W. Earl Brown

Last updated
W. Earl Brown
W. Earl Brown GalaxyCon Louisville 2011.jpg
Brown in August 2011
Born
William Earl Brown

(1963-09-07) September 7, 1963 (age 61)
Education Murray State University (BA)
DePaul University (MFA)
Occupations
  • Actor
  • screenwriter
  • producer
  • musician
  • songwriter
Years active1991–present
Spouse
Carrie Paschall
(m. 1989)
Children1

William Earl Brown (born September 7, 1963) is an American actor, screenwriter, producer, musician, and songwriter. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Kenny, the cameraman in the film Scream (1996), Warren in the film There's Something About Mary (1998), Dan Dority on the HBO series Deadwood (2004–2006), and the voice and motion capture of Bill in the video game The Last of Us (2013). He has appeared in films such as Backdraft , The Master , Being John Malkovich , The Sessions , Vanilla Sky , The Lone Ranger , and Bloodworth (which he also wrote and produced), as well as series such as Seinfeld , NYPD Blue , CSI: Crime Scene Investigation , CSI: Miami , The X-Files , Six Feet Under , Preacher , Bates Motel , True Detective , American Horror Story , Chicago Fire , Psych , and The Mandalorian .

Contents

Early life

Brown was born in Golden Pond, Kentucky. He earned a bachelor's degree from Murray State University before moving to Chicago, where he received an MFA from DePaul University Theatre School in 1989. [1] [2]

Career

After his breakout performance in Steppenwolf Theatre Company's outreach staging of Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge , Brown began working in television and film. He appeared in films such as Backdraft , The Babe , Excessive Force , and Rookie of the Year . [3] In 1993, he moved to Los Angeles and was cast in Wes Craven's New Nightmare . He also had a minor role in Craven's Vampire in Brooklyn , and a bigger one as a news cameraman working for Gale Weathers in Craven's Scream . He played Warren in the 1998 comedy film There's Something About Mary and later took roles in Being John Malkovich , Vanilla Sky , Dancing at the Blue Iguana , The Alamo , and The Big White .

In 2009, Brown wrote, produced, and appeared in the film Bloodworth . His 2010s film credits include The Master , The Sessions , The Lone Ranger , Brother's Keeper , and Wild . On television, he is best known for his portrayal of Dan Dority on the HBO series Deadwood (2004–2006). He has also guest starred on Bates Motel , Rectify , Luck , American Horror Story , Justified , Six Feet Under , NYPD Blue , X-Files , The Mentalist , CSI: Crime Scene Investigation , Ellen , Seinfeld , True Detective , [4] and others. He also portrayed singer Meat Loaf in VH1's television film Meat Loaf: To Hell and Back. In 2013, he performed the voice and motion capture of Bill in the critically acclaimed video game The Last of Us .

Brown also writes and performs with the country music band Sacred Cowboys.

He is set to appear in the upcoming film Shirley , which stars Regina King opposite Lance Reddick, Lucas Hedges, André Holland, Terrence Howard and newcomer Ethan Jones Romero. [5]

