Known For
Acting
Born
Sep 01, 1904
Died
Nov 14, 1974
Place of Birth
Dothan, Alabama, USA
Credits
177 titles
Johnny Mack Brown
Biography
An All-American halfback while attending the University of Alabama, Johnny Mack Brown chose the silver screen over the green grass of the football field when he graduated. Signed to a contract with MGM in 1926, Brown debuted in Slide, Kelly, Slide (1927) with William Haines in a film about - baseball. This was followed by The Bugle Call (1927), which starred the fading Jackie Coogan. In 1928 he appeared in the last Norma Shearer silent film, A Lady of Chance (1928). After that, he worked with Greta Garbo, Marion Davies and Mary Pickford. His muscular good looks only carried him so far in films, however, and by 1930 he had yet to find his place. At MGM Clark Gable was taking the roles that Brown was up for, so he went into a western for director King Vidor, Billy the Kid (1930). While Vidor did not want him for the part to begin with, the picture was successful; however, Brown's career at MGM soon ended. By 1933 he was still making westerns, but they were for low-rung studios like Mascot. More westerns at even lower-rung Supreme Pictures followed, as well as serials like Wild West Days (1937) at Universal. In 1943 Brown took his boots over to Monogram Pictures, where he made over 60 westerns. He started off as "Nevada Jack McKenzie" in the Rough Riders series, but the name soon changed to Johnny. As with most of the early cowboy stars, he was a hero to millions of young children and consistently among the top ten money-makers in westerns from 1942-50. The bubble burst, though, just as it did for Allan Lane, in 1953, as the days of the "B" western came to an end.
Known For
Filmography
Golden Saddles, Silver Spurs
(archive footage)
Mae West and the Men Who Knew Her
Self (archive footage)
Legends of the West
Billy the Kid in 'Billy the Kid' (archive footage) (uncredited)
Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch
(archive footage)
It's Showtime
Self (archive footage)
Apache Uprising
Sheriff Ben Hall
The Bounty Killer
Sheriff Green
Requiem for a Gunfighter
Enkoff
Perry Mason
Warner Griffith
Official Detective
The Marshal's Daughter
Johnny Mack Brown - Poker-Game Player
Canyon Ambush
Johnny Mack Brown
This Is Your Life
Self
Dead Man's Trail
Johnny Mack Brown
Man from the Black Hills
Johnny Mack Brown
Texas City
Johnny Mack Brown
Texas Lawmen
Marshal Johnny Mack Brown
Whistling Hills
Johnny Mack Brown
Oklahoma Justice
Johnny Mack Brown
Montana Desperado
Johnny Mack Brown
Blazing Bullets
Johnny Mack Brown
Man from Sonora
Johnny Mack Brown
Colorado Ambush
Johnny Mack Brown
Short Grass
Sheriff Ord Keown
Outlaw Gold
Johnny Mack Brown
Law of the Panhandle
U.S. Marshal Johnny Mack Brown
Six Gun Mesa
Johnny Mack Brown
Over the Border
Johnny Mack Brown
West of Wyoming
Johnny Mack Brown
Western Renegades
Johnny Mack Brown
Range Justice
Johnny Mack Brown
West of El Dorado
Johnny Mack
Stampede
Sheriff Aaron Ball
Trails End
Johnny Mack
Law of the West
Federal Agent Johnny Mack
Hidden Danger
Johnny Mack
Gunning for Justice
Johnny Mack
The Sheriff of Medicine Bow
Johnny Mack Brown
The Fighting Ranger
Johnny Brown
Back Trail
Johnny Mack
Triggerman
Johnny Mack Brown
Frontier Agent
Johnny Mack Brown
Crossed Trails
Johnny Mack
Overland Trails
Johnny Murdock
Gun Talk
Johnny McVey
Prairie Express
Johnny Hudson
Valley of Fear
Johnny Williams
Flashing Guns
Johnny Mack
Code of the Saddle
John Macklin
Trailing Danger
Johnny