Belated R.I.P.: Peter Brown

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Most here will not likely recognize the name of actor Peter Brown, but in the 1950s and 1960s he was a familiar face on TV westerns, having starring roles in the late 1950s-early 1960s western tv series "Lawman" (1958-62) and playing one of three Texas rangers in "Laredo" (1965-67) and guest starring in many other tv series of the time. He also made several movies, "Summer Magic," with child actors Hayley Mills and Kevin Cocoran for Disney, "Ride the Wild Surf," and with Ann Margret, "Kitten with a Whip." He costarred with "Laredo" costar William Smith in 1972's "Piranha" and stayed busy as actor up to 2005 with his last movie, "Hell to Pay." Another "Laredo" co-star, Neville Brand, had been Brown's mentor as an actor.

Brown died March 21 at age 80 from Parkinson's, the same ailment our beloved Linda suffers from. He died in Phoenix, Arizona. He was born in New York City on October 5, 1935 but raised in the state of Washington and seemed to be more of a natural fit as a westerner than as an easterner. He was a face, an actor one would think would always be busy because of his incredibly good looks. He didn't become a regular household name but if you watched him in any movie or tv show he was in, he would make an impression on you, and you'd search out other tv shows and movies he was in. He was believable as an actor, despite having a pretty boy face.

Until his death on March 21, he was the last surviving cast member of "Lawman," and one of two last surviving cast members of "Laredo" from the first season of the series, and one of three from season two (when another actor was added because of the possibility Neville Brand was going to leave the series). The surviving cast member from both seasons is William Smith and Robert Wolders from the second, final season. Reruns of the "Laredo" series currently are airing on Get TV weekday mornings and on Saturday afternoon. The show is worth watching because of the comedic interaction between Brown, Brand and Smith.

It was more of a western comedy than a straight western and originally aired on NBC, and was another show the network in their infinite dimmed light wisdom, cancelled. The series also starred actor Phillip Carey, playing their often angry, bedeviled captain who was often frustrated by his three Rangers who had no problem finding trouble, whether it was the trouble they were supposed to be looking for or some of their own making.

By the way, I decided to post this because of Brown having had the same illness as Linda and also, because he passed away in her home state. Two things in common one would probably not say was much of a connection, but there was a third connection: Brown's costar in "Laredo," Phillip Carey, was also born on the same day as Linda, although he was 21 years her senior. I also believe that when minor actors and performers pass, their passing should be noted as well. We should celebrate their lives too. The majors get a lot of notice when they pass but not so much those who were never as big. But, each and everyone of us is likely fond of some small actor or singer who never made much of an impression. And many may even share some of the same lesser celebrities and not know they have departed our world. RIP Peter.

variety.com/2016/film/people-news/peter-brown-dead-died-western-lawman-1201738457/

[erik]

Yes, it is unfortunate that the so-called "character" actors like Peter Brown really don't get noticed all that much when they pass on, especially if they were on TV back in the 1950s and 1960s like he was. And since he was part of that huge surge in TV Western shows that proliferated throughout those decades, it's even more important to remember, given that the Western is really the only entertainment genre, TV and movies alike, invented by Americans.

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Another western actor missed who recently passed away was actor Robert Horton at age 90. he was another of the actors, who, once the western genre died out, did not go on to starring in other tv series although he always found work. He was in "Wagon Train" and "A Man Called Shenadoah," which I think was the first tv series to feature the actor singing the show's theme song. He had a good singing voice. And again, one of the things I've noticed in watching the old tv shows, western or otherwise is how many of them were better structured than many of the current series we have around today. It may be that because I was born during that time, watched many of those shows when I was a kid and remembered many of them fondly. And some not so fondly. Again, better written, better acted, better directed, better produced. Of course, I don't blame the actors today for the quality of their shows. They have to deal with more commercial breaks which cut into the show's run time. A 30 minute show is actually only about 22.5 minutes. In the 50s and 60s, a 30 minute show was actually 28 minutes. Engineers also discovered how to speed up those shows where it was possible to add another three minutes of commercials, cutting the show - but not the content - to 25 minutes.

But, as for Peter Brown and Robert Brown and many of their peers, they are like many of our beloved musical artists: we'll not see their likes again.

Another little factoid about "Wagon Train:" the first episode, the pilot, I think, features an uncredited John Wayne in the background of one of the scenes. Wayne was friends with star Ward Bond and made the appearance just for his friend. It was never noted at the time and one would've thought as big a star as Wayne was, he'd want some face time. But he stayed in the background and from what I remember reading, very few took notice there was a guy on the show who looked like Wayne, not realizing it was him.)