Johnny Brown

Johnny Brown

Born: June 11, 1937
Died: March 2, 2022
in St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

John "Johnny" Brown (born June 11, 1937) was an American actor and singer. Brown was a nightclub and stage performer as well as a comic actor, and a regular cast member of the television series Laugh-in. Brown is mostly remembered for his chubby physique, wide ingratiating smile, mobile facial expressions, and easy pleasant joking style. Brown is most famous, however, for his role as building superintendent Nathan Bookman on the 1970s CBS sitcom, Good Times. Bookman was often the brunt of fat jokes via the show's main character J. J. Evans (Jimmie Walker). Brown portrayed Bookman until the series was cancelled in 1979. Other television shows Brown has appeared on include Flip Wilson Show, The Jeffersons, Family Matters, Sister, Sister, The Jamie Foxx Show and Martin. Brown also used to go to school with Walter Dean Myers when he lived in Harlem as a boy.

Brown is also the father of actress Sharon Brown,[citation needed] who was born in 1962, and also the father of John Brown Jr. or J.J Brown Jr. Brown had earlier established himself in the Broadway musical Golden Boy, starring Sammy Davis, Jr.; his supporting role was in the part of Ronnie and was featured as the lead voice on the show stopping rouser, "Don't Forget 127th Street".

In the early 1970s, Brown starred in a television commercial for the Write Brothers pen, a short-lived product of the Papermate pen company. The commercial consisted of an elaborate musical number, "Write On, Brothers, Write On", led by Brown as a schoolteacher who encourages his chorus line of students to use this pen for their school assignments.

In 1997, Brown contributed his voice to the introduction of the compilation album Comedy Stew: The Best of Redd Foxx. In the introduction, Brown tells of how Norman Lear had considered Brown to play the role of Lamont in Sanford And Son, but was unavailable to do so because of his prior commitment to Laugh-In, leading Lear to give the role to Demond Wilson instead.

Movies for Johnny Brown...

