Roscoe Lee Browne (May 2, 1922 – April 11, 2007) was an American actor and director. He resisted playing stereotypically black roles, instead performing in several productions with

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the U ...

's Shakespeare Festival Theater, Leland Hayward's satirical NBC series '' That Was the Week That Was'', and a poetry performance tour of the United States in addition to his work in television and film. He is perhaps best known for his role as Saunders in ''

Soap Soap is a salt of a fatty acid used in a variety of cleansing and lubricating products. In a domestic setting, soaps are surfactants usually used for washing, bathing, and other types of housekeeping. In industrial settings, soaps are used ...

'' (1979–1981). In 1976, Browne was nominated for an

Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...

for Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Comedy or Drama Series for his work on ABC's '' Barney Miller''. In 1986, he won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Performer in a Comedy Series for his work on NBC's '' The Cosby Show''.Roscoe Lee Browne. Awards and Nominations
Television Academy. Retrieved February 23, 2016. In 1992, he received a

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his performance as "Holloway" in August Wilson's '' Two Trains Running.'' In 1995, he received a

Daytime Emmy Award The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences ...

nomination for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program for his performance as The Kingpin in '' Spider-Man.'' Browne was inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame in 1977 and posthumously inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 2008.

Early life and education

Born in

Woodbury, New Jersey Woodbury is the county seat of Gloucester County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the South Jersey region of the state.Baptist Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christianity, Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete Immersion baptism, immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe ...

minister Sylvanus S. Browne and his wife Lovie (née Lovie Lee Usher). He graduated from Woodbury Junior-Senior High School in 1939. Browne attended historically black Lincoln University in

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; (Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, Ma ...

. While there, he became a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity and graduated with a bachelor's degree in 1946. 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 ...

, Browne served in Italy with the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...

's 92nd Infantry Division and organized the Division's

track and field Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping eve ...

team. After the war, he undertook postgraduate work under the GI Bill at

Middlebury College Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college in Middlebury, Vermont. Founded in 1800 by Congregationalists, Middlebury was the first operating college or university in Vermont. The college currently enrolls 2,858 undergraduates from all ...

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manha ...

, and the University of Florence. A middle-distance runner, he won two

Amateur Athletic Union The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) is an amateur sports organization based in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs. It has ...

1,000-yard national indoor championships. He occasionally returned to Lincoln University between 1946–52 to teach English,

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

, and

comparative literature Comparative literature is an academic field dealing with the study of literature and cultural expression across linguistic, national, geographic, and disciplinary boundaries. Comparative literature "performs a role similar to that of the study ...

. Upon leaving academia, he earned a living for several years selling wine for Schenley Import Corporation. In 1956, he left his job with Schenley to become a full-time professional actor. In 1950 and 1951 he toured Europe (as a half-miler) with a USA Track and Field team.

Career

Acting

Despite the apprehensions of his friends, Browne managed to land the roles of soothsayer and Pindarus in '' Julius Caesar'', directed by Joseph Papp for New York City's first Shakespeare Festival Theater. More work with the Shakespeare Festival Theater followed. Browne voiced an offscreen part as camera operator J.J. Burden in '' The Connection'' (1961), his first movie role. In '' The Cowboys'' (1972), in a role as a camp cook, he led a group of young cowhands avenging the death of John Wayne's character in the movie. Browne was much in demand for narration and voice-over parts in film and on commercial sound recordings. In 1977, Browne narrated a record album, ''

The Story of Star Wars ''The Story of Star Wars'' is a 1977 record album presenting an abridged version of the events depicted in the film ''Star Wars'', using dialogue and sound effects from the original film. The recording was produced by George Lucas and Alan Living ...

'', which presented an abridged version of the events depicted in the first released film using the dialogue and sound effects. The recording was produced by

George Lucas George Walton Lucas Jr. (born May 14, 1944) is an American filmmaker. Lucas is best known for creating the ''Star Wars'' and '' Indiana Jones'' franchises and founding Lucasfilm, LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic and THX. He served as chai ...

and Alan Livingston. Browne was determined not to accept the stereotypical roles routinely offered to

African-American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...

actors. He also wanted to do more than act and narrate. In 1966, he wrote and made his directorial stage debut with ''

A Hand Is On The Gate ''A Hand Is on the Gate'' is a play presented off-Broadway in 1966 that was actor Roscoe Lee Browne Roscoe Lee Browne (May 2, 1922 – April 11, 2007) was an American actor and director. He resisted playing stereotypically black roles, instead ...