Personal life

Brown married Carrie Paschall in 1989. They live in Los Angeles and have a daughter, Anna.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1991 Backdraft Paramedic
1992 The Babe Herb Pennock
1993 Rookie of the Year Billy Frick (Bullpen Catcher)
1993 Excessive Force Vinnie DiMarco
1994 Wes Craven's New Nightmare Morgue Attendant
1995 Without Evidence Grace
1995 Vampire in Brooklyn 'Thrasher'
1996 Scream Kenny
1997 Kiss the Girls Locksmith
1998 Deep Impact McCloud
1998 There's Something About Mary Warren Jensen
1999 Being John Malkovich J.M. Inc. Customer
2000 Dancing at the Blue Iguana Bobby
2000 Lost Souls William Kelson
2001 Vanilla Sky Barman
2001 Sugar & Spice Hank 'The Terminator' Rogers
2003 Pauly Shore Is Dead Bucky From Kentucky
2003DunsmoreRonny Roy Pritcher
2004 Killer Diller Holister
2004 The Last Shot Willie Gratzo
2004 The Alamo David Burnet
2005 The Big White Jimbo
2005 Kids in America 'Boss' McGinn
2010 Bloodworth Brady BloodworthAlso writer and producer
2010 The Last Rites of Ransom Pride Matthew
2012 The Sessions Rod
2012 The Master Fighting Businessman
2013 A Single Shot 'Puffy'
2013 AIC 23 Alan Poole McLardShort film, also co-writer
2013 The Lone Ranger Mustached Ranger
2013 Beneath the Harvest Sky Roger
2013 Knights of Badassdom Randy
2013Brother's KeeperTurner Monroe
2014 Wild Frank
2014 Draft Day Ralph Mowry
2015Chasing GhostsRoger Simons
2015 Black Mass Johnny Martorano
2016PorcupineOwen Talbott
2016 Spaceman Dick Dennis
2018Dad BandJim 'Jimbo'Short film, also writer [6]
2019 The Highwaymen 'Ivy' Methvin
2021 No Man of God Warden Wilkenson
2021 The Unforgivable Mac Whelan
2023 The Dead Don't Hurt Alan Kendall
2024 Shirley George Wallace