In Da Cut
Title: In Da Cut
Character: Granddad
Released: December 16, 2013
Type: Movie
In Da Cut is a comically inspiring story of a young aspiring film maker, fresh out of school, who feels ready to take on the world - by chasing the illusion of beautiful women, big cash and quick recognition in the film circuit. On the path of fulfilling his life long dreams he comes to the shocking revelation that nothing in Hollywood is personal; it's just show business!
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Man in the Mirror
Title: Man in the Mirror
Character: Wallace Jones
Released: November 20, 2008
Type: Movie
A group of people living on the edge of society try to survive on the streets of New York City in the shadow of the World Trade Center in the early seventies. The film was shot between 1970-72 but went unreleased until 2008.
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Lord Help Us
Title: Lord Help Us
Character: Cephas Thomas
Released: February 1, 2007
Type: Movie
Comedy about faith and family directed by Shavar Ross. When a recently widowed Baptist preacher (Bill Toliver) loses the respect of his congregation over rumors of his impending marriage to a woman 45 years younger, best friends hatch a plan to help him regain his flock.
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I'm Through with White Girls
Title: I'm Through with White Girls
Character: Sam Moore
Released: February 1, 2007
Type: Movie
Jay Brooks is that black guy who digs indie rock, graphic novels, and dates white chicks. After a slew of bad break-ups, Jay gives up white women, "cold turkey," and he goes on a mission: "Operation Brown Sugar". But because Jay doesn't fit the "brotha" stereotype, he fails miserably with the "sistahs." Then he meets the dynamic Catherine, a misunderstood "Half-rican Canadian", who's as righteously quirky as he is. To win her heart, Jay must confront his fears as he realizes commitment is a bigger issue than race.
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The Old Negro Space Program
Title: The Old Negro Space Program
Character: Wallace 'Suitcase' Jefferson
Released: March 4, 2004
Type: Movie
The suppressed history of America's Black space program, in mockumentary form broadly satirizing Ken Burns and histories of the Negro Baseball Leagues.
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Title: Baby Bob
Released: March 18, 2002
Type: TV
Baby Bob is an American sitcom that aired on CBS as a midseason replacement in March 2002. The Baby Bob character had previously been on television since February 2000, appearing in commercials for FreeInternet.com. While actual infants played Bob, the effect to make him look like he was talking was achieved through computer editing.
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Town & Country
Title: Town & Country
Character: Chauffeur
Released: April 27, 2001
Type: Movie
Porter Stoddard is a well-known New York architect who is at a crossroads... a nexus where twists and turns lead to myriad missteps, some with his wife Ellie, others with longtime friends Mona and her husband Griffin. Deciding which direction to take often leads to unexpected encounters with hilarious consequences.
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Title: The Parkers
Released: August 30, 1999
Type: TV
The Parkers is an American sitcom that aired on UPN from August 30, 1999, to May 10, 2004. A spin-off of UPN's Moesha, The Parkers features the mother-daughter team of Nikki and Kim Parker. The Parkers' signature "Heeyyy" greeting became very popular in the early 2000s.
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Jackie's Back!
Title: Jackie's Back!
Character: Rev. Eustace Barnett (Pastor, Kinloch Baptist Temple)
Released: June 14, 1999
Type: Movie
A British documentarian profiles washed-up diva Jackie Washington as she prepares for her comeback concert.
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Title: The Jamie Foxx Show
Released: August 28, 1996
Type: TV
Texas native Jamie King is an aspiring actor who heads to Hollywood in hopes to find fame and fortune in the entertainment industry. To support himself, he works at his Aunt Helen and Uncle Junior's Los Angeles hotel, the King's Towers.
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Title: E! True Hollywood Story
Released: August 21, 1996
Type: TV
E! True Hollywood Story is an American documentary series on E! that deals with famous Hollywood celebrities, movies, TV shows and also well-known public figures. Among the topics covered on the program include salacious re-tellings of Hollywood secrets, show-biz scandals, celebrity murders and mysteries, porn-star biographies, and "where-are-they-now?" investigations of former child stars. It frequently features in-depth interviews, actual courtroom footage, and dramatic reenactments. When aired on the E! network, episodes will be updated to reflect the current life or status of the subject.
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Title: Kenan & Kel
Character: Uncle Louie
Released: August 17, 1996
Type: TV
Set in Chicago, the show follows the kid-friendly misadventures of two high-school friends who are always scheming and dreaming. Kenan, who works at a grocery store, constantly devises crazy plans to strike it rich, while orange-soda-loving buddy Kel is always dragged along for the ride despite his track record for messing things up.
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Title: The Parent 'Hood
Released: January 18, 1995
Type: TV
The Parent 'Hood is an American sitcom that aired on The WB airing from January 18, 1995 to July 25, 1999. The series starred Robert Townsend and Suzzanne Douglas. Originally to have been titled Father Knows Nothing, the series was one of the four sitcoms that aired as part of the original Wednesday night two-hour lineup that helped launch The WB network.
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Title: The Wayans Bros.
Character: Maurice
Released: January 11, 1995
Type: TV
