James E. Brown, an American actor in film and television, gained recognition for his portrayal of Lieutenant Ripley “Rip” Masters in all 166 episodes of the 1954-1959 ABC Western television series, The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin.
In the 1980s, he hosted a revival of the TV show Tin Rin, where he sang “Buffalo White The” and “Ho Forward” in his rich baritone voice. Aaker Lee, who had been orphaned in an Indian raid and adopted by the troops at the fort, appeared as Rusty. Brown also appeared as a young officer at a remote US Cavalry outpost, and the story revolved around a German shepherd and a young boy in Tin Rin.
Wife: Betty Brown.
Children: Carol, Wendy, Barbara, and Cynthia.
Parents: Mr. And Mrs. Floyd Brown.
Biography
Early years.
After enrolling at Baylor University in Waco, he played the sousaphone in the school band and also sang in the glee club led by Dr. Cornwell, his English teacher and tennis coach. He also attended Schreiner Institute in Kerrville, Texas, where he learned to play tennis. Born to Floyd Brown, a carpenter, and his wife in the petroleum boomtown of Desdemona in Eastland County, Texas, he spent some of his elementary and high school years in Waco, the seat of McLennan County in central Texas.
After a short stint as a competitive tennis player, Brown embarked on a four-decade acting career, appearing in over forty films, including When the Clock Strikes (1961) and the film noir Gun Street (1961), as well as Five Guns to Tombstone (1960), The Charge at Feather River (1953), John Wayne’s Sands of Iwo Jima (1949), The Fabulous Texan (1947), Objective, Burma! (1945), Bing Crosby’s Going My Way (1944), Air Force (1943), and Wake Island (1942).
Additional television accomplishments.
He made two guest appearances on the Jubilee Ozark ABC-TV in 1955 and 1957. In the 1954 episode “Around the World with Superman,” he portrayed Jim Carson in the Superman Adventures as Lone Ranger and King Sky.
The Rounders. During the autumn of 1966, he made an appearance as the recurring character Luke in the ABC western sitcom. In 1964, he was chosen as Sergeant Quincy in the episode “Not in Our Stars” of the NBC western Daniel Boone. He showed up on ABC’s family western series, The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters. From 1962-1966, he made three appearances in various roles in another NBC western, The Virginian. In 1960, Brown made an appearance in the NBC series, Laramie, as Lon MacRae in the episode “Strange Company”. In 1959, Brown appeared as Andy Clinton in two episodes of the ABC Walt Disney Presents miniseries titled Moochie of the Little League, starring Kevin Corcoran and Russ Conway.
Dallas aired on CBS-TV from 1980 to 1988, and in 27 episodes, R.J. Ewing appeared as a vindictive police officer ally named Harry McSween. He also appeared as Crow R.J. In the 1977 episode “Bloodbath” of the crime drama Starsky and Hutch on ABC, and as Mark Feeney in the 1963 episode of Gunsmoke titled “Indian Quint’s.” Additionally, he made appearances on Lassie and The F.B.I. On ABC in 1977 and 1969 respectively. In 1966, he appeared on the ABC series Honey West as West Honey. He also made eight guest appearances in different roles on the CBS adventure/drama series Route 66 from 1960 to 1964.
Last part and demise.
The final screen role of Church Gordon Dr. In the 1988 episode “Mourning Among the Wisterias” of the CBS series Murder, She Wrote was played by Brown.
Cynthia, his daughter, and Barbara, Wendy, and Carol, his nieces, were raised by him as his own. He was survived by his wife, Betty, and died at the age of 72 from lung cancer in Woodland Hills, California.
