Steve Brodie (born John Daugherty Stephens; November 21, 1919 – January 9, 1992) was an American stage, film, and television actor from

El Dorado El Dorado (, ; Spanish for "the golden"), originally ''El Hombre Dorado'' ("The Golden Man") or ''El Rey Dorado'' ("The Golden King"), was the term used by the Spanish in the 16th century to describe a mythical tribal chief (''zipa'') or king ...

in Butler County in south central

Kansas Kansas () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its Capital city, capital is Topeka, Kansas, Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita, Kansas, Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebras ...

. He reportedly adopted his screen name in memory of Steve Brodie, a daredevil who claimed to have jumped from the

Brooklyn Bridge The Brooklyn Bridge is a hybrid cable-stayed/ suspension bridge in New York City, spanning the East River between the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn. Opened on May 24, 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge was the first fixed crossing of the East Rive ...

in 1886 and survived.Soden, Garrett (2005). ''Defying Gravity: Land Divers, Roller Coasters, Gravity Bums, and the Human Obsession With Falling'', New York: W. W. Norton & Company.

Career

Brodie appeared in 79 feature films during his career (1944-1988), plus a profusion of appearances on episodic TV. He worked at various studios, including MGM, RKO and

Republic Pictures Republic Pictures Corporation (currently held under Melange Pictures, LLC) was an American motion picture production-distribution corporation in operation from 1935 to 1967, that was based in Los Angeles. It had studio facilities in Studio City a ...

, appearing mostly in westerns and B-movies. He played supporting roles in the majority of his films, including the 1947

film noir Film noir (; ) is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of American '' ...

classic '' Out of the Past'' and 1950's '' Armored Car Robbery''. Steve Brodie, 1950, in The Admiral Was A Lady

An exception was 1947's '' Desperate'', where he had a starring role. Later appearances included roles in two

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the " King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. His ener ...

films: 1961's ''

Blue Hawaii ''Blue Hawaii'' is a 1961 American musical romantic comedy-drama film directed by Norman Taurog and starring Elvis Presley. The screenplay by Hal Kanter was nominated by the Writers Guild of America in 1962 in the category of Best Written Americ ...

'' and 1964's '' Roustabout''. Beginning in the mid 1950s, he appeared mostly on television, with guest-starring roles in such series as '' Stories of the Century'' (as the outlaw

Harry Tracy Harry Tracy (23 October 1875 - 6 August 1902) was an outlaw in the American Old West. Biography His real name was Harry Severns, Tracy is said to have run with Butch Cassidy and the Hole in the Wall Gang, but there is no evidence to this claim. ...

), ''

Crossroads Crossroads, crossroad, cross road or similar may refer to: * Crossroads (junction), where four roads meet Film and television Films * ''Crossroads'' (1928 film), a 1928 Japanese film by Teinosuke Kinugasa * ''Cross Roads'' (film), a 1930 Brit ...

'', '' Sugarfoot'', '' Colt .45'', '' Cheyenne (TV Series)'', '' Stagecoach West'', '' Richard Diamond, Private Detective'', ''

The Public Defender ''The Public Defender'' is a 1931 American pre-Code crime film directed by J. Walter Ruben, starring Richard Dix and featuring Boris Karloff. Rich playboy Pike Winslow dons the mantle of 'The Reckoner', a mysterious avenger, when he learns that ...

'', ''

Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965 it was r ...

'', '' The Alaskans'', ''

Pony Express The Pony Express was an American express mail service that used relays of horse-mounted riders. It operated from April 3, 1860, to October 26, 1861, between Missouri and California. It was operated by the Central Overland California and Pike ...

'', '' The Brothers Brannagan'', '' Going My Way'', '' The Asphalt Jungle'', '' Wanted: Dead or Alive'', and '' The Dakotas''. Brodie made three guest appearances on '' Perry Mason''.He portrayed murderer Ben Wallace in the 1959 episode 'The Case of the Garrulous Gambler', Eddie Lewis in the 1962 episode 'The Case of the Angry Astronaut' and Quinn Torrey in the 1964 episode 'The Case of the Witless Witness'. Brodie and Lash La Rue appeared nine and five times, respectively, as Sheriff Johnny Behan of

Cochise County Cochise County () is a county in the southeastern corner of the U.S. state of Arizona. It is named after the Native American chief Cochise. The population was 125,447 at the 2020 census. The county seat is Bisbee and the most populous city ...

, Arizona, an historical person, in the ABC western series, ''

The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp ''The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp'' is the first Western television series written for adults, premiering four days before '' Gunsmoke'' on September 6, 1955. Two weeks later came the Clint Walker western ''Cheyenne''. The series is loosely ...

