Johnny Mack Brown

Known for ActingBorn 1904-09-01Died 1974-11-14Dothan, Alabama, USA

An All-American halfback while attending the University of Alabama, Johnny Mack Brown chose the silver screen over the green grass of the football field when he graduated. Signed to a contract with MGM in 1926, Brown debuted in Slide, Kelly, Slide (1927) with William Haines in a film about - baseball. This was followed by The Bugle Call (1927), which starred the fading Jackie Coogan. In 1928 he appeared in the last Norma Shearer silent film, A Lady of Chance (1928). After that, he worked with Greta Garbo, Marion Davies and Mary Pickford. His muscular good looks only carried him so far in films, however, and by 1930 he had yet to find his place. At MGM Clark Gable was taking the roles that Brown was up for, so he went into a western for director King Vidor, Billy the Kid (1930). While Vidor did not want him for the part to begin with, the picture was successful; however, Brown's career at MGM soon ended. By 1933 he was still making westerns, but they were for low-rung studios like Mascot. More westerns at even lower-rung Supreme Pictures followed, as well as serials like Wild West Days (1937) at Universal. In 1943 Brown took his boots over to Monogram Pictures, where he made over 60 westerns. He started off as "Nevada Jack McKenzie" in the Rough Riders series, but the name soon changed to Johnny. As with most of the early cowboy stars, he was a hero to millions of young children and consistently among the top ten money-makers in westerns from 1942-50. The bubble burst, though, just as it did for Allan Lane, in 1953, as the days of the "B" western came to an end.Read more

Movies & web series

Golden Saddles, Silver Spurs

Outlaw Gold

West of El Dorado

Trails End

Gunning for Justice

Shadows on the Range

Silver Range

Under Arizona Skies

Drifting Along

The Haunted Mine

The Navajo Trail

Raiders of the Border

Boss of Hangtown Mesa

Man from Montana

Lasca of the Rio Grande

The Bugle Call

Six Gun Mesa

Man from the Black Hills

Oklahoma Justice

Man from Sonora

Overland Trails

The Fighting Ranger

Trailing Danger

Range Law

West of the Rio Grande

Tenting Tonight on the Old Camp Ground

Ragtime Cowboy Joe

Land of Liberty

Trail of Vengeance

Malay Nights

Hollywood Halfbacks

Soft Living

The Play Girl

Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch

Stranger from Santa Fe

Rustlers of Red Dog

After Midnight

Over the Border

Triggerman

Back Trail

Frontier Agent

Valley of Fear

Gun Talk

The Ghost Rider

Pony Post

Son of Roaring Dan

Law and Order

Wild West Days