Peter Brown (actor)

Peter Brown

Brown as Deputy Johnny McKay in the television series Lawman (1959)
Born Pierre Lind de Lappe
(1935-10-05)October 5, 1935
New York City, New York, USA
Died March 21, 2016(2016-03-21) (aged 80)
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
Cause of death Parkinson's disease
Alma mater University of California, Los Angeles
Occupation Film and television actor
Years active 1957–2005
Spouse(s)
  • Diane Jergens (m. 1958; div. 1960)
  • Sandy Edmundson (m. 1964; div. 1971)
  • Liliane Alice Yvette Safargy (m. 1971; div. 1974)
  • Mary Kathleen Gauba (m. 1986; div. 1999)
  • Kerstin Kern (m. 2008–16)
Children Three

Pierre Lind de Lappe, known as Peter Brown (October 5, 1935 – March 21, 2016), was an American actor best known for his four-year role as young Deputy Johnny McKay opposite John Russell as Marshal Dan Troop in the 1958 to 1962 ABC/Warner Brothers western television series, Lawman and as Texas Ranger Chad Cooper on NBC's Laredo from 1965 to 1967.[1]

Early life

Brown was born in New York City. His mother, Mina Reaume, was a stage and radio actress, playing the "Dragon Lady" on the Terry and the Pirates radio serial. He had an older brother, Phillip, and two younger half brothers, Paul and Michael. Peter took the name Brown from his stepfather, Albert Brown.

During his United States Army service in Alaska with the 2nd Infantry Division (United States), Brown became involved in writing, directing and acting in plays to entertain the other troops. Upon his discharge, Brown studied Drama at the University of California, Los Angeles and soon was appearing in plays and on NBC Matinee Theatre. Brown also supported himself by working in a gasoline station on the Sunset Strip. One night a man paid for his purchase with a credit card reading "Jack L. Warner". Brown asked the customer whether he was one of the Warner Brothers, the man replied "I'm the last one left".[2] The next day Brown was offered a screen test at the studio.

Career

As a contract player for Warner Brothers, Brown appeared in the films Red Nightmare and Darby's Rangers. Though his role in Onionhead was cut from the completed film, the producer Julius Schermer hired him for Deputy Johnny McKay in Lawman, an important part that lasted from 1958 to 1962. Brown was the last surviving member of the series. Brown also appeared in the 1962 film, Merrill's Marauders.

Brown appeared in dozens of other television shows and did several crossovers with other western series as Johnny McKay, including Maverick, in the 1961 episode "Hadley's Hunters," featuring Jack Kelly as Bart Maverick, along with a host of characters from other Warner Brothers. westerns, including Cheyenne (Clint Walker), Bronco (Ty Hardin), and Sugarfoot (Will Hutchins). In the Cheyenne episode "Renegades" (1958), Brown at twenty-two was cast as 17-year-old Jed Wayne, who enlists in the United States Army after his father is killed in an attack by Comanche renegades. Olive Sturgess played Kathy Donovan, who takes an interest in young Wayne and is the daughter of the fort commander, Colonel Ralph Donovan (Bartlett Robinson), who distrusts the Indians. The episode also focuses on the spirit and endurance of Wayne's mortally lame horse and the wisdom of the Comanche chief, Little Elk (Steve Darrell).[3]

Brown twice guest-starred in another ABC/WB western, Colt .45, with Wayde Preston. He appeared as Dave with Andrew Duggan and Bob Steele, who were cast as Jim Rexford and Sergeant Granger respectively in "The Peacemaker" or "Judgment Day", the series premiere in 1957. Thereafter that same season, he was cast as Jimmy Benedict opposite Charles Bronson as the outlaw Danny Arnold in the episode "Young Gun". In the story line, Benedict, who wants to make a name for himself, challenges Arnold to a gunfight.[4]

After his contract with Warner Brothers lapsed, Brown made two films for Walt Disney Studios, including Summer Magic with Hayley Mills and Burl Ives. He appeared in other television series too, such as Redigo, starring Richard Egan as a New Mexico rancher. He contracted to Universal Pictures for the 1965 NBC western television series Laredo, set on the Mexican border in and about Laredo, Texas.

