Arlington Rand Brooks Jr. (September 21, 1918 – September 1, 2003) was an American film and television actor.

Early life

Brooks was born in Wright City, Missouri. He was the son of Arlington Rand Brooks, a farmer. His mother and he moved to

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the wor ...

when he was four, though he continued to spend summers in Wright City. Brooks continued to make visits to his hometown of Wright City into the 1950s, up to and following the death of his father in 1950. His mother and his grandfather were actors.

Career

Early career

After leaving school, Brooks got a screen test at MGM and was given a bit part in ''

Love Finds Andy Hardy ''Love Finds Andy Hardy'' is a 1938 American romantic comedy film that tells the story of a teenage boy who becomes entangled with three different girls all at the same time. It stars Mickey Rooney, Lewis Stone, Fay Holden, Cecilia Parker, Jud ...

'' (1938). His big fame came with his part as Charles Hamilton in ''

Gone with the Wind Gone with the Wind most often refers to: * ''Gone with the Wind'' (novel), a 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell * ''Gone with the Wind'' (film), the 1939 adaptation of the novel Gone with the Wind may also refer to: Music * ''Gone with the Wind'' ...

'' (1939), a role which he later admitted he despised; he wanted to play more macho parts. He made $100 per week under contract at MGM, but when he was on loan to

Selznick International Pictures Selznick International Pictures was a Hollywood motion picture studio created by David O. Selznick in 1935, and dissolved in 1943. In its short existence the independent studio produced two films that received the Academy Award for Best Picture— ...

for ''Gone with the Wind'', he made $500 per week. After ''Gone With the Wind'', he had relatively small parts in other movies including ''

Babes in Arms ''Babes in Arms'' is a 1937 coming-of-age musical comedy with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Lorenz Hart and book by Rodgers and Hart. It concerns a group of small-town Long Island teenagers who put on a show to avoid being sent to a work ...

,'' then a regular role as Lucky in the

Hopalong Cassidy Hopalong Cassidy is a fictional cowboy hero created in 1904 by the author Clarence E. Mulford, who wrote a series of short stories and novels based on the character. Mulford portrayed the character as rude, dangerous, and rough-talking. He w ...

series of Westerns in the mid-1940s; Brooks succeeded

Russell Hayden Russell "Lucky" Hayden (born Hayden Michael "Pate" Lucid; June 12, 1912 – June 9, 1981) was an American film and television actor. He is best known for his portrayal as Lucky Jenkins in Paramount's popular Hopalong Cassidy film series. Ea ...

in the role. Among the films, which starred

William Boyd William, Willie, Will or Bill Boyd may refer to: Academics * William Alexander Jenyns Boyd (1842–1928), Australian journalist and schoolmaster * William Boyd (educator) (1874–1962), Scottish educator * William Boyd (pathologist) (1885–1979 ...

as Hopalong, were ''

Hoppy's Holiday ''Hoppy's Holiday'' is a 1947 American Western film directed by George Archainbaud and written by J. Benton Cheney, Bennett Cohen and Ande Lamb. The film stars William Boyd, Andy Clyde, Rand Brooks, Mary Ware, Andrew Tombes and Leonard Penn. ...

'', '' The Dead Don't Dream'', and '' Borrowed Trouble''. He received positive notice for his work in ''

Fool's Gold The mineral pyrite (), or iron pyrite, also known as fool's gold, is an iron sulfide with the chemical formula Fe S2 (iron (II) disulfide). Pyrite is the most abundant sulfide mineral. Pyrite's metallic luster and pale brass-yellow hue gi ...

'', with ''Variety'' reporting that he did "an excellent job." In edited, half-hour versions of some of the films, he appeared in 12 of the 52 episodes of the ''Hopalong Cassidy'' television series.

Military service

Brooks served in the

United States Army Air Corps The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the aerial warfare service component of the United States Army between 1926 and 1941. After World War I, as early aviation became an increasingly important part of modern warfare, a philosophical ri ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, eventually reaching the rank of sergeant. He trained at

Buckley Field Buckley Space Force Base is a United States Space Force base in Aurora, Colorado named after United States Army Air Service First Lieutenant John Harold Buckley. The base is run by Space Base Delta 2, with major units including the U.S. Space For ...

in Colorado, in March 1943 and was stationed in Springfield, Missouri, as of May 1943. Brooks was for a time at San Antonio Air Field. He trained for flying, but did some theatre work under General Arnold. He was ill for a time during his service and in 1944 worked in recruitment in Louisiana.

