Henry Brown is an American film, television and stage actor whose career began in the early 1970s. With over sixty credits, he has appeared in over thirty films and thirty television shows. He quite often plays policemen and law enforcement officials. He played the main role in Carmen Madden's 2010 film, Everyday Black Man.

Henry Brown
Other namesHenry Brown, Jr., Henry V. Brown
OccupationActor
Years active1970 to present

Background

edit

In 1969, Brown came to UCSB with the intention of playing baseball. He graduated from there in 1971. One day while grabbing a quick meal, he accidentally spilt a glass of milk on Frank Silvera who happened to be a guest artist at UCSB at the time. Silvera introduced him to Dr. William R. Reardon. Brown was then recruited for the UCSB Touring Players. It was actually another guest artist Paul Winfield that introduced Brown to Stanley Kramer, and while still a student, Brown would land his first acting role in a Kramer film.[1]

His film work includes My First Mister, Lethal Weapon 3. He has also had roles in The Man In The Glass Booth, Three the Hard Way, The Law, and Fireball Forward.[2] On television he has had a recurring role in Baywatch Nights.[3] He has also appeared in Pickett Fences.[4] Brown is also a stage actor[5] and his stage work includes playing the part of Kofi Annan in David Hare's Iraq war drama Stuff Happens which also included Keith Carradine playing Bush and Julian Sands playing Blair.[6] Other stage work includes playing the part Billy Lee in The Ballad of Billy Lee.[7] In addition to film, television and stage work, Brown has ventured into directing, and his directorial debut was music video “Nothing Sacred” by Mr. Way.[8]

Career

edit

1970s to 1980s

edit

His earliest film work in the 1970 film, R. P. M. which was directed by Stanley Kramer. Along with Jose Brad and Frank Alesia, he played one of the students.[9][10] A couple of years later, he played a wounded soldier in Marvin J Chomsky's Fireball Forward.[11] In the Richard Donner directed, 1973, made-for-television film, Stat! he played the part of Dr. Neil Patricks.[12] Also that year he played the part of Abe Humes in the Kojak movie, The Marcus-Nelson Murders. [13][14] In 1975, Brown starred in The Man In The Glass Booth, the Arthur Hiller-directed adaptation of Robert Shaw's stage play. The following year, in 1976, he appeared in the Douglas Hickox feature, Sky Riders which starred James Coburn, Susannah York and Robert Culp.[15] In the "End Run" episode of M*A*S*H in early 1977, Brown played Billy Tyler, a former college football star headed for the pros who loses a leg.

1990s to 2000s

edit

In 1992, he appeared in two episodes of Matlock, as Reggie in "The Evening News, Part 1" and "The Evening News, Part 2".[16]

In 2005, Their Eyes Were Watching God starring Halle Berry was released. He played the part of Water Stone.[17] He played Mr. Reid in Bill Duke's 2006 romantic comedy-drama Not Easily Broken.[18][19]

He played the main role as Moses in Carmen Madden's award-winning, 2010 released film, Everyday Black Man where he plays local grocery store owner Moses. Moses has been turned down for a loan from a bank and then becomes duped by a seemingly good man into letting his shop being used to sell drugs. Brown's performance was noted as "Down to a T" in a review by The Other View.[20][21]

Stage work (partial list)

edit
Stage
Title Role # Director Venue Date Notes #
The Space Between the Stars, A new play by Bob Potter Peter Lackner Centre Stage Theater Wednesday through Saturday
February 4–7 and 11–14, 2004
[22]
Stuff Happens Gordon Davidson The Taper
135 North Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA
May 25 – July 17, 2005 [23]
Ballad of Billy Lee
(Encore Presentation)
Billy Lee Asa Olsson Plaza Playhouse Theater
Carpinteria, CA
Sunday Nov 18, 2012 [24]