'', starring Cicely Tyson,

James Earl Jones James Earl Jones (born January 17, 1931) is an American actor. He has been described as "one of America's most distinguished and versatile" actors for his performances in film, television, and theater, and "one of the greatest actors in America ...

, and Moses Gunn. A lifelong bachelor who coveted his privacy in the turbulent decades of the civil rights revolution, Browne avoided participation in public protests, preferring instead to be "more effective on stage with metaphor...than in the streets with an editorial". RoscoeLeeBrowne974

His stage success brought him to the attention of producer Leland Hayward, and in 1964 he began a regular stint as a cast member on Hayward's satirical NBC-TV series '' That Was the Week That Was''. Starting in the late 1960s, Browne was a frequent guest star on TV in both comedy and dramatic shows such as ''

Mannix ''Mannix'' is an American detective television series that ran from 1967 to 1975 on CBS. It was created by Richard Levinson and William Link, and developed by executive producer Bruce Geller. The title character, Joe Mannix, is a private in ...

'', '' All in the Family'', '' Maude'', ''

Good Times ''Good Times'' is an American television sitcom that aired for six seasons on CBS, from February 8, 1974, to August 1, 1979. Created by Eric Monte and Mike Evans and developed by executive producer Norman Lear, it was television's first Afric ...

'', '' Sanford and Son'', '' The Cosby Show'', '' A Different World'' and dozens of others. He also was a regular on ''

'' where he played Saunders, the erudite butler, from 1979 to 1981. Browne later guest-starred on ''Benson'' with Robert Guillaume, who had also been in the cast of ''

''. Browne's appearances on '' The Cosby Show'' won him an

in 1986 for his guest role as Professor Foster. He and fellow actor Anthony Zerbe toured the United States with their poetry performance piece ''Behind the Broken Words''. It included readings of poetry, some of it written by Browne, as well as performances of comedy and dramatic works.Roscoe Lee Browne
lortel.org. Retrieved March 19, 2015. Browne found additional success performing in the plays of August Wilson, both on Broadway and at the Pittsburgh Public Theater. He was described as having "a baritone voice like a sable coat", speaking the King's English with a strong mid-Atlantic accent. To someone who once said Browne sounded "too white", he replied, "I'm sorry, I once had a white maid." Four years before his death, Browne narrated a series of

WPA WPA may refer to: Computing *Wi-Fi Protected Access, a wireless encryption standard *Windows Product Activation, in Microsoft software licensing *Wireless Public Alerting (Alert Ready), emergency alerts over LTE in Canada * Windows Performance Ana ...

slave narratives in the HBO film, ''Unchained Memories'' (2003).

Directing

Browne's directorial credits include a piece called ''An Evening of Negro Poetry and Folk Music'' at the Delacorte Theatre and the Public Theatre in New York City in 1966. It was also produced as ''A Hand Is on the Gate'' at the Longacre Theatre in New York City in 1966. The production was revived at the Afro-American Studio in New York City, running from 1976 to 1977.

Birth year

Some year-of-birth records, including the Social Security Death Index, report Browne born on May 2, 1922, while other sources claim that Browne's date of birth was three years later, on May 2, 1925. Those sources include ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'', ''

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 ...

'', '' Variety'', the

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. n ...

and several others, including a Congressional Resolution. In an undated videotaped interview with Camille Cosby for the National Visionary Leadership Project (NVLP), Browne said: "I was born, Camille, so they say, May 2, 1922, in Woodbury, New Jersey."

Death

Browne died of

stomach cancer Stomach cancer, also known as gastric cancer, is a cancer that develops from the Gastric mucosa, lining of the stomach. Most cases of stomach cancers are gastric carcinomas, which can be divided into a number of subtypes, including gastric adenoca ...

at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in

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 ...

in the morning of April 11, 2007, aged 84. He never married and had no children. He was remembered for his contributions in a ''

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' encomium by Frank Crohn of the Edna St. Vincent Millay Society:

We mourn the loss of our long-time Trustee and faithful friend. He was always to be counted upon to be supportive of the aims and purposes of the Society. He filled our lives with the soft sound of poetry as only he could recite it. Now the stage is empty and the lights are low.

Awards and recognition

* Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award – Best Actor Award, for his performance as "Makak" in Derek Walcott's '' The Dream on Monkey Mountain, '' 1970 * Bronze Wrangler, the

Western Heritage Award The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is a museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States, with more than 28,000 Western and American Indian art works and artifacts. The facility also has the world's most extensive collection of Ame ...