'', starring Hugh O'Brian as

Wyatt Earp Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp (March 19, 1848 – January 13, 1929) was an American lawman and gambler in the American West, including Dodge City, Deadwood, and Tombstone. Earp took part in the famous gunfight at the O.K. Corral, during which la ...

.< Brodie appeared on stage in the 1950s as Maryk in a national company production of ''The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial'', co-starring with Paul Douglas as Queeg and Wendell Corey as Greenwald.

Personal life

Brodie was married to actress

Lois Andrews Lois Andrews (born Lorraine Gourley; March 24, 1924 – April 5, 1968) was an American actress who played in films during the 1940s and early 1950s. She is perhaps best known for her first role in 1943 as the comic strip character Dixie Dugan ...

from 1946 to 1948. He married Barbara Ann Savitt in 1950.Their son, Kevin Brodie, was a child actor who later became a film producer, director, and screenwriter.

Death

Steve Brodie in 1992, at age 72, died of

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...

Canoga Park, California Canoga Park is a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of the City of Los Angeles, California. Before the Mexican–American War, the district was part of a rancho, and after the American victory it was converted into wheat farms and the ...

. In his obituary in ''

The Los Angeles Times ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...

'', the newspaper erroneously states that Brodie had been nominated for an Academy Award as Best Supporting Actor for 1949's '' Home of the Brave''. Actually, the actor was not among the five nominees in that category that year.http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1950 List of Best Supporting Actor nominees in 1949

Partial filmography

1940s

*'' Ladies Courageous'' (1944) as Tower Man (uncredited) *'' Follow the Boys'' (1944) as Australian Pilot (uncredited) *'' Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo'' (1944) as MP Corporal (uncredited) *''

This Man's Navy ''This Man's Navy'' (aka ''Airship Squadron No. 4.'' and ''Lighter Than Air'') is a 1945 World War II film about U.S. Navy blimps directed by William A. Wellman and starring Wallace Beery, Tom Drake, Jan Clayton and James Gleason. The supporting ...

'' (1945) as Timothy Joseph Aloysius 'Tim' Shannon *'' The Clock'' (1945) as Sergeant (uncredited) *''

It's in the Bag! ''It's in the Bag!'' is a 1945 comedy film featuring Fred Allen in his only starring film role. The film was released by United Artists at a time when Allen was at the peak of his fame as one of the most popular radio comedians. The film has bee ...

'' (1945) as Usher (uncredited) *'' Anchors Aweigh'' (1945) as Soldier (uncredited) *''

The Crimson Canary ''The Crimson Canary'' is a 1945 American mystery film directed by John Hoffman and written by Henry Blankfort and Peggy Phillips. The film stars Noah Beery Jr., Lois Collier, John Litel, Steven Geray, Claudia Drake and Danny Morton. The film ...

'' (1945) as Hillary *'' A Walk in the Sun'' (1945) as Pvt. Judson *''

Young Widow ''Young Widow'' is a 1946 drama film directed by Edwin L. Marin and starring Jane Russell and Louis Hayward. It focuses on Joan Kenwood, a young journalist who cannot get over her husband's death in World War II. Kenwood is reminded in large wa ...

'' (1946) as Willie Murphy *'' Badman's Territory'' (1946) as Bob Dalton *'' Sunset Pass'' (1946) as Cashier Slagle *'' Criminal Court'' (1946) as Frankie Wright - Vic's Brother *'' The Falcon's Adventure'' (1946) as Benny *''

Trail Street ''Trail Street'' is a 1947 American Western film directed by Ray Enright and starring Randolph Scott, Robert Ryan, Anne Jeffreys and George "Gabby" Hayes. Based on the novel ''Golden Horizons'' by William Corcoran, and a screenplay by Norman Hou ...

'' (1947) as Logan Maury *'' Code of the West'' (1947) as Henchman Matt Saunders *'' Thunder Mountain'' (1947) as Chick Jorth *'' Desperate'' (1947) as Steve Randall *'' Crossfire'' (1947) as Floyd *'' Out of the Past'' (1947) as Fisher *''

The Arizona Ranger ''The Arizona Ranger'' is a 1948 American Western film directed by John Rawlins and starring Tim Holt and his father Jack.Richard Jewell & Vernon Harbin, ''The RKO Story.'' New Rochelle, New York: Arlington House, 1982. p228 RKO head of produc ...

'' (1948) as Quirt Butler *'' Guns of Hate'' (1948) as Anse Morgan *'' Return of the Bad Men'' (1948) as Cole Younger *''

Station West ''Station West'' is a 1948 American Western black-and-white film directed by Sidney Lanfield and based on a Western novel by Luke Short. Burl Ives plays a small role and sings the following songs on the soundtrack: "A Stranger in Town," "The Sun ...