Filmography

edit
Film
Title Role Director Year Notes #
R. P. M. Student Stanley Kramer 1970 As Henry Brown Jr.
Fireball Forward Wounded soldier Marvin J. Chomsky 1972 As Henry Brown Jr.
The Marcus-Nelson Murders Abe Humes Joseph Sargent 1973 Made for television
As Henry Brown Jr.
Stat! Dr. Neil Patricks Richard Donner 1973 Made for television
The Law Reynaldo Williams John Badham 1974 Made for Television
The Man in the Glass Booth Jack Arthur Hiller 1975
Sky Riders Martin Douglas Hickox 1976
Friendly Fire David Greene 1979 Made for television
Lethal Weapon Plainclothes cop Richard Donner 1987
Scrooged Technicians Richard Donner 1988 as Henry V. Brown
Do You Know the Muffin Man? Sgt. Ernie Ronay Gilbert Cates 1989
Stepfather II Dr. Joseph Danvers Jeff Burr 1989
Satan's Princess Felson Bert I. Gordon 1989
Uncaged Slash Lisa Hunt 1991
The Art of Dying Captain Wings Hauser 1991
Lethal Weapon 3 Squad Member #2 Richard Donner 1992
Hero Hospital Guard Stephen Frears 1992
Black Widow Murders: The Blanche Taylor Moore Story Officer Daniels Alan Metzger 1993
Sex, Love and Cold Hard Cash Dickson Harry Longstreet 1993 Made for Television
Slaughter of the Innocents Stanley Moorehead James Glickenhaus 1993
Ring of Steel Detective Smith David Frost 1994
Mixed Nuts Police Nora Ephron 1994
Judicial Consent Tony William Bindley 1994
Excessive Force II: Force on Force Captain John Buchanan Jonathan Winfrey 1995
Don't Look Back Doctor Geoff Murphy 1996 Made for television
Cupid Detective Thompson Doug Campbell 1997
The Price of Kissing Jackee's Boyfriend Vince DiPersio 1997
Butter Khaleed's Father Peter Gathings Bunche 1998
My First Mister Jack Taylor, Salesman Christine Lahti 2001
Their Eyes Were Watching God Walter Stone Darnell Martin 2005 Made for television
Allan Quatermain and the Temple of Skulls Engineer Mark Atkins 2008
Not Easily Broken Mr. Reid Bill Duke 2009
Everyday Black Man Moses Carmen Madden 2010
Duende:The Red Shoes Duende Man Tina Love 2016
Television shows (partial list)
Title Episode # Role Director Year Notes #
The Bold Ones: The New Doctors Quality of Fear Bobby Rawlins Richard Donner 1972
The Streets of San Francisco A Wrongful Death Saunders Don Medford 1973
Tenafly Joyride to Nowhere Allan Cooper Robert Day 1973
Police Story Line of Fire Henninger Barry Crane 1973
Kojak Marker to a Dead Bookie Omar 'Miami' Blake Alex March 1974 As Henry V. Brown
Chase The Game Ball Georg Fenady 1974
Toma The Street Jeannot Szwarc 1974
Lucas Tanner The Noise of a Quiet Weekend Phil Leo Penn 1975
Kojak Money Back Guarantee Forbes Daniel Haller 1975
The Rookies Deliver Me from Innocence Ralph Denker Richard Benedict 1976
Family Point of Departure Policeman John Erman 1976
Delvecchio Delvecchio Jerry London 1976
Delvecchio The Avenger Rob Turner Jerry London 1976
The Blue Knight Upward Mobility Cuban 1976
The Quest The Seminole Negro Indian Scouts Pompey Irving J. Moore 1976
M*A*S*H End Run Sgt. Billy Tyler Harry Morgan 1977

References

edit
  1. ^ Arts and Entertainment, Thursday, November 12, 1987 – Front Page An Alumnus Is Guest Artist of Peabody Duck By Connie V. Dowell
  2. ^ LA Theatre Works – Henry Brown
  3. ^ TV.comBaywatch Nights Season 1 Episode 1, Pursuit
  4. ^ Santa Barbara Independent, Friday, January 29, 2010 – Gimme Foreign Fiction, Speaking of Stories Returns to Center Stage Theater By Elizabeth Schwyzer
  5. ^ Santa Barbara Independent, Friday, January 29, 2010 – Gimme Foreign Fiction, Speaking of Stories Returns to Center Stage Theater By Elizabeth Schwyzer
  6. ^ Playbill, June 5, 2005 – News, Bush Administration Ready Iraq Attack in Stuff Happens as Hare Drama Reaches American Soil By Ernio Hernandez
  7. ^ Brown Paper Tickets – Ballad of Billy Lee (Encore Presentation), Plaza Playhouse Theater, Carpinteria, CA
  8. ^ Noozhawk, March 8, 2016 – Speaking of Stories to Present ‘Stories From The Twilight Zone’ March 13–14 By Teri Ball
  9. ^ KinoPoiskСоздатели / Революция в минуту, R.P.M., 1970
  10. ^ Rotten TomatoesR.P.M. (1970), CAST
  11. ^ Turner Classic MoviesFireball Forward(1972), Cast
  12. ^ Unsold Television Pilots: 1955–1989, By Lee Goldberg – 1148.Stat!
  13. ^ Movie Dude – Henry Brown, TV
  14. ^ Turner Classic Movies – Marcus-Nelson Murders, The(1973), Cast & Crew
  15. ^ The Spinning Image – Sky Riders
  16. ^ TV GuideHenry Brown, Credits
  17. ^ Historical Dictionary of African American Cinema, – Pager 428, THEIR EYES WERE WATCHING GOD
  18. ^ Christian Film Database – Films → Not Easily Broken, ACTOR ~~~~~~~~~~ CHARACTER
  19. ^ Moviefone – Not Easily Broken (2009), Full Cast & Crew
  20. ^ Noozhawk, March 8, 2016 – Speaking of Stories to Present ‘Stories From The Twilight Zone’ March 13–14 By Teri Ball
  21. ^ The Other View, April 21, 2011 – Everyday Black Man DVD Review
  22. ^ Center Stage Theater – SOME PAST PERFORMANCES: 2001–2004, THE SPACE BETWEEN THE STARS
  23. ^ Playbill, June 5, 2005 – News, Bush Administration Ready Iraq Attack in Stuff Happens as Hare Drama Reaches American Soil By Ernio Hernandez
  24. ^ Brown Paper Tickets – Ballad of Billy Lee (Encore Presentation), Plaza Playhouse Theater, Carpinteria, CA
edit