---
name: "James Brown"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/james-brown"
fi1m_id: "james-brown"
imdb_id: "nm0113768"
tmdb_id: 7172
wikidata_id: "Q5950"
roles: ["Songs"]
born: "3 May 1933"
died: "25 December 2006"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 5
average_over: 1
updated: "2026-10-05T03:54:40.776160+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# James Brown

## Identity

James Brown

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/james-brown
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** james-brown
- **IMDb ID:** nm0113768
- **TMDB ID:** 7172
- **Wikidata ID:** Q5950
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Brown, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5950, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0113768/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/7172

Songs. Born 3 May 1933 in Barnwell, South Carolina, USA. Died 25 December 2006.

## Details

- **Work:** Songs
- **Born:** 3 May 1933, Barnwell, South Carolina, USA
- **Died:** 25 December 2006
- **Active:** 1980–1990
- **Also known as:** The Godfather of Soul, The Hardest-Working Man in Show Business, Mr. Dynamite, Soul Brother No. 1, James Joseph Brown
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 5: 2 acting, 1 crew, 2 other
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 66 (2), 1990s 82 (2), 2000s 62 (1)
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Brown, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5950, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0113768/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/7172

## Streaming the US now

- **HBO Max:** [*When We Were Kings*](https://film.one/film/when-we-were-kings.md) (83)
- **Netflix:** [*The Blues Brothers*](https://film.one/film/the-blues-brothers.md) (81)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on James Brown

> James Brown is an effective screen performer when the part makes use of his singing. *The Blues Brothers* finds the right role in Reverend Cleophus James, giving his gospel-rooted delivery a purpose within the comedy.

In *The Blues Brothers* (1980), James Brown's Reverend Cleophus James has a sermon to deliver and a song to sing. His performance of “The Old Landmark” helps set the story moving, so the appearance has a job beyond supplying a familiar face. John Landis gives the musical performances room, and Brown benefits from that patience. We enjoyed Brown's number because Landis gives him time to perform, rather than making recognition the whole point of his appearance.

Brown came to these parts with a performing style already well established on stage. His stage act combined gospel-rooted singing, high-energy dancing and call-and-response; a preacher was a sensible part to give him. The live album *Live at the Apollo* (1963) is the useful reference here, capturing the intensity that the films could draw upon. Screen appearances remained an occasional sideline: *Rocky IV* (1985) used him as a performer before a fight, while *Blues Brothers 2000* (1998) brought him back as Cleophus James.

*The Blues Brothers* also puts Brown among musicians whose individual performing styles are allowed to shape their scenes. Aretha Franklin gives Mrs Murphy's “Think” an impatience that is funny in itself, while Brown's preaching delivery has an immediate use in the sermon. Cab Calloway and Ray Charles likewise receive more than a respectful introduction. The comic destruction goes on too long; the musical performances are the reason we forgive the indulgence.

These are small, carefully matched parts, and they set a limit on what we can claim for Brown's acting. We have little evidence here of how he might carry a long dramatic scene or develop a character across a film. His Cleophus James works without giving us an answer to either question. Choose *The Blues Brothers* for the music; patience with the comedy will help.

## Biography

James Brown (1933–2006) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, musician and record producer. He began his professional career in the mid-1950s as the lead singer of the Famous Flames and became a central figure in the development of funk and soul music.

Brown appeared in several films, including as Reverend Cleophus James in *The Blues Brothers* (1980) and its sequel *Blues Brothers 2000* (1998), as well as in *Rocky IV* (1985) and *The Tuxedo* (2002). He was known by nicknames including "The Godfather of Soul", "The Hardest-Working Man in Show Business", "Mr. Dynamite" and "Soul Brother No. 1".

*Sources: imdb.com, en.wikipedia.org, britannica.com.*

## On Fi1m (5)

### Performed in (2)

- *Rocky IV* (1985), Fi1m 52, as The Godfather of Soul — [page](https://film.one/film/rocky-iv.md)
- *The Blues Brothers* (1980), Fi1m 81, as Cleophus James — [page](https://film.one/film/the-blues-brothers.md)

### Crew (1) — the average rests on these

- *Jacob's Ladder* (1990), Fi1m 80, Songs — [page](https://film.one/film/jacobs-ladder.md)

### Also credited (2) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited

- *Robots* (2005), Fi1m 62, as Diesel (archive footage) (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/robots-2005.md)
- *When We Were Kings* (1996), Fi1m 83, as Self — [page](https://film.one/film/when-we-were-kings.md)

