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Roscoe Lee Browne is a Actor American born on 2 may 1925 at Woodbury (USA)

Roscoe Lee Browne

Roscoe Lee Browne
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Nationality USA
Birth 2 may 1925 at Woodbury (USA)
Death 11 april 2007 (at 81 years) at Los Angeles (USA)
Awards Emmy Award

Roscoe Lee Browne (May 2, 1922 – April 11, 2007) was an African-American actor and director, known for his rich voice and dignified bearing. He made a point of avoiding typical black roles, taking part in New York City's Shakespeare Festival Theater, Leland Hayward’s satirical NBC-TV series That Was the Week That Was, and a poetry performance tour of America. In 1986, he won an Emmy Award.

Biography

Browne was the fourth son of a Baptist minister, Sylvanus S. Browne, and his wife Lovie (née Lovie Lee Usher). Born in Woodbury, New Jersey, Browne first attended historically black Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, where he became a member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity and graduated with a bachelor's degree in 1946.

During World War II, he served in Italy with the Negro 92nd Infantry Division and organised the Division's track and field team.

After the war Browne undertook postgraduate work at Middlebury College, Columbia University and at the University of Florence. A middle-distance runner, he won the Amateur Athletic Union 1,000-yard national indoor championship in 1949. He occasionally returned to Lincoln University between 1946-52 to teach English, French and comparative literature. Upon leaving academia he earned a living for several years selling wine for Schenley Import Corporation. In 1956, he quit his job with Schenley to become a full-time professional actor.


Acting career
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, and he voiced an off-screen 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 leads a group of young cowhands avenging the death of John Wayne's character in the movie.



Browne was determined not to accept stereotyped roles that had routinely been offered to black 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 starring Cicely Tyson, James Earl Jones, 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”.

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 increasingly became a guest star on TV on both comedy and dramatic shows like Mannix, All in the Family, Good Times, Sanford and Son, The Cosby Show, A Different World, and dozens of other shows. He also was a regular on Soap where he played Saunders, the erudite butler from 1979–81, replacing Robert Guillaume who went on to his own show Benson. Browne later guest-starred on Benson with Guillaume. His appearances on The Cosby Show won him an Emmy Award 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, which included readings of poetry, some of it written by Browne, as well as performances of comedy and dramatic works.

Browne found additional success performing in the plays of August Wilson, both on Broadway and 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 slave narratives in the HBO film, Unchained Memories (2003).

Best films

Babe (1995)
(Actor)

Usually with

Henry Jaglom
Henry Jaglom
(1 films)
George Miller
George Miller
(2 films)
Robert Swink
Robert Swink
(2 films)
John Musker
John Musker
(1 films)
Source : Wikidata

Filmography of Roscoe Lee Browne (38 films)

