Jim Brown

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BIRTHDAY

February 17, 1936

St. Simons Island, GA

RECENT CREDITS

She Hate Me (FILM) Jul. 28, 2004

On the Record With Bob Costas (TV) Apr. 4, 2001

Slaughter (FILM) Jan. 1, 2000

Any Given Sunday (FILM) Dec. 22, 1999

Small Soldiers (FILM) Jul. 10, 1998

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BIOGRAPHY

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Born in Georgia and raised in a black Long Island ghetto, Jim Brown distinguished himself in high school athletics. Recruited from Syracuse University, Brown was signed with the Cleveland Browns in 1957, remaining with that organization as star fullback for ten years. Breaking any number of NFL records, Brown was named Rookie of the Year in 1958 and Player of the Year in 1960; he played in every Pro Bowl game from 1958 through 1965, and in 1971 was elected to the Football Hall of Fame. While still with Cleveland, Brown made his film debut in the 1963 Western Rio Conchos, an event deemed worthy of a four-page color spread in Life magazine. He became a full-time actor upon his retirement from the NFL in 1967, co-starring that year in The Dirty Dozen. Though he had trepidation about the climactic scene in which he blew dozens of helpless Nazi officers and their sweethearts to bits with hand grenades, it was this uncompromising sequence that truly "socked" Brown over with the audience. He rapidly rose to leading roles in such actioners as Ice Station Zebra (1968) and 100 Rifles (1969); in the latter film, he stirred up controversy by sharing several steamy scenes with white actress Raquel Welch. Brown also headlined the above-average crime capers Kenner (1969) and Black Gunn (1972) as well as the ultraviolent Slaughter series. He cut down on his film appearances in the late '70s, devoting most of his time to his many civic activities and business concerns; during this period, he also founded the Black Economic Union. After several years' absence from the screen, Jim Brown co-starred with fellow blaxploitation icons Fred Williamson, Pam Grier, and Richard Roundtree in the delightfully "retro" action-fest Original Gangstas (1996).

~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

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Headlines

News, Aug. 14: L.A. Photographer Charged Over Diaz Pics, Delib...

Aug. 14, 2003

A Los Angeles photographer was charged Wednesday with attempting to extort $3.3 million from actress Cameron Diaz over photos taken at a private modeling session in 1992--before the Charlie's Angels star became famous. Also: John Rutter Tom Sizemore Heidi Fleiss Steven Seagal Julius Nasso Jay Leno Madonna Luc Besson Estee Lauder Carolyn Murphy Insane Clown Posse Soike Lee She H...

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ROLE CALL: Settling the 'Score'

Posted: Jan. 31, 2000

NEWSMAKERS: Disney Honcho's Austerity Program

Posted: Jan. 6, 2000

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