Feature _____________ L
TI he CI ac I camas P rint
WEdNEsdAy, J anuary 17, 2001
Former actor takes us behind the scenes of Hollywood
MAGGIE JIRASEK
hair and no brain, so they hired
me,” stated Brown.
He played in several movies
including: The Spirit of St.
Acting in major motion pic Lewis, Blazing Saddles, High
tures and meeting celebrities Noon, Battle Ground, Sands of
such -as John Wayne, Robert Iwo Jima, Wake of the Red
Redford, Elizabeth Taylor and Witch and Black Board Jungle.
Burt Reynolds, were daily oc He has worked with actors such
currences in the life of 69 year- as John Wayne, Robert
old Robert Brown, former actor Redford, Jack Elam, Elisabeth
and student at Clackamas since Taylor, Kirk Douglas, Burt
1985.
Reynolds, James Cagney,
Brown was born in Oregon in Walter Matheau, Jerry Lewis,
1931 during the Great Depres James Dean and Bob Hope.
sion. His family moved to the
Acting and working with fa
California coast as his stepfa mous actors and actresses was
ther, who was a commercial an inspiring experience for
fisherman, looked for work.
Brown and soon he figured out
“We were travelling around how to approach a career in the
for awhile with my mom and my movie business.
stepfather and finally ended up
“You get to talk to all the fa
in a small town called St. Pedro mous actors on the set: you go
in California
out for lunch,
where I also
hang out with
went to high
them, have a
Some of the de
school,” said
beer with them
mands they made
Brown.
and go to their
After gradu
parties,” said
to get a part were
ating from high
Brown. “If you
a little more than
school, Brown
want to go any-
attended a com
where in the
I could
Robert
munity college
movie busi
Brown
handle
close to his
ness, you have
student
hometown and
to find some
then went on to
body you can
California State University, tie your coat strings to in or
studied biological sciences, der to get into the movies.
and graduated in 1960.
That’s how you do it. You hang
In 1947, as a tall, good-look around, you go to castings and
ing young man with broad your whole day is tied up go
shoulders, Brown started act ing to castings until all of the
ing.
sudden you stumble on some
“Acting was not really what one like John Wayne and you
I wanted to do, but it was an make friends with him.”
opportunity,” said Brown. “You
Brown describes Wayne as a
can make some pretty big bucks down-to-earth person who had
in a short period of time with his own beliefs and stood up
out being tied to anything.”
for them.
After attending some of the
“He wasn’t near as tough as
castings, Brown was soon he was portrayed in most of his
hired as a part-time actor.
movies,” explained Brown. “He
“At first they told me to go was a strong character and
away, but I didn’t let them probably more willing to give
scare me. I just showed up at somebody a break than any
some of the castings and even body else down there.”
tually they needed a tall fellow
Although acting gave Brown
with broad shoulders, lots of the opportunity to explore him-
Feature Co-Editor
Photo contributed by Robert Brown
Clackamas student Robert Brown, who is now 69, played in the movie "Wake of the Red
Witch," above, at the age of 18. He has worked with actors such as John Wayne, Robert
Redford and Burt Reynolds. Now he works as a broker, owns his own real estate company
and takes classes here.
self and assume someone else’s posts and currently works as a and if I can give a little some
identity for a short period of broker.
thing to someone else, I will do
time, he decided to quit due to
“ I do real estate consulting. that,” said Brown.
demands he couldn’t fulfill.
I own my own real estate com
There is just one more advice Brown
“Some of the demands they pany,” informed Brown.
has to give to all young adults who
made to get a part were a little
Regarding his future, Brown want to make something out of their
more than I could handle. I’m wants to enjoy his life, help life
talking about sexual demands,” others as much as he can and
“When I went to school, I had a
Brown explained. “People are visit his daughter Michelle, wife and three kids. 1 had to work two
the same now as they have al who lives in Germany.
or three jobs at a time. If I can do it,
ways been and one of the big
“My future is probably 30 anybody else can do it,” Brown said.
motivators in life today is sex.” years, and that being the case, “If you want to go to college and you
After quitting his acting job, I’m going to live every one of don ’ t have the money, then get off your
Brown started a new career in them suckers right to the hilt, dead butt. Goto work. You can do it”
the medical laboratory field,
operating medical laboratories.
He has also owned taverns and
restaurants, driven trucks,
worked in wastewater manage
ment, dug holes for telephone
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