---
name: "Joe E. Brown"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/joe-e-brown"
fi1m_id: "joe-e-brown"
imdb_id: "nm0113873"
tmdb_id: 3156
wikidata_id: "Q727112"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "26 July 1891"
died: "6 July 1973"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 3
average_fi1m_score: 76
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 3
updated: "2026-09-20T02:56:01.858769+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."
---

# Joe E. Brown

## Identity

Joe E. Brown

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/joe-e-brown
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** joe-e-brown
- **IMDb ID:** nm0113873
- **TMDB ID:** 3156
- **Wikidata ID:** Q727112
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_E._Brown, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q727112, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0113873/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/3156

Actor. Born 26 July 1891 in Holgate, Ohio, USA. Died 6 July 1973.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 26 July 1891, Holgate, Ohio, USA
- **Died:** 6 July 1973
- **Active:** 1935–1959
- **Also known as:** Joseph Evans Brown, Joe Brown
- **Average Fi1m score:** 76, as actor, over 3 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1930s 74 (1), 1950s 78 (2)
- **Score spread:** 1 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 2 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Comedy 3, Romance 3, Fantasy 2, Adventure 1, Crime 1, Family 1
- **Screen time:** 7 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $92m across 3 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_E._Brown, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q727112, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0113873/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/3156

## Streaming the US now

- **The Roku Channel:** [*Some Like It Hot*](https://film.one/film/some-like-it-hot.md) (92)

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

## Biography

Joe E. Brown was an American actor and comedian. Born in Holgate, Ohio, he began performing as a child in a circus tumbling act, later played professional baseball, and worked in vaudeville before appearing on Broadway in the 1920s.

He became a film star in the 1930s with Warner Bros. comedies and later took character roles. His best-known later performance was as Osgood Fielding III in *Some Like It Hot* (1959). Other credits include *Show Boat* (1951), *Around the World in 80 Days* (1956), *It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World* (1963) and *The Comedy of Terrors* (1964).

Brown was married to Kathryn Francis McGraw from 1915 until his death in 1973.

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

## On Fi1m (3)

- *Some Like It Hot* (1959), Fi1m 92, as Osgood Fielding III — [page](https://film.one/film/some-like-it-hot.md)
- *Around the World in 80 Days* (1956), Fi1m 63, as Stationmaster — [page](https://film.one/film/around-the-world-in-80-days.md)
- *A Midsummer Night's Dream* (1935), Fi1m 74, as Flute — [page](https://film.one/film/a-midsummer-nights-dream.md)

