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.
W. Earl Brown | |
|---|---|
 Brown in August 2011 | |
| Born | William Earl Brown September 7, 1963 Golden Pond, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Education | Murray State University (BA) DePaul University (MFA) |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Spouse |
Carrie Paschall (m. 1989) |
| Children | 1 |
Early life
editBrown 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
editAfter 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
editBrown married Carrie Paschall in 1989. They live in Los Angeles and have a daughter, Anna.
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| 2003 | Dunsmore | Ronny 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 Bloodworth | Also 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 McLard | Short film, also co-writer |
| 2013 | The Lone Ranger | Mustached Ranger | |
| 2013 | Beneath the Harvest Sky | Roger | |
| 2013 | Knights of Badassdom | Randy | |
| 2013 | Brother's Keeper | Turner Monroe | |
| 2014 | Wild | Frank | |
| 2014 | Draft Day | Ralph Mowry | |
| 2015 | Chasing Ghosts | Roger Simons | |
| 2015 | Black Mass | Johnny Martorano | |
| 2016 | Porcupine | Owen Talbott | |
| 2016 | Spaceman | Dick Dennis | |
| 2018 | Dad Band | Jim '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
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Angel Street | Patrolman | Unknown episode |
| 1993 | The Untouchables | Jack Zuta | 2 episodes |
| 1993 | The Woman Who Loved Elvis | Pete | Television film |
| 1993 | Bakersfield P.D. | Hood | Episode: "The Ex-Partner" |
| 1994 | Seinfeld | Al | Episode: "The Stand In" |
| 1994 | Murder, She Wrote | Guard | Episode: "Murder of the Month Club" |
| 1994 | Lily in Winter | Sheriff Boyd | Television film |
| 1995 | Ellen | Customer #3 | Episode: "Gladiators" |
| 1995 | The Single Guy | The Cabbie | Episode: "Neighbors" |
| 1995 | Nowhere Man | Roy | Episode: "It's Not Such a Wonderful Life" |
| 1996 | Project ALF | Ernie | Television film |
| 1996 | A Season in Purgatory | Fatty Malloy | Television film |
| 1996 | Caroline in the City | Floyd Gerber | Episode: "Caroline and the Therapist" |
| 1996 | The Cherokee Kid | Calloway | Television film |
| 1997 | Diagnosis: Murder | Dusty Wilton | Episode: "Murder, Country Style" |
| 1997 | Smart Guy | Sonny | Episode: "The Dating Game" |
| 1997 | Bella Mafia | Fredrico Luciano | Television film |
| 1998 | Profiler | Raymond Boudreaux | Episode: "The Sum of Her Parts" |
| 1999 | Martial Law | Larry Gambozza | Episode: "Big Trouble" |
| 2000 | Chicago Hope | Harry Cram | Episode: "Cold Hearts" |
| 2000 | NYPD Blue | Bruce Rhodes | Episode: "Welcome to New York" |
| 2000 | Meat Loaf: To Hell and Back | Meat Loaf | Television film |
| 2000 | Angel | Menlo | Episode: "The Shroud of Rahmon" |
| 2001 | CSI | Roger Peet | Episode: "Justice Is Served" |
| 2001 | Charmed | Shadow / Warlock | Episode: "Pre-Witched" |
| 2001 | Dead Last | Victor Korsky | Episode: "The Problem with Corruption" |
| 2001 | WANTED COMIX | Drew Lujan | Episode: "Frank and Beans" |
| 2001 | Wolf Lake | Bruce Cates | Episode: "Excitable Boy" |
| 2002 | Philly | Billy Temple | Episode: "Brotherly Love" |
| 2002 | The X-Files | Robert M. Fassl | Episode: "Underneath" |
| 2002 | Six Feet Under | Pete | Episode: "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" |
| 2002 | Push, Nevada | Shadrach | 5 episodes |
| 2003 | NYPD Blue | Terry Parkhurst | Episode: "22 Skidoo" |
| 2004 | Cold Case | Victor Lake | Episode: "Maternal Instincts" |
| 2005 | CSI: Miami | Jesse Kramer | Episode: "Whacked" |
| 2004–06 | Deadwood | Dan Dority | 36 episodes; also wrote one episode |