The Wayans Bros. is a situation comedy that aired from January 1995 to May 1999 on The WB. The series starred real-life brothers Shawn and Marlon Wayans. Both brothers were already well-known from the sketch comedy show In Living Color that aired from 1990 to 1994 on Fox. The series also starred John Witherspoon and Anna Maria Horsford.
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Title: The Wayans Bros.
Character: Bookman
Released: January 11, 1995
Type: TV
The Wayans Bros. is a situation comedy that aired from January 1995 to May 1999 on The WB. The series starred real-life brothers Shawn and Marlon Wayans. Both brothers were already well-known from the sketch comedy show In Living Color that aired from 1990 to 1994 on Fox. The series also starred John Witherspoon and Anna Maria Horsford.
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Title: On Our Own
Character: Mr. Terwilliger
Released: September 13, 1994
Type: TV
On Our Own is an American sitcom that aired on ABC from September 13, 1994 until April 14, 1995. The series stars Ralph Louis Harris and six real life siblings: Jazz, Jocqui, Jake, Jojo, Jurnee, and Jussie Smollett. The series was created and executive produced by David W. Duclon, one of the executive producers of Family Matters. The series was also produced by Thomas L. Miller and Robert L. Boyett, who developed the show. Suzanne dePasse and Suzanne Coston were additional executive producers, with Duclon's longtime colleague Gary Menteer acting as co-executive producer. The series was produced by Miller-Boyett Productions, with associates Lightkeeper Productions and dePasse Entertainment. On Our Own was the first Miller/Boyett sitcom to be produced by Warner Bros. Television for its entire run.
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Title: Sister, Sister
Released: April 1, 1994
Type: TV
Twins Tia Landry and Tamera Campbell were separated and adopted at birth. Fourteen years later, they encounter each other by chance at the mall. After the families meet, Tia's widowed father agrees to let Tamera and her single mother move in with them.
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Title: Out All Night
Character: Man at Reunion
Released: September 19, 1992
Type: TV
Out All Night is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from September 19, 1992 to July 9, 1993 for one season. The series stars Patti LaBelle, and was created by Andy Borowitz, Susan Borowitz, and Rob Edwards.
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Title: Martin
Released: August 27, 1992
Type: TV
Sassy sitcom centering on radio and television personality Martin Payne. Series focuses on his romantic relationship with girlfriend Gina, her best friend Pam and escapades with best friends Tommy and Cole.
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Title: Family Matters
Character: Pastor Fuller
Released: September 22, 1989
Type: TV
A long-running dramedy centering on the Winslow family, a middle-class African American family living in Chicago, and their pesky next-door neighbor, ultra-nerd Steve Urkel. A spin-off of Perfect Strangers.
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Title: 227
Released: September 14, 1985
Type: TV
A housewife sits on the stoop of her apartment building in a black neighborhood of Washington, D.C., and discusses all manner of things with her neighbors.
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Title: Moonlighting
Character: Sam the Piano Player
Released: March 3, 1985
Type: TV
After being duped and going bankrupt, model Maddie is convinced by David to become a partner in a detective agency. Together they solve various cases, while getting comfortable with each other.
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Title: Punky Brewster
Character: Chuck
Released: September 16, 1984
Type: TV
An abandoned waif and her dog are taken in by a cranky apartment manager who becomes her guardian in this family-friendly sitcom.
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Hanky Panky
Title: Hanky Panky
Character: Bus Driver
Released: June 4, 1982
Type: Movie
Naïve Michael Jordon is drawn into a web of government secrets when a girl carrying a mysterious package gets into a taxi with him. When she's later murdered, Michael becomes the chief suspect and goes on the run.
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Title: Gimme a Break!
Released: October 29, 1981
Type: TV
Gimme a Break! is an American sitcom which aired on NBC for six seasons, October 29, 1981, until May 12, 1987. The series stars Nell Carter as the housekeeper for a widowed police chief and his three daughters.
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Title: The Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show
Released: September 27, 1980
Type: TV
The Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show is an animated television series produced by Ruby-Spears Productions from 1979 to 1981; it was shown right after Super Friends on the ABC Network. It featured various adventures of the DC Comics superhero Plastic Man. The show features many adventures in different segments: Plastic Man, Baby Plas, Plastic Family, Mighty Man and Yukk, Fangface and Fangpuss, and Rickety Rocket. The show was repackaged by Arlington Television into 130 half-hour episodes, and released into national, first-run-off-network daily syndication in 1984. The Plastic Man Comedy Show was produced and directed by Steve Whiting and featured a live-action "Plastic Man", played by Taylor Marks.
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Title: Archie Bunker's Place
Released: September 23, 1979
Type: TV
Archie Bunker's Place is an American sitcom originally broadcast on the CBS network, conceived in 1979 as a spin-off and continuation of All in the Family. While not as popular as its predecessor, the show maintained a large enough audience to last for four seasons, until its cancellation in 1983. In its first season, the show performed so well that it knocked Mork & Mindy out of its new Sunday night time slot.
