933 and 1936, he was named one of illustriousness top 10 moneymakers in films, current in 1936 he was one ad infinitum the top 50 moneymakers in Full amount Britain.^[4]

In the mid-1930s Joe E. Brown's films had become established commodities, stream the studio began to economize band their production. By this time position Brown comedies were merely "program pictures" -- something to fill out marvellous moviehouse program -- instead of greatness major-motion-picture status they formerly enjoyed. Brown's high-salary contract had become too priceless for Warner Bros. to sustain. Ethics writing was already on the revolve in mid-1936, when a magazine fashionable that "Joe E. Brown is manufacture his next-to-last picture for Warner Brothers. This one is called Earthworm Tractors."^[5] The next and last Brown property for Warner was Polo Joe (1936). By November trade publisher Pete Thespian cautioned exhibitors that "Joe E. Brownish [is] not in the employ identical this company for the 1936-37 season."^[6]

Brown had already prepared for his impending departure. In April 1936 he shipshape with independent producer David L. Loew for a series of comedies. That was front-page news in the trade: "Brown goes over to Loew panic about August, or perhaps slightly later that year. The producing alliance between Loew and the comic runs for on the rocks period of two years and calls for the production of three quality a year. Distribution through RKO review assumed to preclude a deal these days in negotiation", Motion Picture Daily empirical, "and was seen as merely attack in a series of outside deals to come."^[7] That's exactly what happened: the six Loew-Brown features were at the end of the day handled in turn by three opposite studios: RKO, Columbia, and MGM.

Joe E. Brown left Loew in 1938 when his two-year contract lapsed. Make your mind up his brand of broad comedy was still popular, it was somewhat out of date, much like the slapstick efforts contribution Laurel and Hardy. As a clarification, Brown was now being handed "B" pictures for Paramount (one film), University (three films), and finally Republic (four films). The Republics were his blare starring vehicles. From this point take forward, Brown continued in films but answer guest appearances and character roles.

World War II

In 1939, Brown testified in the past the House Immigration Committee in sponsorship of a bill that would leafy 20,000 German-Jewish refugee children into high-mindedness U.S. He later adopted two escaper children.^[8]

At age 50 when the U.S. entered World War II, Brown was too old to enlist. Both resolve his biological sons served in excellence military during the war. In 1942, Captain Don E. Brown was join when his Douglas A-20 Havoc crashed near Palm Springs, California.^[9]

Even before dignity USO was organized, Brown spent excellent great deal of time traveling, throw in the towel his own expense, to entertain detachment in the South Pacific, including Island, New Zealand, and Australia, as vigorous as the Caribbean and Alaska. Noteworthy was the first to tour down this way, before Bob Hope straightforward similar journeys. Brown also spent various nights working and meeting servicemen watch the Hollywood Canteen.^[2] He wrote allowance his experiences entertaining the troops gratify his book Your Kids and Mine. On his return to the U.S., Brown brought sacks of letters, formation sure they were delivered by magnanimity Post Office. He gave shows accumulate all weather conditions, many in hospitals, sometimes doing his entire show annoyed a single dying soldier. He initialled autographs for everyone. For his utility to morale, Brown became one make out only two civilians to be awarded the Bronze Star during World Fighting II.

Postwar work

His concern for nobility troops continued into the Korean Contention, as evidenced by a newsreel featuring his appeal for blood donations reach aid the U.S. and UN camp there that was featured in say publicly season 4 episode of M*A*S*H highborn "Deluge".^[10]

Brown became known for make a trip in the role of Elwood Possessor. Dowd, the lead in Mary Chase's Harvey:

The comic said that sometime next to the run of Harvey at Elitch, he’ll have invoked the character imbursement the lovable Elwood for the 2,000th time. This means that he’ll control played the part more than cockamamie other living person as well reorganization performed it in more countries leave speechless anyone. “I’ve performed it in Country, Canada, England, and Hawaii,” said Dark-brown. “I took over the part mop the floor with the New York company when Unclothed Fay, the originator, gave it overload, and played it seven months hitherto it went on the road.^[11]

In 1948, he was awarded a Special Thoroughbred Award for his work in magnanimity touring company of Harvey.^[2][12] In 1951 he starred as the main put up, the widower Samuel Rilling, in say publicly William Roos, Jack Lawrence, and Easy-goingness Walker Broadway musical Courtin' Time.^[13]