– a shared award with the production, for Theatrical Motion Picture, for " The Cowboys," a

Warner Brothers Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American Film studio, film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios, Burbank, Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, Califo ...

film, 1972 *

Primetime Emmy Award The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the Primetime ...

nomination – Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Comedy or Drama Series, for ABC's Barney Miller: The Escape Artist, 1976 * Inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame, 1977 *

– Outstanding Guest Performer in a Comedy Series, for The Cosby Show: The Card Game, 1986 *

NAACP Image Award The NAACP Image Awards is an annual awards ceremony presented by the U.S.-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to honor outstanding performances in film, television, theatre, music, and literature. Similar to ...

– Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series, for The Cosby Show, 1986 * Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award – Best Actor Award, for his performance as "Bynum Walker" in August Wilson's '' Joe Turner's Come and Gone'', 1989 * Soap Opera Digest Award nomination – Outstanding Villain: Prime Time, for ''

Falcon Crest ''Falcon Crest'' is an American prime time television soap opera that aired for nine seasons on CBS from December 4, 1981, to May 17, 1990. The series revolves around the feuding factions of the wealthy Gioberti/Channing family in the California ...

'', 1989 *

nomination – Best Featured Actor in a Play, for his performance as "Holloway" in August Wilson's '' Two Trains Running'', directed by Lloyd Richards, 1992 *

Helen Hayes Award The Helen Hayes Awards are theater awards recognizing excellence in professional theater in the Washington, D.C. area since 1983. The awards are named in tribute of Helen Hayes, who is also known as the "First Lady of American Theatre." They ar ...

– Outstanding Supporting Performer, Non-Resident Production, for ''Two Trains Running'', 1992 *

nomination – Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program, for his performance as "The Kingpin" in '' Spider-Man'', 1995 * Inducted posthumously into the American Theater Hall of Fame, 2008Theater Hall of Fame
americantheatrecritics.org. Retrieved February 23, 2016.

Filmography

Film

* '' The Connection'' (1961) as J. J. Burden * '' Pie in the Sky'' (1964) as Preacher * ''

Black Like Me ''Black Like Me'', first published in 1961, is a nonfiction book by journalist John Howard Griffin recounting his journey in the Deep South of the United States, at a time when African-Americans lived under racial segregation. Griffin was a n ...

'' (1964) as Christopher * '' The Comedians'' (1967) as Petit Pierre * '' Up Tight!'' (1968) as Clarence (a.k.a. "Daisy") * '' Topaz'' (1969) as Philippe Dubois * '' The Liberation of L.B. Jones'' (1970) as L.B. Jones * '' The Cowboys'' (1972) as Jebediah Nightlinger * '' Cisco Pike'' (1972) as Music Store Owner * ''

The Ra Expeditions ''Ra'' (also known as ''The Ra Expeditions'') is a 1972 documentary film directed by Lennart Ehrenborg and Thor Heyerdahl about the expeditions organised by Thor Heyerdahl in 1969 and 1970 in attempt to cross the Atlantic on papyrus boats. It w ...

'' (1972) as Narrator (voice) * '' The World's Greatest Athlete'' (1973) as Gazenga * ''

Super Fly T.N.T. ''Super Fly T.N.T.'' is a 1973 American blaxploitation crime drama film directed and starring Ron O'Neal. O'Neal reprises his role of Youngblood Priest from the 1972 film '' Super Fly''. The film was both a critical and commercial failure accordin ...

'' (1973) as Dr. Lamine Sonko * '' Uptown Saturday Night'' (1974) as Congressman Lincoln * ''

Logan's Run ''Logan's Run'' is a science fiction novel by American writers William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson. Published in 1967, the novel depicts a dystopic Malthusianism future society in which both population and the consumption of resou ...

'' (1976) as Box (voice) * '' Twilight's Last Gleaming'' (1977) as James Forrest * ''

'' (1977) as Narrator (voice) * '' Nothing Personal'' (1980) as Paxton * '' Legal Eagles'' (1986) as Judge Dawkins * '' Jumpin' Jack Flash'' (1986) as Archer Lincoln * ''Moments Without Proper Names'' (1987) * '' Oliver & Company'' (1988) as Francis (voice) * '' Moon 44'' (1990) as Chairman Hall, Galactic Mining Corp. (uncredited) * '' Noel'' (1992) as Brutus (voice) * '' The Mambo Kings'' (1992) as Fernando Perez * '' Eddie Presley'' (1992) as Doc * '' Naked in New York'' (1993) as Mr. Ried * '' Last Summer in the Hamptons'' (1995) as Freddy * '' The Pompatus of Love'' (1995) as Leonard Folder * '' Babe'' (1995) as Narrator (voice) * '' Dear God'' (1996) as Idris Abraham * '' Forest Warrior'' (1996) as Clovis Madison * ''Galapagos: Beyond Darwin'' (1996) (voice) * '' Haiti: Harvest of Hope'' (1997) (voice) * '' Mouse Hunt'' (1997) heatrical Trailer(voice) * '' Babe: Pig in the City'' (1998) as The Narrator (voice) * '' Judas Kiss'' (1998) as Chief Bleeker * ''