'' (1948) as Stellman *''

Bodyguard A bodyguard (or close protection officer/operative) is a type of security guard, government law enforcement officer, or servicemember who protects a person or a group of people — usually witnesses, high-ranking public officials or officers, ...

'' (1948) as Fenton *''

Rose of the Yukon ''Rose of the Yukon'' is a 1949 American adventure film directed by George Blair and written by Norman S. Hall. The film stars Steve Brodie, Myrna Dell, William Wright, Emory Parnell, Jonathan Hale and Benny Baker. The film was released on Ja ...

'' (1949) as Maj. Geoffrey Barnett *'' Brothers in the Saddle'' (1949) as Steve Taylor *'' Rustlers'' (1949) as Mort Wheeler *''

I Cheated the Law ''I Cheated the Law'' is a 1949 American crime film directed by Edward L. Cahn and written by Richard G. Hubler. The film stars Tom Conway, Steve Brodie, Robert Osterloh, Barbara Billingsley, Russell Hicks and James Seay. The film was released ...

'' (1949) as Frank Bricolle *'' Home of the Brave'' (1949) as T.J. Everett *'' Massacre River'' (1949) as Burke Kimber *''

Treasure of Monte Cristo ''Treasure of Monte Cristo'' is a 1949 American film noir crime film directed by William Berke and starring Glenn Langan, Adele Jergens and Steve Brodie. Plot A descendant of Edmond Dantès finds himself framed for a crime he did not commit. C ...

'' (1949) as Earl Jackson *'' The Big Wheel'' (1949) as Happy Lee *''

Tough Assignment ''Tough Assignment'' is a 1949 American crime film directed by William Beaudine and starring Don Barry, Marjorie Steele and Steve Brodie. It is regarded as a film noir.Spicer p.421 Plot A Los Angeles reporter and his photographer wife investi ...

'' (1949) as Boss Morgan

1950s

*'' The Great Plane Robbery'' (1950) as Murray *''

Winchester '73 ''Winchester '73'' is a 1950 American Western film directed by Anthony Mann and starring James Stewart, Shelley Winters, Dan Duryea and Stephen McNally. Written by Borden Chase and Robert L. Richards, the film is about the journey of a pr ...

'' (1950) as Wesley *'' Armored Car Robbery'' (1950) as Al Mapes *''

It's a Small World "It's a Small World" is a water-based boat ride located in the Fantasyland area at various Disney theme parks worldwide, including Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California; Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida; Tokyo D ...

'' (1950) as Charlie *'' The Admiral Was a Lady'' (1950) as Mike O'Halloran - Boxer *'' Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye'' (1950) as Joe 'Jinx' Raynor *'' The Steel Helmet'' (1951) as Lt. Driscoll *'' M'' (1951) as Police Lt. Becker *'' The Sword of Monte Cristo'' (1951) as Sergeant *'' Only the Valiant'' (1951) as Trooper Onstot *''

Fighting Coast Guard ''Fighting Coast Guard'' is a 1951 American adventure film directed by Joseph Kane and written by Kenneth Gamet. The film stars Brian Donlevy, Forrest Tucker, Ella Raines, John Russell, Richard Jaeckel, William Murphy and Martin Milner. The fil ...

'' (1951) as 'Red' Toon *'' Two-Dollar Bettor'' (1951) as Rick Bowers - aka Rick Slate *''

Joe Palooka in Triple Cross ''Joe Palooka in Triple Cross'' is a 1951 American film. It was part of the ''Joe Palooka'' series and was directed by Reginald Le Borg. Plot After the champ, Joe Palooka, his wife Anne and trainer Knobby stop for gas, they pick up three hitchh ...

'' (1951) as Dutch *'' Bal Tabarin'' (1952) as Joe Goheen *'' Three for Bedroom "C"'' (1952) as Conde Marlowe *''

Lady in the Iron Mask ''Lady in the Iron Mask'' is a 1952 American adventure film''Lady in the Iron Mask''
at

'' (1952) as Athos *''

The Story of Will Rogers ''The Story of Will Rogers'' (titled onscreen as ''The Story of Will Rogers as told by His Wife'')is a 1952 American Comedy Western film biography of humorist and movie star Will Rogers, directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Will Rogers Jr. a ...

'' (1952) as Dave Marshall *''

Army Bound ''Army Bound'' is a 1952 American drama film directed by Paul Landres and written by Al Martin. The film stars Stanley Clements, Karen Sharpe, Steve Brodie, Jeffrey Stone, Harry Hayden, Lela Bliss and Gil Stratton. The film was released on Octo ...