Brown appeared in the pilot for Police Woman, starring Angie Dickinson.

Brown began the 1970s in exploitation films such as Foxy Brown, Chrome and Hot Leather, and Rape Squad and many soap operas. On Days of Our Lives, he played Dr. Greg Peters from 1972-1979 who was involved in a romance with Amanda Howard (Mary Frann). He was Laurie Brooks' attorney, Robert Laurence, on The Young and the Restless (1981-1982) when she was on trial for the murder of her former mother-in-law, Vanessa Prentiss. After the storyline ended, he romanced Laurie's sister, Leslie Brooks, but that ended when his wife Claire came out of a long comatose state. He would return briefly to "Y&R" in between soap stints in the late 1980s. Peter replaced John Shearin as Roger Forbes on Loving during its early days, but was written out after only a couple of months. From 1986-1987, he played Charles Sanders, former ambassador to Mendora on One Life to Live whose family briefly dominated the front-burner of the soap. His character memorably had a heart attack and died on the evening of his wedding to Lee Halpern. Later on, he played Blake Hayes on The Bold and the Beautiful, the ex-husband of Dr. Taylor Forrester. He continued to perform in various American television guest-star roles.

Personal life

Brown was married five times. His wives were:

Brown had a son, Joshua (born 1977), by Amber Karlson, with whom he lived from 1974 until 1979.

Brown had a daughter, Christi (born in 1961), by Merle Pertile.

Brown's brother, Phil, worked as an NBC Television West Coast operations coordinator in Burbank, California.