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1992 Angel Street PatrolmanUnknown episode
1993 The Untouchables Jack Zuta2 episodes
1993 The Woman Who Loved Elvis PeteTelevision film
1993 Bakersfield P.D. HoodEpisode: "The Ex-Partner"
1994 Seinfeld AlEpisode: "The Stand In"
1994 Murder, She Wrote GuardEpisode: "Murder of the Month Club"
1994Lily in WinterSheriff BoydTelevision film
1995 Ellen Customer #3Episode: "Gladiators"
1995 The Single Guy The CabbieEpisode: "Neighbors"
1995 Nowhere Man RoyEpisode: "It's Not Such a Wonderful Life"
1996 Project ALF ErnieTelevision film
1996 A Season in Purgatory Fatty MalloyTelevision film
1996 Caroline in the City Floyd GerberEpisode: "Caroline and the Therapist"
1996 The Cherokee Kid CallowayTelevision film
1997 Diagnosis: Murder Dusty WiltonEpisode: "Murder, Country Style"
1997 Smart Guy SonnyEpisode: "The Dating Game"
1997 Bella Mafia Fredrico LucianoTelevision film
1998 Profiler Raymond BoudreauxEpisode: "The Sum of Her Parts"
1999 Martial Law Larry GambozzaEpisode: "Big Trouble"
2000 Chicago Hope Harry CramEpisode: "Cold Hearts"
2000 NYPD Blue Bruce RhodesEpisode: "Welcome to New York"
2000 Meat Loaf: To Hell and Back Meat Loaf Television film
2000 Angel MenloEpisode: "The Shroud of Rahmon"
2001 CSI Roger PeetEpisode: "Justice Is Served"
2001 Charmed Shadow / WarlockEpisode: "Pre-Witched"
2001 Dead Last Victor KorskyEpisode: "The Problem with Corruption"
2001WANTED COMIXDrew LujanEpisode: "Frank and Beans"
2001 Wolf Lake Bruce CatesEpisode: "Excitable Boy"
2002 Philly Billy TempleEpisode: "Brotherly Love"
2002 The X-Files Robert M. FasslEpisode: "Underneath"
2002 Six Feet Under PeteEpisode: "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year"
2002 Push, Nevada Shadrach5 episodes
2003 NYPD Blue Terry ParkhurstEpisode: "22 Skidoo"
2004 Cold Case Victor LakeEpisode: "Maternal Instincts"
2005 CSI: Miami Jesse KramerEpisode: "Whacked"
2004–06 Deadwood Dan Dority36 episodes; also wrote one episode
2006 Standoff Doug FrohmerEpisode: "Man of Steele"
2007 Numbers Abner StoneEpisode: "Nine Wives"
2007 Psych Dwayne TancanaEpisode: "Bounty Hunters!"
2007 The Minister of Divine 'Buzz'Unsold pilot
2008 The Mentalist Rulon FarnesEpisode: "Redwood"
2009 Hawthorne Mr. DeeganEpisode: "Trust Me"
2009 CSI 'Slick'Episode: "Appendicitement"
2010 Justified Cal WallaceEpisode: "Blowback"
2010 Miami Medical JesseEpisode: "Medicine Man"
2011 American Horror Story: Murder House Phil CritterEpisode: "Smoldering Children"
2011 Burn Notice ZechariahEpisode: "Besieged"
2011 Breakout Kings Cliff KraussEpisode: "Paid in Full"
2012 Luck Mulligan2 episodes
2012 Blue Eyed Butcher Thomas DeanTelevision film
2012 Perception Frank PrenticeEpisode: "Faces"
2012 Major Crimes Jim MartinoEpisode: "Before and After"
2013The Sixth GunGeneral Oliander HumeUnsold pilot
2013 Bates Motel Keith SummersEpisode: "First You Dream, Then You Die"
2013 Rectify The StrangerEpisode: "Drip, Drip"
2013 Rogue Charlie5 episodes
2013 Longmire R.J. WattsEpisode: "The Road to Hell"
2014 Ground Floor 'Digger' TomkinsEpisode: "Dynamic Duo"
2014 Grey's Anatomy Herb CramerEpisode: "Throwing It All Away"
2014 Chicago Fire Dave Bloom3 episodes
2015 American Crime Tom Carlin10 episodes
2015 True Detective Detective Teague Dixon5 episodes
2015 Documentary Now! Mitch DragandoEpisode: "Gentle and Soft: The Story of the Blue Jean Committee, Part 1"
2015 Wicked City Captain Dan Wilkinson4 episodes
2016 Archer Head Biker (voice)Episode: "The Handoff"
2016–17 Preacher Hugo Root 11 episodes
2017 Training Day Chief WadeEpisode: "Wages of Sin"
2017 I'm Dying Up Here Teddy7 episodes
2017–18 Superstition The Dredge3 episodes
2019 Deadwood: The Movie Dan DorityTelevision film
2019 Reprisal Witt7 episodes
2020 Hoops (voice)Episode: "The Scout"
2020 The Mandalorian TaantiEpisode: "Chapter 9: The Marshal"
2022 The Book of Boba Fett 2 episodes
2022 Hacks Michael2 episodes
2022 Five Days at Memorial Ewing Cook7 episodes
2023 Paul T. Goldman Royce Rocco4 episodes
2023 Hello Tomorrow! Big Fred6 episodes
2023 The Ghost and Molly McGee Lord Doom (voice)2 episodes

Video games

YearTitleRoleNotes
2013 The Last of Us Bill Voice and motion capture

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References

  1. "Department of Theatre". Murray State University. Archived from the original on October 4, 2013. Retrieved December 25, 2013.
  2. "From DePaul to "Deadwood": The Scene Stealing Characters of W. Earl Brown". DePaul Advancement News. May 30, 2013. Retrieved December 25, 2013.
  3. Sean O'Neal (January 6, 2011). "W. Earl Brown". The A.V. Club. Retrieved December 25, 2013.
  4. Fitz-Gerald, Sean (June 6, 2015). "Here's a Description of the True Detective 2 Premiere". Vulture. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
  5. Grobar, Matt (December 16, 2021). "'Shirley': Lance Reddick, Lucas Hedges, André Holland, Terrence Howard & More Board Regina King Film As It Heads To Netflix". www.deadline.com. Deadline. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  6. "Alice In Chains' Jerry Cantrell Joins A Dad Band In New Short Film". Theprp.com. June 15, 2018. Retrieved June 15, 2018.