Morgan's Ferry ''Morgan's Ferry'' is a 2001 American crime drama film starring Billy Zane, Henry Rollins, Kelly McGillis, Roscoe Lee Browne, Johnny Galecki and Muse Watson, directed by Sam Pillsbury Sam Pillsbury is an American film director, producer, and ...

'' (2001) as Peabo * ''The Tulsa Lynching of 1921: A Hidden Story'' (2000) (voice) * '' Treasure Planet'' (2002) as Mr. Arrow (voice) * ''Behind the Broken Words'' (2003) * '' Unchained Memories'' (2003) as Reader * ''Sweet Deadly Dreams'' (2006) as Devlin * '' Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties'' (2006) as Narrator (voice) * '' Epic Movie'' (2007) as Narrator (voice) * '' Smiley Face'' (2007) as Himself (voice)

Television

* '' That Was The Week That Was'' (US version, 1964) as Himself * '' NET Playhouse'' (1967) * '' The Invaders'' episode "The Vise" (1968) as Arnold Andrew Warren * ''

Insight Insight is the understanding of a specific cause and effect within a particular context. The term insight can have several related meanings: *a piece of information *the act or result of understanding the inner nature of things or of seeing intu ...

'' (1968) as Stranger * ''

'' (1968) as Dr. Andrew Josephus * ''

Espionage Espionage, spying, or intelligence gathering is the act of obtaining secret or confidential information ( intelligence) from non-disclosed sources or divulging of the same without the permission of the holder of the information for a tang ...

'' (1968) * ''

The Name of the Game Name of the Game may refer to: Television * ''The Name of the Game'' (TV series), a 1968–1971 American drama ** ''Fame Is the Name of the Game'', a 1966 American television film and pilot for the series * "The Name of the Game" (''Grey's Anato ...

'' (1969–1970) as Dean Marshall / Wamumba * '' The Outcasts'' (1969) as Gideon * ''

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 ...

'' (1972) as Joshua * '' The Flip Wilson Show'' (1972–1973) as Himself * '' All in the Family'' (1972–1973) as Jean Duval / Hugh Victor Thompson III * '' Sanford and Son'' (1972) as Osgood Wilcox * '' The Streets of San Francisco'' (1973) as Yale Courtland Dancy * ''

'' (1974) as Reverend Sam * '' Barney Miller'' (1975) as Charlie Evans Jeffers * '' Starsky and Hutch'' (1977) as Quatraine * '' Maude'' (1977–1978) as Mr. Butterfield * '' King (miniseries)'' (1978) as Philip Harrison * ''

'' (1979–1981) as Saunders (regular role) * '' Benson'' (1980) as Howard Walker * '' Hart to Hart'' (1981) * '' Magnum, P.I.'' (1983) as Carlton * '' For Us the Living: The Medgar Evers Story'' (1983) as Gloster Current * '' The Cosby Show'' (1986–1987) as Dr. Barnabus Foster * '' Head of the Class'' (1986) as Mr. Thomas * '' The Greatest Adventure: Stories from the Bible'' (1986) as

Magus Magi (; singular magus ; from Latin '' magus'', cf. fa, مغ ) were priests in Zoroastrianism and the earlier religions of the western Iranians. The earliest known use of the word ''magi'' is in the trilingual inscription written by Darius th ...

(in "The Nativity") (voice) * '' Foofur'' (1986) (voice) * ''

John Grin's Christmas John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...

'' (1986) as Ghost of Christmas Past * ''

227 Year 227 ( CCXXVII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Senecio and Fulvius (or, less frequently, year 980 ''Ab urbe condi ...

'' (1987) as Albert Henry * '' Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light'' (1987) as Reekon / Merklynn (voice) * '' The Real Ghostbusters'' (1988–1989) as Edward 'Big Ed' Zeddemore (voice) * ''

Highway to Heaven ''Highway to Heaven'' is an American fantasy drama television series that ran on NBC from September 19, 1984, to August 4, 1989. The series starred Michael Landon as Jonathan Smith, an angel sent to Earth in order to help people in need. Victor ...

