An All-American halfback while attending the University of Alabama, Johnny Mack Brown chose the silver screen over the green grass of the football field when he graduated. Signed to a contract with MGM in 1926, Brown debuted in Slide, Kelly, Slide (1927) with William Haines in a film about - baseball. This was followed by The Bugle Call (1927), which starred the fading Jackie Coogan. In 1928 he appeared in the last Norma Shearer silent film, A Lady of Chance (1928). After that, he worked with Greta Garbo, Marion Davies and Mary Pickford. His muscular good looks only carried him so far in films, however, and by 1930 he had yet to find his place. At MGM Clark Gable was taking the roles that Brown was up for, so he went into a western for director King Vidor, Billy the Kid (1930). While Vidor did not want him for the part to begin with, the picture was successful; however, Browns career at MGM soon ended. By 1933 he was still making westerns, but they were for low-rung studios like Mascot. More westerns at even lower-rung Supreme Pictures followed, as well as serials like Wild West Days (1937) at Universal. In 1943 Brown took his boots over to Monogram Pictures, where he made over 60 westerns. He started off as Nevada Jack McKenzie in the Rough Riders series, but the name soon changed to Johnny. As with most of the early cowboy stars, he was a hero to millions of young children and consistently among the top ten money-makers in westerns from 1942-50. The bubble burst, though, just as it did for Allan Lane, in 1953, as the days of the B western came to an end.
(archive footage)
Film 2000
Ben Blaine
Film 1928
Party Boy (uncredited)
Film 1927
Kit Carson
Film 1933
George P. Cooper
Film 1933
Russian Officer (uncredited)
Film 1927
Jeff Scott
Film 1939
Brooks Clayburn
Film 1934
Michael Jeffery
Film 1929
Sheriff Aaron Ball
Film 1949
Jim Blake
Film 1936
Brand Calhoun
Film 1941
Sheriff Ben Hall
Film 1965
Larry
Film 1930
Talbot Carter
Film 1937
Johnny Wellington Jr.
Film 1935
Billy the Kid in 'Billy the Kid'
Film 1992
Kirk Baxter
Film 1935
Stockney Webb
Film 1928
Adam Blythe
Film 1934
Johnny Hume
Film 1935
Bob
Film 1927
Marshal Johnny Mack Brown
Film 1951
Jean Lery
Film 1928
Sheriff Ord Keown
Film 1950
Charlie
Film 1932
Jim Wilson
Film 1932
Billy Donovan
Film 1936
Dan Doran
Film 1936
Jack McKenzie
Film 1944
(archive footage)
Film 1976
Jim Warren
Film 1934
Ranger Jeff Hayden
Film 1937
Jim Waters
Film 1937
Johnny Darrel
Film 1937
Tom Mitchell
Film 1937
Lon Cardigan
Film 1937
Jeff Hayes
Film 1937
Cal Sheridan
Film 1940
Dan
Film 1929
'Chip' Bennett
Film 1939
Billy the Kid (edited from 'Billy the Kid')
Film 1939
Barry Holmes
Film 1929
Marshal Nevada McKenzie
Film 1945
Steve Howard
Film 1941
Sheriff Bob Dawson
Film 1941
Larry Prescott
Film 1941
Johnny Macklin
Film 1946
Bill
Film 1928
Blaze Barker
Film 1943
Johnny Mack Brown
Film 1951
Johnny Mack Brown
Film 1951
Johnny Mack Brown
Film 1951
Steve Mason posing as Steve Saunders
Film 1946
Johnny Murdock
Film 1948
Self (archive footage)
Film 1994
Johnny Mack Brown
Film 1950
Tom Baxter
Film 1941
Sam Hurricane Benton
Film 1946
Steve Logan
Film 1940
Steve McLain
Film 1936
Johnny Mack Brown
Film 1952
Johnny Mack Brown
Film 1950
Johnny Mack Brown
Film 1948
Jim Bannister
Film 1940
Johnny Mack
Film 1949
Dude Ramsay
Film 1937
Marshal Nevada
Film 1946
Lee Jamison
Film 1940
Johnny Mack
Film 1948
Marshal Nevada Jack McKenzie
Film 1945
Johnny Mack Brown
Film 1950
Johnny Mack Brown
Film 1951
Johnny- aka The Dog Town Kid
Film 1936
Sheriff Green
Film 1965
Maj. Tex O'Connor
Film 1945
Jeff McLeod
Film 1939
Tom Bryant
Film 1940
Gils Brady / Buck Halliday
Film 1940
Bill Ralston
Film 1940
U.S. Marshal Nevada Jack McKenzie
Film 1944
Steve Hayden
Film 1939
Johnny Bronton
Film 1946
Johnny Mack
Film 1947
Johnny Mack Brown
Film 1952
Enkoff
Film 1965
Neal Wallace
Film 1942
Dusty Gardner
Film 1942
Self
Film 1934
U.S. Marshal Johnny Mack Brown
Film 1950
Buck Brandon & Gils Brandon
Film 1943
Johnny Mack Brown
Film 1952
Steve Collins
Film 1942
Johnny Mack Brown
Film 1952
Bill Fargo
Film 1941
Marshal Jack McKenzie
Film 1943
Nevada Jack McKenzie
Film 1943
Nevada Jack McKenzie
Film 1943
Marshal Nevada McKenzie
Film 1944
Marshal Nevada McKenzie
Film 1944
Marshal Nevada McKenzie
Film 1944
Nevada Jack McKenzie
Film 1944
U. S. Marshal Nevada McKenzie
Film 1944
U.S. Marshal Nevada McKenzie
Film 1944
Dr. John Poore
Film 1945
Marshal Nevada Jack McKenzie
Film 1945
Dusty Smith
Film 1946
Steve Garner
Film 1946
Nevada Jack McKenzie
Film 1946
Johnny McVey
Film 1947
Johnny
Film 1947
John Macklin
Film 1947
Johnny Mackey
Film 1947
Federal Agent Johnny Mack
Film 1949
Johnny Mack Brown
Film 1949
Johnny Mack
Film 1948
Johnny Brown
Film 1948
Johnny Mack Brown
Film 1948
Johnny Mack
Film 1948
Johnny Mack
Film 1948
Johnny Mack Brown
Film 1948
Johnny Mack
Film 1949
Johnny Mack Brown
Film 1949
Johnny Mack Brown
Film 1950
Chuck Wells
Film 1934
Bit (uncredited)
Film 1927
Self
Film 1935
Wally Clark
Film 1932
Self (archive footage)
Film 1976
Film 1931
Warner Griffith
Tv 1957
Self
Tv 1952
Tv 1957