Display filmography as list

Actor

Smiley Face, 1h21
Directed by Gregg Araki
Origin USA
Genres Comedy
Themes Medical-themed films, Films about drugs
Actors Anna Faris, Danny Masterson, Roscoe Lee Browne, Adam Brody, John Krasinski, Jayma Mays
Roles Himself (voice)
Rating58% 2.9011452.9011452.9011452.9011452.901145
The story describes an eventful day in the life of Jane F, an unambitious young actress who enjoys smoking cannabis and lives in a Los Angeles apartment with her nerdy, somewhat disturbing roommate Steve. Jane's fateful day begins when she unknowingly consumes an entire plate full of cannabis-laced cupcakes. Realizing her mistake, she makes a list of tasks she must achieve, and how she plans to make them happen. What follows is a relentless stream of disasters caused by Jane's intoxication.
Epic Movie
Epic Movie (2007)
, 1h25
Directed by Steven Soderbergh, Aaron Seltzer
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Fantasy, Action, Adventure
Themes Children's films
Actors Jayma Mays, Jennifer Coolidge, Adam Campbell, Faune A. Chambers, Crispin Glover, Darrell Hammond
Roles Narrator (voice)
Rating24% 1.2101151.2101151.2101151.2101151.210115
Lucy (Jayma Mays) finds that her adoptive father (David Carradine), a museum curator, has been attacked by Silas (Kevin Hart). Before dying, he gives clues which lead her to a "Golden Ticket" in a vending machine candy bar. Edward (Kal Penn) is training at a Mexican monastery to be a monk. Ignacio (Jareb Dauplaise) becomes enraged at Edward's displeasure at the living conditions and has him beaten and thrown out the window. On the way Edward grabs a Monk's "Golden Ticket". Next, the film introduces Susan (Faune Chambers). She is going to Namibia to meet her new adoptive parents. While she orders water, snakes come out and hijack the plane. Samuel L. Jackson (James Walker, Sr.) pops up and starts repeatedly saying "I have had it with these goddamn snakes on this goddamn plane!" and he throws Susan out of the plane so that she would be safe. Susan accidentally falls on Paris Hilton and finds her "Golden Ticket" in Paris' purse. Then the film introduces Peter (Adam Campbell), a mutant, a student at Mutant Academy, who is often teased for his chicken-like wings. One day he asks Mystique (Carmen Electra) to come with him to the homecoming dance, but he ends up bullied by Mystique's jealous boyfriend, Wolverine (Vince Vieluf), and the Headmaster, Magneto (Jim Piddock). As Magneto wills a locker door to open and knock Peter to the ground, another student's "Golden Ticket" falls onto Peter's chest.
Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties, 1h15
Directed by Tim Hill
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Comedy, Fantasy, Adventure, Animation
Themes Films about animals, Films about cats, Films about dogs, Children's films, Mise en scène d'un mammifère
Actors Bill Murray, Breckin Meyer, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Billy Connolly, Tim Curry, Ian Abercrombie
Roles Narrator
Rating50% 2.513052.513052.513052.513052.51305
Jon Arbuckle (played by Breckin Meyer) plans to propose to his girlfriend Dr. Liz Wilson (played by Jennifer Love Hewitt), who is going on a business trip to London. Jon follows her to the United Kingdom as a surprise; After escaping from the kennel, Garfield (voiced by Bill Murray) and Odie sneak into Jon's luggage and join him on the trip. Garfield and Odie break out of the hotel room, then get lost.
Treasure Planet, 1h35
Directed by Ron Clements, John Musker
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Fantasy, Adventure, Musical, Animation
Themes Space adventure films, Seafaring films, Monde imaginaire, Transport films, Time travel films, Sur une planète fictive, Sur la Lune, Pirate films, Musical films, Films about disabilities, Children's films, Films about extraterrestrial life, Robot films, L'Or
Actors Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Brian Murray, David Hyde Pierce, Martin Short, Emma Thompson, Patrick McGoohan
Roles Mr. Arrow (voice)
Rating72% 3.605043.605043.605043.605043.60504
Set in the future, the film's prologue depicts Jim Hawkins as a five-year-old (voiced by Austin Majors) reading a storybook in bed. Jim is enchanted by stories of the legendary pirate Captain Flint and his ability to appear from nowhere, raid passing ships, and disappear in order to hide the loot on the mysterious "Treasure Planet". Twelve years later, Jim (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) has grown into an aloof and alienated teenager. He is shown begrudgingly helping his mother Sarah (Laurie Metcalf) run an inn and deriving amusement from "solar surfing" (a hybrid of skysurfing and windsurfing atop a board attached to a solar sail-powered rocket), a pastime that frequently gets him in trouble.
Morgan's Ferry
Directed by Sam Pillsbury
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Crime
Actors Billy Zane, Henry Rollins, Kelly McGillis, Roscoe Lee Browne, Johnny Galecki, Muse Watson
Roles Peabo
Rating56% 2.805862.805862.805862.805862.80586
A trio of escaped criminals hide out in a woman's home as they await to catch a ferry.
Babe: Pig in the City, 1h37
Directed by George Miller
Origin Australie
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Comedy, Comedy-drama, Fantasy, Action, Adventure
Themes Films about animals, Pregnancy films, Films about cats, Films about dogs, Films about pigs, Films about apes, Political films, Children's films, Mise en scène d'un mammifère
Actors Magda Szubanski, James Cromwell, Mary Stein, Elizabeth Daily, Danny Mann, Paul Livingston
Roles The Narrator (voice)
Rating57% 2.8968152.8968152.8968152.8968152.896815
Set after the events of the first film, Babe (now voiced by Elizabeth Daily) and his master, farmer Arthur Hoggett (James Cromwell), are given a welcome home parade after Babe's success as a "sheepdog". One day, Babe inadvertently causes an accident to befall Arthur, who ends up in the hospital. Esme is unsuccessful tending the farm on her own. A few days later, two men from the bank tell her she and Arthur have not paid their rent on time, and at the end of the month, Esme and Arthur will soon be evicted from their farm. Among the many letters from their fans, Esme locates one saying that if she enters Babe in a sheepdog herding contest, held at a fair far away, she will win a large amount of money. She decides to enter Babe instead, and they leave the farm together.