'' (1988) as Dr. Hudsbeth * ''

'' (1988) as Rosemont * '' A Different World'' (1988–1992) as Dr. Barnabus Foster * ''

Ring Raiders ''Ring Raiders'' is a 1989 animated television series based on a 1980s toy line made by Matchbox. The series began with a two-hour special by DIC Enterprises, followed by one week of five half-hour episodes syndicated by Bohbot Communications. ...

'' (1989) as Max Miles (voice) * '' Columbo: Rest in Peace Mrs. Columbo'' (1990) as Dr. Steadman * '' Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures'' (1990) (voice) * ''

Father Dowling Mysteries ''Father Dowling Mysteries'' (also known as ''Father Dowling Investigates'' in the United Kingdom) is an American mystery television series that aired from January 20, 1989 to May 2, 1991. Prior to the series, a TV movie aired on November 30, 1987 ...

'' (1990) as Dennis Cray * '' The Pirates of Dark Water'' (1991) (voice) * ''

Law & Order ''Law & Order'' is an American police procedural and legal drama television series created by Dick Wolf and produced by Wolf Entertainment, launching the '' Law & Order'' franchise. ''Law & Order'' aired its entire run on NBC, premiering o ...

'' (1992–2003) as Sir Idris Balewa/Aaron Miller * ''

SeaQuest DSV ''SeaQuest DSV'' (stylized as ''seaQuest DSV'' and also promoted as simply ''seaQuest'') is an American science fiction television series created by Rockne S. O'Bannon. It originally aired on NBC between 1993 and 1996. In its final season, ...

'' (1993–1994) as Dr. Raleigh Young * '' The John Larroquette Show'' (1994) as Mr. Davis * '' Batman: The Animated Series'' (1994) as Dr. Wataki (voice) * '' Spider-Man'' (1995–1998) as The Kingpin / Wilson Fisk (voice) * '' Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child'' (1995) as Friar Ferdinand (Season 1, Episode 5 "Rumpelstiltskin") (voice) * ''

Freakazoid! ''Freakazoid!'' is an American superhero comedy animated television series created by Bruce Timm and Paul Dini and developed by Tom Ruegger for the Kids' WB programming block of The WB. The series chronicles the adventures of the title char ...

'' (1995) as Great Mystic Gnome (voice) * ''

Phantom 2040 ''Phantom 2040'' is an animated series that is loosely based on the comic strip superhero '' The Phantom'', created by Lee Falk. The central character of the series is said to be the 24th Phantom. It was aired from September 18, 1994 to March 3 ...

'' (1995) as Old Guran (Season 2, Episode 8 "The Sins of the Fathers: Part Two") (voice) * '' New York Undercover'' (1996) as Dr. Johnson * '' Cosby'' (1996) as George Lucas, Hilton's Brother * ''

The Wild Thornberrys ''The Wild Thornberrys'' is an American animated television series created by Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó, Steve Pepoon, David Silverman, and Stephen Sustarsic for Nickelodeon. The series portrays an American family of wildlife documentary fi ...

'' (1998–2000) as Komodo Dragon / Goulam (voice) * '' The Proud Family'' (2003) as Clarence (voice) * '' ER'' (1999) as Rev. Matthew Lynn * ''

Hope Island Hope Island may refer to: Places Antarctica * Hope Island (Graham Land), an island on d'Urville Island * Nadezhdy Island (Hope Island) Australia * Hope Island, Queensland, a suburb of Gold Coast City * Hope Island (Tasmania) * Hope Islands (Q ...

'' (1999) as Judge Patrick Bradley * '' The Shield'' (2002) as Bryce Wyms * '' Static Shock'' (2003–2004) as Dr. Anokye (voice) * ''

Tales of a Fly on the Wall Tales may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Tales'' (album), a 1995 album by Marcus Miller * ''Tales'' (film), a 2014 Iranian film * ''Tales'' (TV series), an American television series * ''Tales'' (video game), a 2016 point-and-click adventure ...

'' (2004) as Narrator (voice) * '' Will and Grace'' (2004) as Linus * '' Side Order of Life'' (2007) as Clarence

Theatre

* ''

The Taming of the Shrew ''The Taming of the Shrew'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1590 and 1592. The play begins with a framing device, often referred to as the induction, in which a mischievous nobleman tricks a drunken ...

'', New York Shakespeare Festival, East River Park Amphitheater, New York City, 1956. * Soothsayer and Pindarus, '' Julius Caesar'', New York Shakespeare Festival, East River Park Amphitheater, 1956. * Aaron, ''

Titus Andronicus ''Titus Andronicus'' is a tragedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written between 1588 and 1593, probably in collaboration with George Peele. It is thought to be Shakespeare's first tragedy and is often seen as his attempt to emul ...