Brown died on March 21, 2016 in Phoenix, Arizona, from complications of Parkinson's disease, aged 80.[5]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1957 The Story of Esther Costello Swimmer Uncredited
1957 Sayonara 2nd MP Uncredited voice
1958 Darby's Rangers Pvt. / Cpl. Rollo Burns
1958 Too Much, Too Soon Young Nightclub Patron Uncredited
1958 Marjorie Morningstar Alec Uncredited
1958 Violent Road Marine Corporal Uncredited
1958 No Time for Sergeants Radio Disc Jockey Uncredited voice
1958 Onionhead Clark Scenes deleted
1959 Westbound Army Sentry Outside Tent Uncredited voice
1962 Merrill's Marauders Bullseye
1962 Red Nightmare Bill Martin Short film
1963 Summer Magic Tom Hamilton
1964 Tiger Walks, AA Tiger Walks Vern Goodman
1964 Ride the Wild Surf Chase Colton
1964 Kitten with a Whip Ron
1970 Attack at Dawn Abie
1971 Teenage Tease
1971 Chrome and Hot Leather Al
1972 Piranha, Piranha Jim Pendrake
1973 Gentle Savage - Executive producer
1974 Foxy Brown Steve Elias
1974 Memory of Us Winston
1974 Act of Vengeance Jack
1975 Sunburst The Professor
1976 Sparkle - Executive producer
1982 Concrete Jungle, TheThe Concrete Jungle Danny
1986 Aurora Encounter, TheThe Aurora Encounter Sheriff
1986 Messenger, TheThe Messenger Harris
1990 Deathstone Admiral
1995 Fists of Iron Max
1997 Asylum Dr. Frank Meyers
1999 Wasteland Justice Wilkerson
2001 Wedding Planner, TheThe Wedding Planner Justice
2004 Hollywood, It's a Dog's Life Hank O'Hara
2004 Y.M.I. Glenn
2004 Land of the Free? Sen. Jacobs
2005 Three Bad Men Tom Noland
2005 Hell to Pay Johnny Behan
Television credits
Year Title Role Notes
1957 Colt .45 Jimmy Benedict in “Young Gun”, Dave in “The Peacemaker”
1957-1960 Maverick Chris Semple in “Point Blank” (1957), Rip Fallon in “Stage West” (1957), Deputy Johnny McKay in “Hadley's Hunters” (1960)
1957-1962 Cheyenne Clay Conover in “Top Hand” (1957), Jed Wayne in “Renegades” (1958), Billy Younger in “Ghost of the Cimarron” (1958), Ross Andrews in “Pocketful of Stars” (1962)
1958-1959 Sugarfoot Davey Reeder in “Hideout” (1958), Deputy Johnny McKay in “Trial of the Canary Kid” (1959)
1958-1962 Lawman Deputy Johnny McKay 156 episodes
1962 Hawaiian Eye Teo Episode: “Lalama Lady”
1962 77 Sunset Strip Timmy Ellison in “The Gang's All Here”, Trace Morgan in “Wolf! Cried the Blonde” (1962)
1963 Gallant Men, TheThe Gallant Men Lt. Hodges Episode: “The Bridge“
1963 Alfred Hitchcock Hour, TheThe Alfred Hitchcock Hour Ed in “Forecast: Low Clouds and Coastal Fog“, Det. Philip Reardon in “Death of a Cop“
1963 Redigo Johnny Porter in “The Blooded Bull“
1963-1964 Wagon Train Benedict O’Brien in “The Adam MacKenzie Story” (1963), Aaron Balfour in “The Geneva Balfour Story” (1964), Ben Campbell in “Those Who Stay Behind” (1964)
1964 Kraft Suspense Theatre Lieutenant Ben Hollister in “The Action of the Tiger”, Chris Forrester in “One Tiger to a Hill”
1964-1967 Virginian, TheThe Virginian Craig Ryan in “Return a Stranger” (1964), Chad Cooper in “We've Lost a Train” (1965), Tom Conlan in “A Small Taste of Justice” (1967)
1965-1967 Laredo Chad Cooper 56 episodes, three of which are a credit only. Credited as Chad Cooper/Prince Lazlo in “A Prince of a Ranger” (1966)
1967 Danny Thomas Hour, TheThe Danny Thomas Hour Eddie Kimble Episode: “The Enemy“
1969 Best Years, TheThe Best Years Dempster Made-for-television movie
1969 Mod Squad Lou Franklin Episode: “The Debt”
1970 Hunters Are for Killing Raymond Pera Made-for-television movie
1970 Most Deadly Game, TheThe Most Deadly Game Scott Norton Episode: “War Games”
1971 My Three Sons Mike Turley Episode: “The Love God”
1971 Dan August Fred Bowers Episode: “The Manufactured Man”
1971 Mission: Impossible Johnny Brown Episode: “Blind”
1971 O'Hara, U.S. Treasury S.A. Bart Herron Episode: “Operation: Spread”
1972 Medical Center Dr. Musante Episode: “Deadlock”