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Title: Rickety Rocket
Character: Splashdown
Released: September 1, 1979
Type: TV
Rickety Rocket is an animated television series, produced by Ruby-Spears Productions, and ran from 1979 to 1980 as a segment on The Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show.
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Title: The Jeffersons
Released: January 18, 1975
Type: TV
Sitcom following a successful African-American couple, George and Louise “Weezyö Jefferson as they “move on up” from working-class Queens to a ritzy Manhattan apartment. A spin-off of All in the Family.
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Title: Good Times
Character: Nathan Bookman
Released: February 8, 1974
Type: TV
Good Times is an American sitcom that originally aired from February 8, 1974, until August 1, 1979, on the CBS television network. It was created by Eric Monte and Mike Evans, and developed by Norman Lear, the series' primary executive producer. Good Times is a spin-off of Maude, which is itself a spin-off of All in the Family along with The Jeffersons. The series is set in Chicago. The first two seasons were taped at CBS Television City in Hollywood. In the fall of 1975, the show moved to Metromedia Square, where Norman Lear's own production company was housed.
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Title: Lotsa Luck
Character: Ronnie
Released: September 10, 1973
Type: TV
Lotsa Luck is an American sitcom that aired during the 1973-74 television season. The series stars Dom DeLuise as bachelor Stanley Belmont who lives with his bossy mother, his sister Olive and her unemployed husband, Arthur. Jack Knight stars as Stanley's best friend, Bummy. Lotsa Luck is based on the British London Weekend Television series On the Buses.
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Title: The Rookies
Released: September 11, 1972
Type: TV
The Rookies is an American crime drama series that aired on ABC from 1972 until 1976. It follows the exploits of three rookie police officers working in an unidentified city for the fictitious Southern California Police Department.
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Title: Night Gallery
Character: Man with Stake (segment "How to Cure the Common Vampire")
Released: December 16, 1970
Type: TV
Rod Serling narrates an anthology of fantasy, horror and sci-fi stories from a set resembling a macabre museum. A chilling work of art serves as the connective link between the stories.
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Title: The Flip Wilson Show
Character: Self
Released: September 17, 1970
Type: TV
The Flip Wilson Show is an hour long variety show that aired in the U.S. on NBC from September 17, 1970 to June 27, 1974. The show starred American comedian Flip Wilson; the program was one of the first American television programs starring a black person in the title role to become highly successful with a white audience. Specifically, it was the first successful network variety series starring an African American. During its first two seasons, its Nielsen ratings made it the nation's second most watched show. The show consisted of many skits over an hour. It also broke new ground in American television by using a 'Theatre-in-the-Round' stage format, with the audience seated on all sides of a circular performance area. Wilson was most famous for creating the role of Geraldine Jones, a sassy, modern woman who had a boyfriend named Killer. Flip also created the role of Reverend Leroy, who was the minister of the Church of What's Happening Now!. New parishioners were wary of coming to the church as it was hinted that Reverend Leroy was a con artist. Wilson popularized such catchphrases as "What you see is what you get", and "The devil made me do it!".
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The Out-of-Towners
Title: The Out-of-Towners
Character: Waiter in Train
Released: May 28, 1970
Type: Movie
George & Gwen Kellerman make a trip to New York, where George is going to start a new job, it turns out to be a trip to hell.
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Title: Love, American Style
Character: Gordon
Released: September 29, 1969
Type: TV
An anthology comedy series featuring a line up of different celebrity guest stars appearing in anywhere from one, two, three, and four short stories or vignettes within an hour about versions of love and romance.
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Title: The Leslie Uggams Show
Released: September 28, 1969
Type: TV
The Leslie Uggams Show is an American variety television series starring actress/singer Leslie Uggams. The series aired on CBS as part of its 1969 fall lineup, and was the second variety series to feature an African American host since 1956's The Nat King Cole Show.
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Title: Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Character: Regular Performer
Released: September 9, 1967
Type: TV
An American sketch comedy television program hosted by comedians Dan Rowan and Dick Martin.
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A Man Called Adam
Title: A Man Called Adam
Character: Les
Released: March 16, 1966
Type: Movie
A famous jazz trumpeter finds himself unable to cope with the problems of everyday life.
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Title: The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Character: Self
Released: October 1, 1962
Type: TV
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under The Tonight Show franchise from 1962 to 1992. It originally aired during late-night. For its first ten years, Carson's Tonight Show was based in New York City with occasional trips to Burbank, California; in May 1972, the show moved permanently to Burbank, California. In 2002, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson was ranked #12 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time.