Post-military film and television work

In 1948, he co-starred with

Adele Jergens Adele Jergens (November 26, 1917 – November 22, 2002) was an American actress. Early life and career Born in Brooklyn, New York, as Adele Louisa Jurgens (some sources say Jurgenson), she rose to prominence in the late 1930s when she was named ...

and

Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe (; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; 1 June 1926 4 August 1962) was an American actress. Famous for playing comedic " blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s, as wel ...

in the low-budget, black-and-white

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the multi ...

film, '' Ladies of the Chorus''. Brooks became the first actor to share an on-screen kiss with Monroe, who in a few years was one of the world's biggest movie stars. Filmed in just 10 days, the film was released soon after its completion. ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' called his performance in the 1952 film '' The Steel Fist'' "capable." Television brought new opportunities, again often in Westerns. He played Cpl. Randy Boone in the 1950s

television series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, or cable, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed ...

, ''

The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin ''The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin'' is an American children's television series in the Western genre that aired from October 1954 to May 1959 on the ABC television network. In all, 164 episodes aired. The show starred Lee Aaker as Rusty, a boy o ...

''. Brooks had guest roles in 1950s Western series, including ''

Mackenzie's Raiders ''Mackenzie's Raiders'' is an American Western television series starring Richard Carlson that aired thirty-nine episodes in syndication between 1958 and 1959. The series is narrated by Art Gilmore, and was produced by Ziv Television Programs. ...

'', ''

The Lone Ranger The Lone Ranger is a fictional masked former Texas Ranger who fought outlaws in the American Old West with his Native American friend Tonto. The character has been called an enduring icon of American culture. He first appeared in 1933 in ...

'', '' Maverick'', ''

Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central chara ...

'', and ''

Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on ...

''. He appeared twice on the syndicated adventure series, ''

Rescue 8 ''Rescue 8'' is a syndicated American action adventure crime drama series about Los Angeles County Fire Department Rescue Squad 8. It premiered in 1958 and originally ran for two seasons with syndicated reruns continuing for almost a decade ther ...

'', as well as on CBS's ''

Perry Mason Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason features in 82 novels and 4 short stories, all of which involve a cli ...

'' courtroom drama series. In 1962, he directed and produced a movie about brave dogs, ''Bearheart'', but the film was entangled in legal troubles due to his business manager's involvement in crimes such as forgery and graft. The film was finally released in 1978, under the title ''Legend of the Northwest''. Brooks was one of the favorite leading men of

Jane Withers Jane Withers (April 12, 1926 – August 7, 2021) was an American actress and children's radio show host. She became one of the most popular child stars in Hollywood in the 1930s and early 1940s, with her films ranking in the top ten list for b ...

Post-entertainment career

After he left show business, Brooks owned and operated a private ambulance company, Professional Ambulance, in

Glendale, California Glendale is a city in the San Fernando Valley and Verdugo Mountains regions of Los Angeles County, California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents ac ...

. He commented that he "died in more pictures than almost anyone" and that though he was never very big in show business, he was willing to return to it. Brooks sold the ambulance company in 1994, and retired to his ranch in the

Santa Ynez Valley The Santa Ynez Valley is located in Santa Barbara County, California, between the Santa Ynez Mountains to the south and the San Rafael Mountains to the north. The Santa Ynez River flows through the valley from east to west. The Santa Ynez Val ...

, where he bred champion

Andalusian horse The Andalusian, also known as the Pure Spanish Horse or PRE (Spanish language literally translates to “Spanish pure breed”. This name is sometimes capitalized when used in English-language publications, but is all lower-case in Spanish, wh ...

s. He attended a ''Gone with the Wind'' reunion for

Clark Gable William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901November 16, 1960) was an American film actor, often referred to as "The King of Hollywood". He had roles in more than 60 motion pictures in multiple genres during a career that lasted 37 years, three decades ...

's birthday, along with

Ann Rutherford Therese Ann Rutherford (November 2, 1917 – June 11, 2012) was a Canadian-born American actress in film, radio, and television. She had a long career starring and co-starring in films, playing Polly Benedict during the 1930s and 1940s in the And ...

and Fred Crane, in Cadiz, Ohio, in 1992.

Personal life

''Variety'' reported that Brooks married Clover Barrick on April 18, 1945. He married Lois Laurel (d. 2017), daughter of

Stan Laurel Stan Laurel (born Arthur Stanley Jefferson; 16 June 1890 – 23 February 1965) was an English comic actor, writer, and film director who was one half of the comedy duo Laurel and Hardy. He appeared with his comedy partner Oliver Hardy in 107 s ...

