Reb Brown

Reb Brown (born Robert Edward Brown; April 29, 1948) is an American former football player and actor. Born in the Los Angeles area, Brown played football in high school and University. He first appeared on film and television in the early 1970s, playing minor or supporting roles up until 1979, where he played Captain America in two made-for-tv films.

Following this, Brown played supporting roles in major Hollywood productions his most notable being Ted Kotcheff's Uncommon Valor which was a box-office success. Also during this time Brown played many lead in genre films this includes Yor, the Hunter from the Future (1983), Howling II: Your Sister Is a Werewolf (1985), Strike Commando (1987), Space Mutiny (1988), Robowar (1988), among others. Brown's most significant role of that area was in Philippe Mora's Australian film Death of a Soldier. Based on a true story, he plays Private Edward Leonski. His performance is critically acclaimed, and was nominated for Best Lead Actor in a Dramatic Role by the Australian Film Institute.

In the 1990s, Brown went on a hiatus and started to act again in 2012.

Early years
Brown's father was a policeman who had also been a singer. He grew up in the Los Angeles area and played football at Temple City High School. After graduating in 1966, he received a scholarship to play fullback at the University of Southern California during the 1967 season. He ended up losing the starting running back position to another student, O. J. Simpson, and Brown decided to transfer to another college in the Los Angeles area.

Acting career
When he began acting, there was already a Robert Brown in the Screen Actor's Guild, so he took his initials, Reb, as his first name for acting.

In 1973, Brown acted in Bernard L. Kowalski's film Sssssss. 

Also that year, he acted in the made for television film The Girl Most Likely to... 

He later appeared in guest starring roles in several Universal Studios-produced television series, including Emergency!, Marcus Welby, M.D., Kojak, The Eddie Capra Mysteries, and The Rockford Files. He also appeared as Rebel, a southern boy who has a fight with Ralph Malph in Happy Days, and played Jim Bridger in the all-star miniseries Centennial. He also appeared in Three's Company as Elmo, a date for Chrissy Snow.

In 1978, in John Milius's Big Wednesday, Brown played the role of "Enforcer."

In 1979, he also played Captain America in two made-for-TV films, Captain America and Captain America II: Death Too Soon. It was part of the same development deal that yielded the Lou Ferrigno vehicle, The Incredible Hulk. 

Also that year, he had a supporting role as an intimidating football player who joins a basketball team in Jack Smight's sport comedy Fast Break. Furthermore he played a role in Paul Schrader's film Hardcore.

In 1982, Brown acted in Albert Pyun's The Sword and the Sorcerer.

In 1983, Brown played the lead role in Antonio Margheriti's science fiction fantasy filmYor, the Hunter from the Future. The film was poorly reviewed. However the film was a financial success the director stated that Columbia distributed 1400 prints of the film and that it was "one of the most successful pictures of my life." The film grossed $2,810,199 at the US box office and ranked 121 as the top earners of that year.

Also that year he was in the supporting cast of Ted Kotcheff's Uncommon Valor. He played Blaster, a Viet Nam veteran character who trains with other vets in a P.O.W. rescue operation. The film was a box-office hit, one of the top-earning films of 1983. This was considered a surprise at the time because of the film's lack of stars and the fact it had to competition. The film grossed $30,503,151 at the US box office and ranked 69 as the top earners of that year.

In 1985, Brown starred in Philippe Mora's Howling II: Your Sister Is a Werewolf.

In 1986, Brown re-united with director Mora for the Australian film Death of a Soldier. Based on a true story, it tells the story of serial killer, Private Edward Leonski, who committed his crimes and went to court in Melbourne, during World War II. The film received many good reviews, and Brown's performance was acclaimed. Kevin Thomas of The Los Angeles Times said his performance had "an impressive complexity and range of emotions." Brown received a nomination for Best Lead Actor in a Dramatic Role by the Australian Film Institute.