| 2006 | Standoff | Doug Frohmer | Episode: "Man of Steele" |
| 2007 | Numbers | Abner Stone | Episode: "Nine Wives" |
| 2007 | Psych | Dwayne Tancana | Episode: "Bounty Hunters!" |
| 2007 | The Minister of Divine | 'Buzz' | Unsold pilot |
| 2008 | The Mentalist | Rulon Farnes | Episode: "Redwood" |
| 2009 | Hawthorne | Mr. Deegan | Episode: "Trust Me" |
| 2009 | CSI | 'Slick' | Episode: "Appendicitement" |
| 2010 | Justified | Cal Wallace | Episode: "Blowback" |
| 2010 | Miami Medical | Jesse | Episode: "Medicine Man" |
| 2011 | American Horror Story: Murder House | Phil Critter | Episode: "Smoldering Children" |
| 2011 | Burn Notice | Zechariah | Episode: "Besieged" |
| 2011 | Breakout Kings | Cliff Krauss | Episode: "Paid in Full" |
| 2012 | Luck | Mulligan | 2 episodes |
| 2012 | Blue Eyed Butcher | Thomas Dean | Television film |
| 2012 | Perception | Frank Prentice | Episode: "Faces" |
| 2012 | Major Crimes | Jim Martino | Episode: "Before and After" |
| 2013 | The Sixth Gun | General Oliander Hume | Unsold pilot |
| 2013 | Bates Motel | Keith Summers | Episode: "First You Dream, Then You Die" |
| 2013 | Rectify | The Stranger | Episode: "Drip, Drip" |
| 2013 | Rogue | Charlie | 5 episodes |
| 2013 | Longmire | R.J. Watts | Episode: "The Road to Hell" |
| 2014 | Ground Floor | 'Digger' Tomkins | Episode: "Dynamic Duo" |
| 2014 | Grey's Anatomy | Herb Cramer | Episode: "Throwing It All Away" |
| 2014 | Chicago Fire | Dave Bloom | 3 episodes |
| 2015 | American Crime | Tom Carlin | 10 episodes |
| 2015 | True Detective | Detective Teague Dixon | 5 episodes |
| 2015 | Documentary Now! | Mitch Dragando | Episode: "Gentle and Soft: The Story of the Blue Jean Committee, Part 1" |
| 2015 | Wicked City | Captain Dan Wilkinson | 4 episodes |
| 2016 | Archer | Head Biker (voice) | Episode: "The Handoff" |
| 2016–17 | Preacher | Hugo Root | 11 episodes |
| 2017 | Training Day | Chief Wade | Episode: "Wages of Sin" |
| 2017 | I'm Dying Up Here | Teddy | 7 episodes |
| 2017–18 | Superstition | The Dredge | 3 episodes |
| 2019 | Deadwood: The Movie | Dan Dority | Television film |
| 2019 | Reprisal | Witt | 7 episodes |
| 2020 | Hoops | (voice) | Episode: "The Scout" |
| 2020 | The Mandalorian | Taanti | Episode: "Chapter 9: The Marshal" |
| 2022 | The Book of Boba Fett | 2 episodes | |
| 2022 | Hacks | Michael | 2 episodes |
| 2022 | Five Days at Memorial | Ewing Cook | 7 episodes |
| 2023 | Paul T. Goldman | Royce Rocco | 4 episodes |
| 2023 | Hello Tomorrow! | Big Fred | 6 episodes |
| 2023 | The Ghost and Molly McGee | Lord Doom (voice) | 2 episodes |
| 2024 | Yellowstone | Deputy Spears | Episode: “All You Need is Desire” |
Video games
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | The Last of Us | Bill | Voice and motion capture |
References
edit- ^ "Department of Theatre". Murray State University. Archived from the original on October 4, 2013. Retrieved December 25, 2013.
- ^ "From DePaul to "Deadwood": The Scene Stealing Characters of W. Earl Brown". DePaul Advancement News. May 30, 2013. Retrieved December 25, 2013.
- ^ Sean O'Neal (January 6, 2011). "W. Earl Brown". The A.V. Club. Retrieved December 25, 2013.
- ^ Fitz-Gerald, Sean (June 6, 2015). "Here's a Description of the True Detective 2 Premiere". Vulture. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
- ^ Grobar, Matt (December 16, 2021). "'Shirley': Lance Reddick, Lucas Hedges, André Holland, Terrence Howard & More Board Regina King Film As It Heads To Netflix". Deadline Hollywood. Deadline. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
- ^ "Alice In Chains' Jerry Cantrell Joins A Dad Band In New Short Film". Theprp.com. June 15, 2018. Retrieved June 15, 2018.