, in 1949. Their son Arlington Rand Brooks III was born in September 1949. Their daughter Laurel was born in August 1950 in

Santa Monica, California Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...

Death

On September 1, 2003, Brooks died in

Santa Ynez, California Santa Ynez (; Spanish for "St. Agnes") is a census-designated place (CDP) in the Santa Ynez Valley of Santa Barbara County, California. The town of Santa Ynez is one of the communities of the Santa Ynez Valley. It features the Santa Ynez Airport ...

Partial filmography

* '' Hold That Kiss'' (1938) - Guitar Player in Band (uncredited) * ''

'' (1938) - Young Man on Bandstand (uncredited) * '' Dramatic School'' (1938) - Pasquel Jr. * '' The Old Maid'' (1939) - Jim * ''

'' (1939) - Jeff Steele * '' Thunder Afloat'' (1939) - Listener (uncredited) * ''

Dancing Co-Ed ''Dancing Co-Ed'' is a 1939 American romantic comedy film directed by S. Sylvan Simon and starring Lana Turner in the titular role, Richard Carlson as an inquisitive college reporter, and bandleader Artie Shaw as himself. Plot When a dancer's p ...

'' (1939) - Steve (uncredited) * ''

Balalaika The balalaika (russian: link=no, балала́йка, ) is a Russian stringed musical instrument with a characteristic triangular wooden, hollow body, fretted neck and three strings. Two strings are usually tuned to the same note and the thir ...

'' (1939) - Crying Soldier (uncredited) * ''

'' (1939) - Charles Hamilton - Her Brother * '' Laddie'' (1940) - Peter Dover * ''

Northwest Passage The Northwest Passage (NWP) is the sea route between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through the Arctic Ocean, along the northern coast of North America via waterways through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. The eastern route along the Arct ...

'' (1940) - Peter Dover * '' And One Was Beautiful'' (1940) - Joe Havens * '' Florian'' (1940) - Victor * ''

Girl from Avenue A ''Girl from Avenue A'' is a 1940 American comedy film, directed by Otto Brower. It stars Jane Withers, Kent Taylor, and Kay Aldridge. Cast * Jane Withers as Jane * Kent Taylor as MacMillan Forrester * Kay Aldridge as Lucy * Elyse Knox as An ...

'' (1940) - Steve * '' Life with Henry'' (1940) - Daniel Gordon (uncredited) * '' The Son of Monte Cristo'' (1940) - Hans Mirbach * '' Jennie'' (1940) - Karl Schermer * ''

Cheers for Miss Bishop ''Cheers for Miss Bishop'' is a 1941 American drama film based on the novel ''Miss Bishop'' by Bess Streeter Aldrich. It was directed by Tay Garnett and stars Martha Scott in the title role. The other cast members include William Gargan, Edmund ...

'' (1941) - 'Buzz' Wheelwright * ''

Double Date Dating is a stage of romantic relationships in which two individuals engage in an activity together, most often with the intention of evaluating each other's suitability as a partner in a future intimate relationship. It falls into the category ...

'' (1941) - Jerry Baldwin * ''

The People vs. Dr. Kildare ''The People vs. Dr. Kildare'' is a 1941 drama directed by Harold S. Bucquet, starring Lew Ayres, Lionel Barrymore, Bonita Granville, and Laraine Day. Dr. Kildare performs an emergency operation on a crash victim. Plot Ice skater Frances Marlow ...

'' (1941) - Dr. George Young (uncredited) * ''

Lady Scarface ''Lady Scarface'' is a 1941 American crime drama film that was directed by Frank Woodruff and starred Dennis O'Keefe, Judith Anderson, and Frances Neal. Plot The scar-faced gangster Slade is on the loose. Lieutenant Bill Mason travels to a hot ...

'' (1941) - James 'Jimmy' Powell * ''Niagara Falls'' (1941) - Honeymooner * '' Cowboy Serenade'' (1942) - Jim Agnew * '' The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine'' (1942) * '' Fingers at the Window'' (1942) - Young Reporter (uncredited) * '' The Sombrero Kid'' (1942) - Philip Martin * ''

Air Force An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an ar ...

'' (1943) - Co-Pilot (uncredited) * ''

High Explosive An explosive (or explosive material) is a reactive substance that contains a great amount of potential energy that can produce an explosion if released suddenly, usually accompanied by the production of light, heat, sound, and pressure. An e ...