In 1987, Brown co-lead with Christopher Connelly in Bruno Mattei's action film Strike Commando. 

In 1988, Brown starred in David Winters's space opera science fiction film Space Mutiny. Winters said he hired Brown for the lead was due to the positive reviews he received for a previous Australian film and that he hired his wife Cisse Cameron because Brown asked if he had a part for her. The film has the reputation of being an amusing ,unintentionally funny, and campy B-movie.

Also that year, he acted in Rick Rosenthal's Distant Thunder, and reunited with director Mattei for to play the lead in Robowar.

In 1989, Brown co-lead with Lou Ferrigno in the action film Cage playing Vietnam War veterans buddies. They would later reunite for  Cage II (1994).

In 1990, Brown acted in Street Hunter.

In 1991, he acted in John Milius's Flight of the Intruder.

He appeared in the third-season Miami Vice episode, "Viking Bikers from Hell," in which he played a sociopathic biker, avenging his buddy's recent death.

After not appearing on screen in eighteen years, Brown co-starred in the 2012 film, Night Claws.

Personal life
Brown married actress Cisse Cameron in 1979.

Filmography

Film
Sssssss (1973) as Steve Randall
The Girl Most Likely to... (1973) (TV Movie) as Football Player
Earthquake (1974) as Boy on Motorcycle (Uncredited; scene filmed but not used in the theatrical release, but added back in the television version)
Big Wednesday (1978) as 'Enforcer'
Fast Break (1979) as Sam 'Bull' Newton
Captain America (1979) (TV Movie) as Steve Rogers / Captain America
Hardcore (1979) as Manager / Bouncer
Captain America II: Death Too Soon (1979) (TV Movie) as Steve Rogers / Captain America
Yor, the Hunter from the Future (1983) as Yor
Uncommon Valor (1983) as 'Blaster'
Howling II: Your Sister Is a Werewolf (1985) as Ben White
Death of a Soldier (1986) as Private Edward J. Leonski
White Ghost (1988) as Major Cross
Strike Commando (1987) as Michael Ransom
Space Mutiny (1988) as Dave Ryder
Robowar (1988) as Major Murphy Black
Mercenary Fighters (1988) as T.J. Christian
The Firing Line (1988) as Mark Hardin
Cage (1989) as Scott Monroe
Street Hunter (1990) as Colonel Walsh
Last Flight to Hell (1990) as Mitch Taylor
Cage II (1994) as Scott Monroe
Night Claws (2012) as Sheriff Kelly
Surge of Power: Revenge of the Sequel (2016) as Roger 'Star' Stevenson

TV
Kojak (1974) "Last Rites for a Dead Priest" as Furniture Man
Happy Days (1977) "Requiem for a Malph" as Rebel E. Lee
Hardy Boys Nancy Drew Mysteries (1977) "The Mystery of the Ghostwriters' Cruise" as Tony Rosselli
CHiPs (1977) 3 episodes as Brouillette Motorcycle Cop, Call Sign 'Mary 5. Episodes were: "Undertow", "Baby Food", and "Hustle".
Three's Company (1979) "Ralph's Rival" as Elmo Hacker
The Six Million Dollar Man as Soldier
Alice (1980) as Willy
Goldie and the Boxer Go to Hollywood (1981, TV movie) as Brian Kilpatrick / Johnny Gems
The Love Boat (1981) "Isaac's Teacher/Seal of Approval/The Successor" as Carl Williams
Miami Vice (1984) "Viking Bikers from Hell" as Reb Gustafson

References

Works cited 

 Curti, Roberto (2016). Diabolika: Supercriminals, Superheroes and the Comic Book Universe in Italian Cinema. Midnight Marquee Press. ISBN 978-1-936168-60-6.
 Winters, David (2018). Tough guys do dance. Pensacola, Florida: Indigo River Publishing. .

External links
Official website

Male actors from Los Angeles
American male film actors
1948 births
Living people