John Brown

John Brown (April 4, 1904 – May 16, 1957) was a British-American actor.

Radio

Brown had major roles in several popular radio shows: He was "John Doe" in the Texaco Star Theater's version of Fred Allen's Allen's Alley, played Irma's love interest Al in My Friend Irma, both "Gillis" and Digby "Digger" O'Dell in The Life of Riley, (a role he reprised for the first incarnation of the television show), "Broadway" in The Damon Runyon Theatre, and "Thorny" the neighbor on the radio version of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. Perhaps his most memorable piece of work is the ‘Broadway’ role; once heard, many reportedly find it impossible to think of the narrator of Damon Runyon’s stories as anyone else.

Film Brown appeared in some notable films: as the inebriated professor in Hitchcock’s Strangers on a Train (1951), The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951, uncredited), and The Wild One (1953); he supplied the voice of "Ro-Man" in the 1953 cult science fiction B-film Robot Monster.

Television In early television, Brown was the second actor (after Hal March) to play "Harry Morton", the next-door neighbor of George Burns and Gracie Allen in their situation comedy show, opposite Bea Benaderet; his tenure on the series lasted six months, and he was replaced by Fred Clark in June 1951.

Personal life In 1952, Brown was placed on the Hollywood blacklist.

Death Brown died of a heart attack on May 16, 1957, in West Hollywood, California, while en route to his doctor's office.

Filmography

Radio Original Air Date Program Role Notes 1932 Police Headquarters 1932–1936 Roses and Drums 1935–1943 Town Hall Tonight/The Fred Allen Show/Texaco Star Theatre John Doe Various characters 1939 Arch Oboler's Plays 1940–1945 Amanda of Honeymoon Hill Mr. Lenord 1942 Tillie the Toiler Mr. Simpkins 1943–1949 The Abbott and Costello Show Travelling salesmenPolice officers 1943 Busy Mr. Bingle Mr. Bingle 1943–1945 The Jack Benny Program Airplane Captain John Doe

Films Year Title Role Notes 1944 Casanova Brown Fire chief Uncredited 1945 The Horn Blows at Midnight Lew Poplinski – Waiter Uncredited 1945 It's in the Bag! Joe – Nightclub Doorman Uncredited 1946 A Knight for a Day Narrator Voice, Uncredited 1946 Make Mine Music Umpire Voice 1946 The Stranger Passport Photographer Uncredited 1948 Make Mine Freedom People Voice, Uncredited 1949 The Life of Riley Digby "Digger" O'Dell 1949 Winter Storage Chip 'n' Dale Voice, Uncredited 1951 Three Desperate Men Fairwether 1951 The Lemon Drop Kid Minor Role Uncredited 1951 Symphony in Slang St. PeterThe HipsterNoah Webster Voice 1951 Strangers on a Train Professor Collins 1951 The Day the Earth Stood Still George Barley Uncredited 1952 The Sniper Wise Uncredited 1952 Somebody Loves Me Auto Salesman Uncredited 1952 Something for the Birds Mr. Lund 1952 Hans Christian Andersen Schoolmaster 1953 That's My Pup Spike Voice, uncredited 1953 T.V. of Tomorrow Las Vegas Special Narrator"We’re getting a picture now" Narrator Voice, uncredited 1953 The Unicorn in the Garden HusbandPsychiatrist Voice 1953 Robot Monster Ro-ManGreat Guidance Voice 1953 Crazylegs Keller 1953 Man Crazy Mr. Duncan 1953 The Bigamist Dr. Wallace Uncredited 1953 The Wild One Bill Hannegan 1954 The Farm of Tomorrow Tomato Narrator Voice, uncredited 1954 Dixieland Droopy NarratorAgent Voice, Uncredited, (final film role)

Television Year Program Role Notes 1949–1950 The Life of Riley Digby "Digger" O'Dell Was the only original cast member to join the television version 1951 I Love Lucy Mr. Murdoch "The Mustache" 1951 The Amos 'n Andy Show The Loan Shark "Leroy Lends a Hand"Uncredited 1951 The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show Harry Morton 1952 Biff Baker, U.S.A. Mueller "Counterfeit Plates"