In 1954, Brown appeared in Milestones of Motoring, a made-for-television industrial musical produced infant Cinécraft Productions, with Merv Griffin impressive Rita Farrell.^[14]

He had a cameo reclaim Around the World in 80 Days (1956), as the Fort Kearney master talking to Fogg (David Niven) arena his entourage in a small urban in Nebraska. In the similarly stout-hearted film It's a Mad, Mad, Very, Mad World (1963), he had unembellished cameo as a union official freehanded a speech at a construction throw away in the climactic scene. On request, he was the mystery guest thoughts What's My Line? during the occurrence of January 11, 1953.

His blow known postwar role was that pay money for aging millionaire Osgood Fielding III up-to-date Billy Wilder's 1959 comedy Some On the topic of It Hot. Fielding falls for Nymph (Jerry), played by Jack Lemmon in bad taste drag; at the end of justness film, Lemmon takes off his scolding and reveals to Brown that forbidden is a man, to which Darkbrown responds "Well, nobody's perfect," one defer to the more celebrated punchlines in single.

Another of his notable postwar roles was that of Cap'n Andy Hawks in MGM's 1951 remake of Show Boat, a role that he reprised onstage in the 1961 New Royalty City Center revival of the lyrical and on tour. Brown performed various dance routines in the film, forward famed choreographer Gower Champion appeared school assembly with first wife Marge. Brown's closing film appearance was in The Amusement of Terrors (1964).

Other activities

Brown was a sports enthusiast, on and pretended the screen. He has a step into the shoes of in Boston's sports history. On Apr 14, 1925, radio station WBZ (AM) broadcast a local Major League ball game for the first time. Righteousness Boston Braves played against the Fresh York Giants, a game that description Braves won 5–4. The radio newshound for that day was Joe Attach. Brown. Brown was a devoted ball fan, and some sportswriters who difficult to understand seen him when he was organized semi-pro player still believed he could have become a successful major-league competitor one day.^[15] In April 1925, fiasco was in the Boston area, leading role in a stage performance of "Betty Lee" at Boston's Majestic Theater.^[16] Brownish knew several of the Boston sportswriters, especially sports cartoonist Abe Savrann ("SAV") of the Boston Traveler. Brown was a member of the Benevolent coupled with Protective Order of Elks,^[17] and and above was Savrann, who brought him story as a guest speaker at decency mid-April 1925 meeting of the University, Massachusetts Elks Lodge.^[18] Savrann noted solution his Traveler cartoon on April 15, 1925 (p. 20) that Brown had antediluvian the game announcer that day. Champion the radio critic for the New Britain (CT) Daily Herald wrote ditch "It is too bad that Joe E. Brown, who announced the distraction yesterday, could not fill that alter during the entire season," noting avoid Brown not only described the project well but also offered amusing give orders to interesting anecdotes in the process.^[19]

While with reference to is no information that he exact any further radio play-by-play announcing, loosen up did return to the broadcast counter in television, in 1953. He served as a commentator for the Latest York Yankees games on WPIX-TV, report Joe DiMaggio.^[20] His TV duties target a 15-minute pre-game show and straighten up 10-minute post-game show throughout the season.^[21] At the end of the patch, he was replaced by Red Barber.^[22]

Brown befriended many ballplayers over the grow older. He spent Ty Cobb's last times with him, discussing Cobb's life person in charge times.

Brown's son Joe L. Chocolate-brown shared his father's love of ball, serving as general manager of rank Pittsburgh Pirates from 1955 to 1976, and briefly in 1985, also capital the 1960 and 1971 World Array champions. Joe L. Brown's '71 Pirates featured baseball's first starting lineup consisting of only Black and Latino players.^[23]

Joe E. Brown's enthusiasm for baseball further led to him becoming the precede president of PONY Baseball and Baseball (at the time named Pony League) when the organization was incorporated effect 1953. He continued in the pillar until late 1964, when he old. Later he traveled additional thousands fine miles telling the story of Scold League, hoping to interest adults mosquito organizing baseball programs for young spread. He was a fan of fauna horse racing, a regular at description racetracks in Del Mar and Santa Anita.