'' (1952) as Matt Hall *'' White Lightning'' (1953) as Jack Monohan *''

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms ''The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms'' is a 1953 American science fiction monster film directed by Eugène Lourié, with special effects by Ray Harryhausen. The film stars Paul Christian, Paula Raymond, Cecil Kellaway, and Kenneth Tobey. The scree ...

'' (1953) as Sgt. Loomis *'' The Charge at Feather River'' (1953) as Pvt. Ryan *''

Donovan's Brain ''Donovan's Brain'' is a 1942 science fiction novel by American writer Curt Siodmak. The novel was an instant success and has been adapted to film three times. Since then the book has become something of a cult classic, with fans including Ste ...

'' (1953) as Herbie Yocum *''

Sea of Lost Ships ''Sea of Lost Ships'' is a 1953 American adventure film directed by Joseph Kane and starring John Derek, Wanda Hendrix and Walter Brennan. It is a tribute to the US Coast Guard. Plot The son of a deceased Coast Guard hero is raised by a Coast Gua ...

'' (1953) as Lt. Rogers *'' The Caine Mutiny'' (1954) as Chief Budge *'' The Far Country'' (1954) as Ives *'' The Cruel Tower'' (1956) as Casey *''

Gun Duel in Durango ''Gun Duel in Durango'' is a 1957 American Western film directed by Sidney Salkow and starring George Montgomery. It was originally known as ''The Last Gun in Durango''. Plot Will Sabre, an outlaw, decides to reform and ride to a new territo ...

'' (1957) as Dunsten *'' Under Fire'' (1957) as Capt. Linn *'' The Crooked Circle'' (1957) as Ken Cooper *'' Spy in the Sky!'' (1958) as Vic Cabot *'' Sierra Baron'' (1958) as Rufus Bynum *'' Wanted: Dead or Alive'' (1958) Episode: "Miracle at Pot Hole" as Chester Miller aka Penfold Crane *'' Arson for Hire'' (1959) as Arson Squad Insp. John 'Johnny' Broderick *'' Here Come the Jets'' (1959) as Logan

1960s

*''

Three Came to Kill ''Three Came to Kill'' is a 1960 American crime thriller film directed by Edward L. Cahn and starring Cameron Mitchell and John Lupton. The plot concerns an assassination attempt on a foreign prime minister. Plot Marty Brill's (Cameron Mitchel ...

'' (1960) as Dave Harris *''

'' (1961) as Tucker Garvey *'' Cheyenne (TV Series)'' (1961) Episode: "Winchester Quarantine" as Steve Maclay *''

A Girl Named Tamiko ''A Girl Named Tamiko'' is a 1962 romantic drama film directed by John Sturges and starring Laurence Harvey and France Nuyen, with Martha Hyer, Gary Merrill, Michael Wilding, and Miyoshi Umeki. It is based on the novel of the same name by Ronald ...

'' (1962) as James Hatten *'' Cheyenne (TV Series)'' (1962) Episode: "Man Alone" as Buck Brown *'' The Virginian'' (1963 episode "Run Away Home") as Sheriff Martin *''

Of Love and Desire ''Of Love and Desire'' is a 1963 film directed by Richard Rush and starring Merle Oberon, Steve Cochran and Curd Jürgens Curd Gustav Andreas Gottlieb Franz Jürgens (13 December 191518 June 1982) was a German-Austrian stage and film actor. He ...

'' (1963) as Bill Maxton *''A Bullet for Billy the Kid'' (1963) *'' Roustabout'' (1964) as Fred *'' The Wild World of Batwoman'' (1966) as Jim Flanagan *''

The Cycle Savages ''The Cycle Savages'' is a 1969 American outlaw biker exploitation film written and directed by Bill Brame, and stars Bruce Dern and Melody Patterson. The film follows a biker and his crew who go after an artist who sketched his nude girlfriend. ...

'' (1969) as Police Detective (uncredited)

1970s

*'' The Giant Spider Invasion'' (1975) as Dr. Vance Gunsmoke (TV Series) Garth Brantley / Welch - No Tomorrow (1972) ... Garth Brantley - Old Yellow Boots (1961) ... Welch

1980s

*'' Frankenstein Island'' (1981) as Jocko *''Delta Pi'' (1984) as Jack Enoff *'' The Wizard of Speed and Time'' (1989) as Lucky Straeker (final film role)

References

External links

* *
Steve Brodie, Obituary
at

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brodie, Steve 1919 births 1992 deaths People from El Dorado, Kansas Male actors from Kansas American male film actors American male television actors Deaths from cancer in California 20th-century American male actors Western (genre) television actors