John Brown (actor)


John Brown was an English radio and film actor.

Early years

Brown was born in Hull, Yorkshire, England.

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,, "Broadway" in The Damon Runyon Theatre, and "Thorny" the neighbor on the radio version of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.

Film

Brown appeared in some notable films: as the inebriated professor in Hitchcock’s Strangers on a Train, The Day the Earth Stood Still, and The Wild One ; 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 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

Films

Television