'' (1943) - Jimmy Baker * ''

Lady in the Dark ''Lady in the Dark'' is a musical with music by Kurt Weill, lyrics by Ira Gershwin and book and direction by Moss Hart. It was produced by Sam Harris. The protagonist, Liza Elliott, is the unhappy female editor of a fictional fashion magazine w ...

'' (1944) - Ben (uncredited) * ''

Resisting Enemy Interrogation ''Resisting Enemy Interrogation'' is a 1944 United States Army docudrama training film, directed by Robert B. Sinclair and written by Harold Medford and Owen Crump. The cast includes Arthur Kennedy, Mel Tormé, Lloyd Nolan, Craig Stevens and Pet ...

'' (1944) - Pilot (uncredited) * ''

The Harvey Girls ''The Harvey Girls'' is a 1946 Technicolor American musical film produced by Arthur Freed for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It is based on the 1942 novel of the same name by Samuel Hopkins Adams, about Fred Harvey's Harvey House waitresses. Directed ...

'' (1946) - Townsman at Saloon (uncredited) * '' The Devil's Playground'' (1946) - Lucky Jenkins * ''

The Great Morgan ''The Great Morgan'' is a 1945 American musical-comedy film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The film is considered one of the more unusual in the MGM canon in that it is a compilation film built around a slight plot line, with a running time o ...

'' (1946) - Film Character (uncredited) * ''

'' (1946) - Lucky Jenkins * '' Unexpected Guest'' (1947) - Lucky Jenkins * '' Dangerous Venture'' (1947) - Lucky Jenkins * '' The Marauders'' (1947) - Lucky Jenkins * ''

'' (1947) - Lucky Jenkins * '' Kilroy Was Here'' (1947) - Rodney Meadows * '' Silent Conflict'' (1948) - Lucky Jenkins * '' The Dead Don't Dream'' (1948) - Lucky Jenkins * '' Sinister Journey'' (1948) - Lucky Jenkins * '' Borrowed Trouble'' (1948) - Lucky Jenkins * '' False Paradise'' (1948) - Lucky Jenkins * ''

Strange Gamble ''Strange Gamble'' is a 1948 American Western film directed by George Archainbaud, written by Doris Schroeder, Bennett Cohen and Ande Lamb, and starring William Boyd, Andy Clyde, Rand Brooks, Elaine Riley, James Craven and Robert Williams ...

'' (1948) - Lucky Jenkins * ''

Sundown in Santa Fe ''Sundown in Santa Fe'' is a 1948 American Western film directed by R. G. Springsteen, written by Norman S. Hall, and starring Allan Lane, Eddy Waller, Roy Barcroft, Trevor Bardette, Jean Dean and Russell Simpson. It was released on Novemb ...

'' (1948) - Tom Wyatt * ''

Joan of Arc Joan of Arc (french: link=yes, Jeanne d'Arc, translit= �an daʁk} ; 1412 – 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her insistence on the corona ...

'' (1948) - Jean d'Arc * '' Ladies of the Chorus'' (1948) - Randy Carroll * '' The Wyoming Bandit'' (1949) - Jimmy Howard * '' Black Midnight'' (1949) - Daniel Jordan * ''

The Vanishing Westerner ''The Vanishing Westerner'' is a 1950 American Western (genre), Western film directed by Philip Ford (film director), Philip Ford, written by Robert Creighton Williams, and starring Monte Hale, Paul Hurst (actor), Paul Hurst, Aline Towne, Roy B ...

'' (1950) - Sanderson's First Victim * '' Riding High'' (1950) - Henry Early * ''

Bunco Squad ''Bunco Squad'' is a 1950 American crime film directed by Herbert I. Leeds and written by George Callahan. The film stars Robert Sterling, Joan Dixon, Ricardo Cortez, Douglas Fowley and Elisabeth Risdon. The film was released on September 1, 1950 ...

'' (1950) - Robert (uncredited) * '' Heart of the Rockies'' (1951) - Jim Corley * ''

Yukon Manhunt ''Yukon Manhunt'' is a 1951 American Northern film directed by Frank McDonald and starring Kirby Grant, Gail Davis and Margaret Field. The film was the sixth in the series of ten films featuring Kirby Grant as a Canadian Mountie.Drew, p. 2 ...

'' (1951) - Len Kaufman * '' The Steel Fist'' (1952) - Capt. Giorg Nicholoff * ''

The Cimarron Kid ''The Cimarron Kid'' is a 1952 American Western film directed by Budd Boetticher and starring Audie Murphy and Beverly Tyler. Plot Bill Doolin (Audie Murphy) is released from jail and is going home on the train when it is held up by his boy ...