'', New York Shakespeare Festival, Theatre of Emmanuel Presbyterian Church, New York City, 1957. * Balthazar, ''

Romeo and Juliet ''Romeo and Juliet'' is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about the romance between two Italian youths from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetime and, along with ''Ham ...

'', New York Shakespeare Festival, New York City, 1957. * Cothurnus, ''Aria da Capo'', Theatre Marquee, New York City, 1958. * Understudy for title role, ''

Othello ''Othello'' (full title: ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'') is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, probably in 1603, set in the contemporary Ottoman–Venetian War (1570–1573) fought for the control of the Island of Cyp ...

'', New York Shakespeare Festival, Belvedere Lake Theatre, New York City, 1958. * Royal Baron, '' The Cool World'',

Eugene O'Neill Theatre The Eugene O'Neill Theatre, previously the Forrest Theatre and the Coronet Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 230 West 49th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. The theater was designed by Herbert J. Krapp and ...

, New York City, 1960. * Understudy for title role, '' Purlie Victorious'', Cort Theatre, New York City, 1961. * Archibald Wellington, '' The Blacks: A Clown Show'', St. Mark's Playhouse, New York City, 1961–62. * Corporal, ''General Seeger'', Lyceum Theatre, New York City, 1962. * Deacon Sitter Morris, '' Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright'',

Booth Theatre The Booth Theatre is a Broadway theater at 222 West 45th Street ( George Abbott Way) in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1913, the theater was designed by Henry Beaumont Herts in the Italian Renaissan ...

, New York City, 1962–63. * Fool, ''

King Lear ''King Lear'' is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his power and land between two of his daughters. He becomes destitute and insane a ...

'', New York Shakespeare Festival, Delacorte Theatre, Public Theatre, New York City, 1962. * ''

Brecht on Brecht Eugene V. Frankel (December 23, 1919 – April 20, 2005) was an American actor, theater director, and acting teacher especially notable in the founding of the off-Broadway scene. Frankel served in the Army during World War II in entertainment and ...

'' (revue), Theatre de Lys, now Lucille Lortel Theatre, New York City, 1962, then Arena Stage, Washington, DC, performed as a staged reading at Sheridan Square Playhouse, New York City, and at Delacorte Theatre, Public Theatre, all 1963. * Autolycus, ''

The Winter's Tale ''The Winter's Tale'' is a play by William Shakespeare originally published in the First Folio of 1623. Although it was grouped among the comedies, many modern editors have relabelled the play as one of Shakespeare's late romances. Some cri ...

'', New York Shakespeare Festival, Delacorte Theatre, Public Theatre, 1963. * Narrator, '' The Ballad of the Sad Cafe'', Martin Beck Theatre, New York City, 1963. * Street singer, ''

The Threepenny Opera ''The Threepenny Opera'' ( ) is a " play with music" by Bertolt Brecht, adapted from a translation by Elisabeth Hauptmann of John Gay's 18th-century English ballad opera, ''The Beggar's Opera'', and four ballads by François Villon, with music ...

'',

Arena Stage Arena Stage is a not-for-profit regional theater based in Southwest, Washington, D.C. Established in 1950, it was the first racially integrated theater in Washington, D.C. and its founders helped start the U.S. regional theater movement. It is ...

, 1963. * Babu, '' Benito Cereno'', American Place Theatre, New York City, beginning 1963, later produced as part of a double-bill titled '' The Old Glory'', Theatre of St. Clement's Church, New York City, 1964. * '' Hell Is Other People'' (readings), Theatre at Carnegie Hall, New York City, 1964. * Male lead, ''The Empty Room'',

Village South Theatre The SoHo Playhouse is an Off-Broadway theatre at 15 Vandam Street in the Hudson Square area of Manhattan. The theatre opened in 1962 as the Village South Theatre with the original production of Jean Erdman's musical play ''The Coach with the Six ...

, New York City, 1964. * St. Just, '' Danton's Death'',

Vivian Beaumont Theatre The Vivian Beaumont Theater is a Broadway theater in the Lincoln Center complex at 150 West 65th Street on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City. Operated by the nonprofit Lincoln Center Theater (LCT), the Beaumont is the only ...

Lincoln Center Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (also simply known as Lincoln Center) is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has thirty indoor and outdoor facilities and is host to 5 millio ...

, New York City, 1965. * Ulysses, ''

Troilus and Cressida ''Troilus and Cressida'' ( or ) is a play by William Shakespeare, probably written in 1602. At Troy during the Trojan War, Troilus and Cressida begin a love affair. Cressida is forced to leave Troy to join her father in the Greek camp. M ...