Judas Kiss
Judas Kiss (1998)
, 1h38
Directed by Sebastian Gutierrez
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Crime
Actors Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Roscoe Lee Browne, Carla Gugino, Simon Baker, Til Schweiger
Roles Chief Bleeker
Rating60% 3.0472753.0472753.0472753.0472753.047275
Coco Chavez (Carla Gugino) and Junior Armstrong (Simon Baker-Denny) are two small-time criminals who make money at blackmail and sex scams. They attempt to break into the big time by kidnapping a computer genius and holding him for a $4 million ransom. To help them, they enlist Lizard Browning (Gil Bellows) and Ruben Rubenbauer (Til Schweiger) who provide firepower and technology. However, during the kidnapping, they accidentally kill the young wife of Louisiana Senator Hornbeck.
Dear God
Dear God (1996)
, 1h52
Directed by Garry Marshall
Origin USA
Genres Comedy
Themes Escroquerie
Actors Greg Kinnear, Laurie Metcalf, Maria Pitillo, Tim Conway, Héctor Elizondo, Jon Seda
Roles Idris Abraham
Rating54% 2.702062.702062.702062.702062.70206
Tom Turner, a con artist, is busted working cons to pay off his gambling debt to a loan shark. He is sentenced by the judge to find a full-time job by the end of the year and keep it, or be sent to jail. He finds work at the post office sorting mail in the dead letter office. Surrounded by quirky coworkers, Tom finds out what happens to letters addressed to the Easter bunny, Elvis, and God, and out of curiosity reads one of the letters sent to God. While reading the letter, sent by a needy single mother, Tom drops his paycheck and it is mailed back to the single mother. When Tom comes to retrieve his paycheck he sees the good it has done and leaves, not knowing that his burnt out workaholic lawyer coworker sees him doing so. Believing Tom sent the money on purpose, she rallies the rest of the dead letter office workers to continue what Tom has started. Tom, becoming the unwilling leader of the group, starts answering more and more letters sent to the post office asking God for help. Hilarity ensues as the group answers more prayers, enriching people's lives, while Tom tries to find love with a coffee bar waitress and keep out of jail.
The Pompatus of Love, 1h39
Directed by Richard Schenkman
Genres Drama, Comedy, Romantic comedy, Romance
Actors Adrian Pasdar, Jon Cryer, Mia Sara, Tim Guinee, Jennifer Tilly, Paige Turco
Rating53% 2.6563852.6563852.6563852.6563852.656385
The film revolves around four friends and their relationships with women. Set to the background of upscale Manhattan bars, lofts and apartments, the guys engage in sharp banter and one-upsmanship. The characters, Mark, a therapist (Jon Cryer); Runyon, a playwright (Tim Guinee); Josh, a playboy (Adrian Pasdar) and Phil, a plumber (Adam Oliensis), try (generally unsuccessfully) to sort out their troubled love-lives. Mark and his girlfriend (Kristen Wilson) are hung up over moving in together; Runyon is hung up over his old girlfriend Kathryn (Dana Wheeler-Nicholson), who has moved to Los Angeles; the womanizing Josh is hung up on Phil's sister, Gina (Paige Turco), who has an abusive husband; Phil, who is married with children, finds himself hung up on an English interior designer (Kristin Scott Thomas).
Forest Warrior, 1h33
Directed by Aaron Norris
Origin USA
Genres Fantasy, Action, Adventure
Themes Environmental films, Children's films
Actors Chuck Norris, Terry Kiser, Max Gail, Roscoe Lee Browne, William Sanderson, Jordan Brower
Roles Clovis Madison
Rating36% 1.8135451.8135451.8135451.8135451.813545
The film opens with a campfire story being told by Clovis Madison (Roscoe Lee Browne) to a group of children, about a man named John McKenna (Chuck Norris) who was killed a century ago in the Tanglewood forest while fighting bandits. McKenna was magically brought back to life...and given the power to transform into a bear, wolf, or eagle. Inspired by this tale, the children dub their group the Lords of the Tanglewood - complete with the following pledge: "We ask you to leave it pure as found; For we are to it forever bound."
Babe
Babe (1995)
, 1h35
Directed by Chris Noonan
Origin Australie
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Comedy, Comedy-drama, Fantasy, Action, Adventure
Themes Films about animals, Environmental films, Films about magic and magicians, Films about dogs, Films about pigs, Musical films, Political films, Children's films, Mise en scène d'un mammifère
Actors James Cromwell, Magda Szubanski, Christine Cavanaugh, Brittany Byrnes, Roscoe Lee Browne, Miriam Margolyes
Roles Narrator (voice)
Rating68% 3.442793.442793.442793.442793.44279
A piglet named Babe is left orphaned after his mother is slaughtered, and is chosen for a "guess the weight" contest at a county fair. The winning farmer, Arthur Hoggett, brings him home and allows him to stay with a Border Collie named Fly, her mate, Rex, and their puppies in the barn.
Naked in New York, 1h31
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Romantic comedy, Romance
Themes Films about writers, Films about sexuality, Films about television, LGBT-related films, LGBT-related films, LGBT-related film
Actors Mary-Louise Parker, Ralph Macchio, Eric Stoltz, Jill Clayburgh, Tony Curtis, Timothy Dalton
Roles Mr. Ried
Rating54% 2.7498452.7498452.7498452.7498452.749845
The film is narrated in flashback by Jake Briggs (Eric Stoltz), a young aspiring playwright, culminating in the production of one of his plays off-Broadway by agent Carl Fisher (Tony Curtis). The play is a flop, at least in part because the lead parts are given to two actors, Dana Coles and Jason Brett (Kathleen Turner and Chris Noth), who are "not right" for the roles. Along the journey, Jake reviews his relationships with girlfriend Joanne (Mary-Louise Parker), best friend Chris (Ralph Macchio), his mother Shirley (Jill Clayburgh), and his mostly absentee father Roman (Paul Guilfoyle). The film ends with Jake and Joanne going their separate ways, mostly because of competing career goals, and Jake hoping to write more plays with greater success.