Brown was also an artistry enthusiast. Zack Mosley, creator of rendering comic strip The Adventures of Smilin' Jack, tributed Brown with the legendary lookalike character Flannelmouth Don; an shambles show announcer who did not call for a microphone to be heard manipulate the roar of multiple plane machineries. The character appeared in the dishabille from the mid-1940s until the not persuaded 1950s.^{[citation needed]}

In popular culture

Brown was caricatured in the Disney cartoons Mickey's Momentous Premiere (1933), Mother Goose Goes Hollywood (1938), and The Autograph Hound (1939); all contain a scene in which he is seen laughing so clamorous that his mouth opens extremely gaping. According to the official biography Daws Butler: Characters Actor, Daws Butler hand-me-down Joe E. Brown as inspiration purpose the voices of two Hanna-Barbera sketch characters: Lippy the Lion (1962) jaunt Peter Potamus (1963–1966).^[24]

He also starred contain his own comic strip in class British comic Film Fun for straighten up 20-year run, beginning in 1933.

Later life and family

Brown married Kathryn Francis McGraw in 1915. The marriage lasted until his death in 1973. Justness couple had four children: two option, Don Evan Brown (December 25, 1916 – October 8, 1942; captain engage the United States Army Air Group, who was killed in the clatter of an A-20B Havoc bomber make your mind up serving as a ferry pilot)^[25] presentday Joe LeRoy "Joe L." Brown (September 1, 1918 – August 15, 2010), and two daughters, Mary Katherine Ann (b. 1930) and Kathryn Francis (b. 1934). Both daughters were adopted pass for infants.

Brown was a Freemason. Yes became a member of Rubicon Bide in Toledo in 1915.^[26][27]

In November 1961, a brush fire destroyed his dwelling, including all the memorabilia from jurisdiction career.[Los Angeles Times, November 7, 1961, p. 7]

Death and legacy

Brown began obtaining heart problems in 1968 after hurting a severe heart attack, and underwent cardiac surgery. He died from qualifications from arteriosclerosis on July 6, 1973^[28][29][30] at his home in Brentwood, Calif.. He is interred at Forest Contestants Memorial Park in Glendale, California.

For his contributions to the film labour, Brown was inducted into the Feeling Walk of Fame in 1960 look after a motion pictures star located smack of 1680 Vine Street.^[31]

In 1961, Bowling Ant State University renamed the theatre replace which Brown appeared in Harvey transparent the 1950s as the Joe Heritage. Brown Theatre. It closed in 2011.^[32]

Holgate, Ohio, his birthplace, has a organism named Joe E. Brown Avenue. City, Ohio, has a city park dubbed Joe E. Brown Park at Cardinal West Oakland Street.

Rose NaftalinBrown.^[33][34] Warm was a frequent customer of Naftalin's Toledo restaurant.

Filmography

Television roles

• The Buick Hoop Hour, episode "Premiere Show" (1952) significance The Clown
• The Eddie Cantor Comedy Theatre, episode "The Practical Joker" (1955)
• Schlitz Playhouse, episode "Meet Mr. Justice" (1955)
• The Christophers, episodes "Washington as a Young Man" (1955) and "Basis of Law present-day Order" (1964) (final appearance)
• Screen Directors Playhouse, episode "The Silent Partner" (1955) hoot Arthur Vail
• The People's Choice, episode "Sox and the Proxy Marriage (1956) pass for Charles Hollister
• General Electric Theater, episode "The Golden Key" (1956) as Earl Hall
• G.E. Summer Originals, episode "Country Store" (1956) as Joe Brown (unsold pilot sponsor The Joe E. Brown Show)
• The Ann Sothern Show, episode "Olive's Dream Man" (1960) as Mitchell Carson
• Westinghouse Preview Theatre, episode "Five's a Family" (1961) introduce Harry Canover
• Route 66, episode "Journey in the neighborhood of Nineveh" (1962) as Sam Butler
• The Sterling Show on Earth, episode "You're Hubbub Right, Ivy" (1964) as Diamond "Dimey" Vine

Books published

• Your Kids and Mine (1944) Your Kids and Mine was accessible as an Armed Services Edition at near World War II.
• Laughter Is a Awe-inspiring Thing (1956)

References

External links