1972 Bob Newhart Show, TheThe Bob Newhart Show Stan Conners Episode: “Tennis, Emily?”
1972-1978 Days of Our Lives Dr. Greg Peters 10 episodes (four in 1972, two 1973, one in 1976, three in 1978)
1973 Magician, TheThe Magician Ray Weaver Episode: “The Vanishing Lady”
1974 Police Story Lloyd in “The Gamble”, Chuck in “Love, Mabel”
1975 Marcus Welby, M.D. Mike Ross Episode: “The Covenant”
1975 Matt Helm Episode: “Dead Men Talk”, Episode: “Murder on Ice”
1975 Police Woman Paul Monarch Episode: “Above and Beyond”
1977 Streets of San Francisco, TheThe Streets of San Francisco Officer Brady Episode: “One Last Trick”
1977 Quincy M.E. Bondine - College Football Coast Episode: “Main Man”
1978 Wonder Woman Inspector Tim Bolt Episode: “Hot Wheels”
1978 Charlie’s Angels Mark Correll Episode: “Angels Ahoy”
1978 Vega$ Richie Episode: “The Pageant”
1978 Eddie Capra Mysteries, TheThe Eddie Capra Mysteries Episode: “Breakout to Murder”
1978 Flying High Richard Episode: “Brides and Grooms”
1979 Salvage 1 Bill Kelly Episode: “Salvage” (pilot)
1979 Project U.F.O. Steve Rollins Episode: “Sighting 4026: The Atlantic Queen Incident”
1979 California Fever Woods Episode: “Beach Wars”
1980 Dukes of Hazzard, TheThe Dukes of Hazzard Floyd Baker Episode: “Officer Daisy Duke”
1980 Top of the Hill McCain Made-for-television movie
1980 Girl, the Gold Watch & Everything, TheThe Girl, the Gold Watch & Everything Bodyguard Made-for-television movie
1981 Fantasy Island Patrick O'Herlihy Episode: “Elizabeth's Baby/The Artist and the Lady”
1981 Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo, TheThe Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo Hijacker Thompson Episode: “Airsick - 1981”
1982 Dallas Tom Flintoff Episode: ”Denial”
1982 Magnum, P.I. Robert Brighton Episode: “Heal Thyself”
1983 Hart to Hart Ray Martin / Dr. Scott Episode: “As the Hart Turns”
1983 Loving Roger Forbes
1983 T.J. Hooker Lt. Drummer 2 episodes: “Carnal Express” and “Chinatown”
1983 Manimal Carl McGhan Episode: “High Stakes”
1984 Whiz Kids Androv Episode: “Father's Day”
1984 Cover Up Mark Reynolds Pilot episode
1984 Fall Guy, TheThe Fall Guy Episode: “San Francisco Caper”
1984 Riptide Fred Cushing Episode: “Peter Pan Is Alive and Well”
1984-1986 Simon & Simon FBI Agent Frank Kenniman in “The Dillinger Print” (1984), Manny Crobett in “Mobile Home of the Brave” (1986)
1985 Crazy Like a Fox Episode: “Till Death Do Us Part”
1985 Knight Rider Episode: “Knight Behind Bars”
1986 Airwolf Herb Waldron Episode: “Little Wolf”
1986 The A-Team Episode: “The Theory of Revolution”
1986-1987 One Life to Live Charles Sanders, III Featured Role
1988 Ohara Austin Snyder Episode: “Last Year's Model”
1988 Aaron's Way Coach Grady Episode: “New Patterns”
1988 1st & Ten: The Championship Mal Hutchins Episode: “Caught in the Draft”
1989 Hunter Fuller Episode: “Partners”
1989 Generations Doctor 4 episodes
1989-1991 The Young and the Restless Robert Laurence 6 episodes
1990 Baywatch Bucky Episode: “Shark Derby”
1991-1992 The Bold and the Beautiful Blake Hayes 6 episodes
1992 Wings Dr. Lasker Episode: “Noses Off”
1994 One West Waikiki Mr. Dineheart Episode: “Along Came a Spider”
1997 Babylon 5 Minister Episode: “Intersections in Real Time”
2000 JAG Bill Layton Episode: “Real Deal SEAL“
2001 Disney's California Adventure TV Special Made-for-television movie

Notes

  1. ↑ Thomas, Bob (February 8, 1959). "Peter Brown Major Reason 'Lawman' Show Popular". Ocala Star-Banner. p. 11. Retrieved 14 July 2012.
  2. ↑ Peter Brown Biography
  3. ↑ "Renegades: Cheyenne". Internet Movie Data Base. February 11, 1958. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Colt .45". ctva.biz. Retrieved December 22, 2012.
  5. ↑ “Summer Magic” Star Peter Brown Passes Away at 80

References

External links

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