## Complete filmography (39)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *The Godfather of Soul* (2026), as Compositor
- *The AGFA Mystery Mixtape Vault* (2020), as (archive footage)
- *Andy Warhol, Fluorescent* (2016), as (archive footage)
- *The Story of Funk: One Nation Under a Groove* (2014), Actor
- *Madam Secretary* (2014), series, as James Brown
- *Get On Up* (2014), as Songs
- *The Millers* (2013), series, as James Brown
- *James Brown: Living in America* (2007), Actor
- *The Midnight Special Legendary Performances: More 1977* (2007), Actor
- *Robots* (2005), as Diesel (archive footage) (uncredited) — Fi1m 62, [page](https://film.one/film/robots-2005.md)
- *James Brown - Live at Chastain Park Atlanta 1980* (2003), Actor
- *Paper Chasers* (2003), Actor
- *Beat the Devil* (2002), as Mr. James Brown
- *The Tuxedo* (2002), as James Brown
- *The UB40: Story of Reggae* (2001), as Drummer
- *Holy Man* (1998), as James Brown
- *Blues Brothers 2000* (1998), as Cleophus James
- *Duckman* (1994), series, as Hostage Negotiator (voice)
- *Black Women, Sexual Politics and the Revolution* (1992), as Songs
- *James Brown Live in Berlin* (1991), Actor
- *The Lost James Brown Tapes* (1991), as Vocals
- *Jacob's Ladder* (1990), as Songs — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/jacobs-ladder.md)
- *The Simpsons* (1989), series, as James Brown (voice) — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-simpsons.md)
- *Legends of Rock 'n' Roll* (1989), as James Brown
- *Amen* (1986), series, Actor
- *Throb* (1986), series, Actor
- *Rocky IV* (1985), as The Godfather of Soul — Fi1m 52, [page](https://film.one/film/rocky-iv.md)
- *Motown Returns to the Apollo* (1985), Actor
- *Miami Vice* (1984), series, as Lou De Long — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/miami-vice.md)
- *Doctor Detroit* (1983), as Bandleader
- *Walk Out* (1981), Music
- *The Blues Brothers* (1980), as Cleophus James — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/the-blues-brothers.md)
- *James Brown Soul Brother No. 1* (1978), Actor
- *Slaughter's Big Rip-Off* (1973), Original Music Composer
- *Black Caesar* (1973), Original Music Composer
- *The Phynx* (1970), as James Brown
- *The Music Scene* (1969), series, Actor
- *Playboy After Dark* (1969), series, Actor
- *Future Shock*, series, Creator

## Gallery

- ![James Brown](https://film.one/media/person/117526/gallery-bb560a54e224.jpg) James Brown — Heinrich Klaffs, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/James_Brown_Live_Hamburg_1973_1702730029.jpg/1280px-James_Brown_Live_Hamburg_1973_1702730029.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Exposició Núria Feliu, Palau Robert (Barcelona) (2024)](https://film.one/media/person/117526/gallery-29e1ae4f3875.jpg) Exposició Núria Feliu, Palau Robert (Barcelona) (2024) — Enric, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f3/011_Exposici%C3%B3_N%C3%BAria_Feliu%2C_Palau_Robert_%28Barcelona%29.jpg/1280px-011_Exposici%C3%B3_N%C3%BAria_Feliu%2C_Palau_Robert_%28Barcelona%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Collectie / Archief : Fotocollectie Anefo Reportage / Serie : [ onbekend ] Beschrijving : Aankomst zanger James Brown op Schiphol Datum : 12 januari 1977 Locati](https://film.one/media/person/117526/gallery-fc15d21b4d51.jpg) Collectie / Archief : Fotocollectie Anefo Reportage / Serie : [ onbekend ] Beschrijving : Aankomst zanger James Brown op Schiphol Datum : 12 januari 1977 Locati — Koen Suyk / Anefo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/32/Aankomst_zanger_James_Brown_op_Schiphol%2C_Bestanddeelnr_928-9757.jpg/1280px-Aankomst_zanger_James_Brown_op_Schiphol%2C_Bestanddeelnr_928-9757.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Lee Atwater with James Brown (4-35) Lee Atwater meeting with James Brown (1981)](https://film.one/media/person/117526/gallery-e226154ce7ca.jpg) Lee Atwater with James Brown (4-35) Lee Atwater meeting with James Brown (1981) — Billie Shaddix, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/35/Al_Sharpton%2C_James_Brown%2C_Lee_Atwater.jpg/1280px-Al_Sharpton%2C_James_Brown%2C_Lee_Atwater.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![James Brown](https://film.one/media/person/117526/gallery-c72233633758.jpg) James Brown — Image via TMDB
- ![James Brown](https://film.one/media/person/117526/gallery-a6b370fd11b0.jpg) James Brown — Image via TMDB
- ![James Brown](https://film.one/media/person/117526/gallery-c4c44d2e1975.jpg) James Brown — Image via TMDB
- ![Writer and Director Alex Gibney accepts the Peabody for Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown. He is joined on stage by Trevor Davidoski, Geeta Gandbhir, Blair  (2015)](https://film.one/media/person/117526/gallery-409df851a325.jpg) Writer and Director Alex Gibney accepts the Peabody for Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown. He is joined on stage by Trevor Davidoski, Geeta Gandbhir, Blair  (2015) — The Peabody Awards, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b9/Alex_Gibney_and_the_crew_of_Mr._Dynamite_at_the_74th_Annual_Peabody_Awards.jpg/1280px-Alex_Gibney_and_the_crew_of_Mr._Dynamite_at_the_74th_Annual_Peabody_Awards.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Chile y James](https://film.one/media/person/117526/gallery-cf3933b724f6.jpg) Chile y James — carlos corzo, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b5/Chile_y_James_-_panoramio.jpg/1280px-Chile_y_James_-_panoramio.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)

## Awards

### Other awards — 2 won

- Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award 1992: Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (won)
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 1986: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (won)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/james-brown