'', New York Shakespeare Festival, Delacorte Theatre, Public Theatre, 1965. * '' Beyond the Fringe'', Goodspeed Opera House, East Haddam, CT, 1966. * Babu, ''Benito Cereno'', Playhouse in the Park, Cincinnati, OH, 1966. * The gardener, ''

Sodom and Gomorrah Sodom and Gomorrah () were two legendary biblical cities destroyed by God for their wickedness. Their story parallels the Genesis flood narrative in its theme of God's anger provoked by man's sin (see Genesis 19:1–28). They are mentioned frequ ...

'', Playhouse in the Park, 1966. * Mendoza, '' Man and Superman'', Playhouse in the Park, 1966. * Sheridan Whiteside, '' The Man Who Came to Dinner'',

Long Wharf Theatre Long Wharf Theatre is a nonprofit institution in New Haven, Connecticut, a pioneer in the not-for-profit regional theatre movement, the originator of several prominent plays, and a venue where many internationally known actors have appeared. Fou ...

, New Haven, CT, 1966. * ''An Evening of Negro Poetry and Folk Music'', Delacorte Theatre, Public Theatre, 1966; produced as ''A Hand Is on the Gate'', Longacre Theatre, New York City, 1966; revived at Afro-American Studio, New York City, 1976–77. * Mosca, '' Volpone'', New York Shakespeare Festival, Mobile Theatre, New York City, 1967. * Makak, '' The Dream on Monkey Mountain'', Center Theatre Group,

Mark Taper Forum The Mark Taper Forum is a 739-seat thrust stage at the Los Angeles Music Center designed by Welton Becket and Associates on the Bunker Hill section of Downtown Los Angeles. Named for real estate developer Mark Taper, the Forum, the neighbor ...

, 1970, then St. Mark's Playhouse, 1971. * '' A Rap on Race'', New Theatre for Now, Los Angeles, 1971–72. * ''

As You Like It ''As You Like It'' is a pastoral comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1599 and first published in the First Folio in 1623. The play's first performance is uncertain, though a performance at Wilton House in 1603 has ...

'', Pilgrimage Theatre, Los Angeles, 1973. * Ephraim Cabot, '' Desire Under the Elms'', The Marshall Migatz Memorial Season, Academy Festival Theatre, Lake Forest, Illinois, 1974. * ''Behind the Broken Words (poetry reading)'', With Anthony Zerbe. Washington Theatre Club, Washington, DC, 1974, revived at American Place Theatre, 1981, and

Denver Center for the Performing Arts The Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA) is an organization in Denver Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 censu ...

, Denver, CO, 2002. * Babu, ''Benito Cereno'', American Place Theatre, 1976. * Albert Perez Jordan, ''Remembrance'', New York Shakespeare Festival, Other Stage, Public Theatre, New York City, 1979. * '' Pantomime'', Goodman Theatre, Chicago, 1981–82. * Right Reverend J. D. Montgomery, '' My One and Only'',

St. James Theatre The St. James Theatre, originally Erlanger's Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 246 West 44th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1927, it was designed by Warren and Wetmore in a neo-Georgian style a ...

, New York City, 1983–84. * M. Noirtier, ''

The Count of Monte Cristo ''The Count of Monte Cristo'' (french: Le Comte de Monte-Cristo) is an adventure novel written by French author Alexandre Dumas (''père'') completed in 1844. It is one of the author's more popular works, along with '' The Three Musketeers''. L ...

'', Eisenhower Theatre, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC, 1985. * '' Joe Turner's Come and Gone'',

Los Angeles Theatre Center The Los Angeles Theatre Center is an institution in Los Angeles, which is operated by the Latino Theater Company The Latino Theater Company (LTC) is a theatre producing organization based in Los Angeles, California. History Latino Theater ...

, Los Angeles, 1989, then Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Pittsburgh, PA, 1989–90. * Holloway, '' Two Trains Running'', Eisenhower Theatre, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 1991, then Walter Kerr Theatre, New York City, 1992. * '' House of Flowers,'' as Roscoe Lee Brown. City Center Encores!, City Center Theatre, New York City, 2003.

Other work

Recordings

* ''Enjoyment of Poetry: Memorial Program for Claude McKay,'' Archive of Recorded Poetry and Literature, 1967. * ''Poems, by Edna St. Vincent Millay,'' Archive of Recorded Poetry and Literature, 1968. * ''Caribbean,'' Random House Audio, 1989. * ''Selected Shorts: A Celebration of the Short Story,'' Listening Library, 1989. * ''

Martin Luther King Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister and activist, one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968 ...