'' (1952) - Emmett Dalton (uncredited) * ''

Waco Waco ( ) is the county seat of McLennan County, Texas, United States. It is situated along the Brazos River and I-35, halfway between Dallas and Austin. The city had a 2020 population of 138,486, making it the 22nd-most populous city in the st ...

'' (1952) - Henchman Al * '' Man from the Black Hills'' (1952) - Fake Jimmy Fallon * '' The Gunman'' (1952) - Jud Calvert * '' Montana Incident'' (1952) - Dave Connors * '' The Maverick'' (1952) - Trooper Barnham * ''

Born to the Saddle ''Born to the Saddle'' is a 1953 American Western film directed by William Beaudine. Plot Bent on revenge for the death of his father and the theft of their ranch, young Bill Walton rides into town seeking the aid of his uncle. As he rides in ...

'' (1953) - John Grant * ''

The Charge at Feather River ''The Charge at Feather River'' is a 1953 American Western (genre), Western film directed by Gordon Douglas (director), Gordon Douglas. It was originally released in 3D with many arrows, lances, and other weapons flying directly at the audience ...

'' (1953) - Pvt. Adams (uncredited) * '' To Hell and Back'' (1955) - Lt. Harris (uncredited) * ''

Official Detective ''Official Detective'' is an American anthology television series which aired in syndication from 1957 to March 19, 1958. The series was hosted by veteran film actor Everett Sloane.McNeil, Alex (1996). ''Total Television'' (4th ed.). New York: ...

'' (1957, TV Series) - McClellan * ''The Challenge of Rin Tin Tin'' (1958) * ''

The Last Hurrah ''The Last Hurrah'' is a 1956 novel written by Edwin O'Connor. It is considered the most popular of O’Connor's works, partly because of a 1958 movie adaptation starring Spencer Tracy. The novel was immediately a bestseller in the United Sta ...

'' (1958) - Votes Tallyman (uncredited) * ''Stump Run'' (1959) - Wayne Lawson * '' Comanche Station'' (1960) - Station Man * ''

Posse from Hell ''Posse from Hell'' is a 1961 American Western film directed by Herbert Coleman and starring Audie Murphy and John Saxon. Plot In 1880 four escapees from death row, Crip, Leo, Chunk, and Hash ride into the town of Paradise and enter the Ro ...

'' (1961) - Townsman (uncredited) * ''

Stagecoach to Dancers' Rock ''Stagecoach to Dancers' Rock'' is a 1962 American Western film directed by Earl Bellamy, written by Keneth Darling, and starring Warren Stevens, Martin Landau, Jody Lawrance, Judy Dan, Don Wilbanks, Del Moore and Robert Anderson. It was rele ...

'' (1962) - Quint Rucker * ''

The Munsters ''The Munsters'' is an American sitcom depicting the home life of a family of benign monsters. The series starred Fred Gwynne as Frankenstein's monsterEpisodes referring to the fact that Herman is Frankenstein's monster include #55, "Just Anothe ...

'' (Nov 1964) - (Tin-Can man) * '' Harlow'' (1965) - Casting Director (uncredited) * '' Requiem for a Gunfighter'' (1965) - Abe Gentry * ''

Combat! ''Combat!'' is an American television drama series that originally aired on ABC from 1962 until 1967. The exclamation point in ''Combat!'' was depicted on-screen as a stylized bayonet. The show covered the grim lives of a squad of American s ...

'' (1965, TV Series) - G.I. Lieutenant * ''Leather Narcissus'' (1967) * ''

In Like Flint ''In Like Flint'' is a 1967 American spy fi comedy film directed by Gordon Douglas, the sequel to the parody spy film ''Our Man Flint'' (1966). It posits an international feminist conspiracy to depose the ruling American patriarchy with a fem ...

'' (1967) - Missile Control Officer (uncredited) * ''Double Indemnity'' (1973, TV Movie) - Conductor (uncredited) * ''The Sex Symbol'' (1974, TV Movie) - Edward Kelly (final film role)

Notes

References

External links

* *
Rand Brooks
at

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Rand Brooks
on the RadioGOLDINdex {{DEFAULTSORT:Brooks, Rand 1918 births 2003 deaths American male film actors American male television actors Ranchers from California 20th-century American male actors Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale) People from Warren County, Missouri Actors from Missouri Male Western (genre) film actors Western (genre) television actors