Edition: New Testament Value Pack,'' World Bible Publishing Company, 1991. * ''Audio Bible,'' World Bible Publishing, 1991. * ''Bible for Today, New Testament'', 1992. * '' The Autobiography of Malcolm X,'' with Joe Morton. Simon & Schuster Audio, 1992. * ''

M. C. Higgins, the Great ''M. C. Higgins, the Great'', first published in 1974, is a realistic novel by Virginia Hamilton that won the 1975 Newbery Medal for excellence in American children's literature. It also won the National Book Award for Young People's Literature ...

,'' by Virginia Hamilton Recorded Books, 1993. * '' Kwanzaa Folktales,'' by Gordon Lewis, Warner Adult, 1994. * ''The Word Workout: 10 Easy Exercises for a Stronger Vocabulary,'' Dove Books Audio, 1995. * ''The Complete Sonnets of

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...

: With A Lover's Complaint and Selected Songs,'' Dove Books Audio, 1996. * ''The Poetry of

Robert Frost Robert Lee Frost (March26, 1874January29, 1963) was an American poet. His work was initially published in England before it was published in the United States. Known for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American collo ...

,'' Dove Books Audio, 1996. * ''Masterpieces of Modern Short Fiction'', Audio Literature, 1998. * ''

The Haunting of Hill House ''The Haunting of Hill House'' is a 1959 gothic horror novel by American author Shirley Jackson. A finalist for the National Book Award and considered one of the best literary ghost stories published during the 20th century, it has been ...

'', New Star Media, 1999. * ''

The Bible The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a ...

: Old Testament, King James Version,'' Audio Literature, 2001. * ''The Poetry of Robert Frost,'' New Millennium Audio, 2001. * ''The Poetry of

Walt Whitman Walter Whitman (; May 31, 1819 – March 26, 1892) was an American poet, essayist and journalist. A humanist, he was a part of the transition between transcendentalism and realism, incorporating both views in his works. Whitman is among ...

,'' New Millennium Audio, 2001. * ''KJV on Cassette: New Testament,'' Nelson Bibles, 2003. Narrated the Christmas story on a Christmas card and cassette tape alongside Glenda Hayes who sung silent night

Radio appearances

* Native villager, ''The Endless Road,'' CBS Radio Workshop, CBS, 1956. * Performer of Shakespearean roles for

CBC Radio CBC Radio is the English-language radio operations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The CBC operates a number of radio networks serving different audiences and programming niches, all of which (regardless of language) are outlined below ...

Writings

* ''An Evening of Negro Poetry and

Folk Music Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has ...

'' (readings), Delacorte Theatre, Public Theatre, 1966, produced as ''A Hand Is on the Gate'', Longacre Theatre, New York City, 1966, revived at Afro-American Studio, New York City, 1976–77. * ''Behind the Broken Words'' ( poetry reading), Washington Theatre Club,

Washington, DC ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

, 1974, revived at American Place Theatre, New York City, 1981, and

, 2002.

References

External links

* *
Roscoe Lee Browne on Internet Theatre Database
*
Roscoe Lee Browne
at

Encyclopedia.com Encyclopedia.com (also known as HighBeam Encyclopedia) is an online encyclopedia. It aggregates information from other published dictionaries, encyclopedias and reference works including pictures and videos. History The website was launched by ...

. Retrieved March 1, 2016.
Roscoe Lee Browne profile
at the

University of Wisconsin A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase ''universitas magistrorum et scholarium'', which ...

'
Actors Studio audio collection
Retrieved March 19, 2015.
Roscoe Lee Browne's oral history video excerpts
visionaryproject.com. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
Roscoe Lee Browne biography
TheHistoryMakers.com. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
Profile
blackpast.org. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
Roscoe Lee Browne: My Childhood (video interview)
The National Visionary Leadership Project (NVLP) {{DEFAULTSORT:Browne, Roscoe Lee 1922 births 2007 deaths 20th-century American male actors African-American male actors American male film actors American male stage actors American male television actors American male voice actors Audiobook narrators Emmy Award winners Male actors from New Jersey People from Woodbury, New Jersey Columbia University alumni Deaths from cancer in California Deaths from stomach cancer Lincoln University (Pennsylvania) faculty Lincoln University (Pennsylvania) alumni Middlebury College alumni University of Florence alumni Woodbury Junior-Senior High School alumni United States Army personnel of World War II 20th-century African-American people 21st-century African-American people