## Complete filmography (70)

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

- *Showbiz Goes to War* (1982), as (archive footage)
- *That's Entertainment!* (1974), as (archive footage) (uncredited)
- *The Comedy of Terrors* (1964), as Cemetery Keeper
- *It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World* (1963), as Union Official
- *The Greatest Show on Earth* (1963), series, as Diamond 'Dimey' Vine
- *Route 66* (1960), series, as Sam Butler
- *Some Like It Hot* (1959), as Osgood Fielding III — Fi1m 92, [page](https://film.one/film/some-like-it-hot.md)
- *Around the World in 80 Days* (1956), as Stationmaster — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/film/around-the-world-in-80-days.md)
- *Screen Director's Playhouse* (1955), series, as Arthur Vail
- *The Christophers* (1953), series, Actor
- *General Electric Theater* (1953), series, as Earl Hall
- *Screen Snapshots: Memories of Famous Hollywood Comedians* (1952), as Narrator
- *Toast to Our Brother* (1951), as Fraternity Alumnus
- *Schlitz Playhouse of Stars* (1951), series, Actor
- *Show Boat* (1951), as Cap'n Andy Hawks
- *The Tender Years* (1948), as Will Norris
- *Pin Up Girl* (1944), as Eddie Hall
- *Casanova in Burlesque* (1944), as Joseph M. Kelly Jr.
- *Chatterbox* (1943), as Rex Vane
- *The Daring Young Man* (1942), as Jonathan Peckinpaw / Grandma Peckinpaw
- *Joan of Ozark* (1942), as Cliff Little
- *Shut My Big Mouth* (1942), as Wellington Holmes
- *Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 2* (1941), Actor
- *Rodeo Dough* (1940), as Joe E. Brown
- *So You Won't Talk?* (1940), as Whiskers / Brute Hanson
- *Beware Spooks!* (1939), as Roy L. Gifford
- *$1,000 a Touchdown* (1939), as Marlowe Mansfield Booth
- *Flirting with Fate* (1938), as Dan Dixon
- *The Gladiator* (1938), as Hugo Kipp
- *Wide Open Faces* (1938), as Wilbur Meeks
- *Fit for a King* (1937), as Virgil Ambrose Jeremiah Christopher 'Scoop' Jones
- *Riding on Air* (1937), as Elmer Lane
- *When's Your Birthday?* (1937), as Dustin Willoughby
- *Polo Joe* (1936), as Joe Bolton
- *Earthworm Tractors* (1936), as Alexander Botts
- *Sons o' Guns* (1936), as Jimmy Canfield
- *A Midsummer Night's Dream* (1935), as Flute — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/a-midsummer-nights-dream.md)
- *Bright Lights* (1935), as Joe Wilson
- *Alibi Ike* (1935), as Frank "Ike" Farrell
- *Screen Snapshots Series 14, No. 8* (1935), Actor
- *6 Day Bike Rider* (1934), as Wilfred
- *The Circus Clown* (1934), as Happy Howard / Chuckles
- *A Very Honorable Guy* (1934), as 'Feet' Samuels
- *Son of a Sailor* (1933), as Handsome
- *Elmer, the Great* (1933), as Elmer Kane
- *You Said a Mouthful* (1932), as Joe Holt
- *The Tenderfoot* (1932), as Calvin Jones
- *Fireman, Save My Child* (1932), as 'Smokey' Joe Grant
- *Local Boy Makes Good* (1931), as John Augustus Miller
- *Broadminded* (1931), as Ossie Simpson
- *How I Play Golf, by Bobby Jones No. 1: 'The Putter'* (1931), Actor
- *The Stolen Jools* (1931), as Robbery Suspect
- *Sit Tight* (1931), as Jojo
- *Going Wild* (1930), as Rollo Smith
- *Screen Snapshots Series 10, No. 5* (1930), as Joe E. Brown
- *Maybe It's Love* (1930), as Yates
- *The Lottery Bride* (1930), as Hoke
- *Top Speed* (1930), as Elmer Peters
- *Hold Everything* (1930), as Gink Schiner
- *Song of the West* (1930), as Hasty
- *Sally* (1930), as Grand Duke Connie
- *Painted Faces* (1929), as Hermann / Beppo
- *On With the Show!* (1929), as Joe Beaton
- *My Lady's Past* (1929), as Sam Young
- *Molly and Me* (1929), Actor
- *Take Me Home* (1928), as Bunny
- *The Circus Kid* (1928), as King Kruger
- *Hit of the Show* (1928), as Twisty
- *Crooks Can't Win* (1928), as Jimmy Wells
- *Twinkle, Twinkle* (1927), as P.T. Robinson

## Gallery

- ![Joe E. Brown](https://film.one/media/person/59236/gallery-741aea1aa170.jpg) Joe E. Brown — CBS Radio, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/Joe_E._Brown_1945.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Ad for theEarle Theater showing the American musical comedy film Hold Everything (1930).](https://film.one/media/person/59236/gallery-318b9031f968.jpg) Ad for theEarle Theater showing the American musical comedy film Hold Everything (1930). — Self Scanned, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f0/1930_-_Earle_Theater_-_28_Apr_MC_-_Allentown_PA.jpg/1280px-1930_-_Earle_Theater_-_28_Apr_MC_-_Allentown_PA.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Photograph of Eleanor Roosevelt with celebrities taking part in President's Birthday Ball fundraising activities to benefit the fight against infantile paralysi (1945)](https://film.one/media/person/59236/gallery-285897c26616.jpg) Photograph of Eleanor Roosevelt with celebrities taking part in President's Birthday Ball fundraising activities to benefit the fight against infantile paralysi (1945) — Unknown or not provided, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ac/Birthday-Ball-Group-1945.jpg/1280px-Birthday-Ball-Group-1945.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Bride 66 Subjects (LCTGM): motion pictures, actors (1930)](https://film.one/media/person/59236/gallery-95e16387f144.jpg) Bride 66 Subjects (LCTGM): motion pictures, actors (1930) — Unknown photographerUnknown photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/83/Bride_66_%28SAYRE_15104%29.jpg/1280px-Bride_66_%28SAYRE_15104%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Joe E. Brown](https://film.one/media/person/59236/gallery-83b72e70c3b6.jpg) Joe E. Brown — Image via TMDB
- ![Joe E. Brown](https://film.one/media/person/59236/gallery-a7bc7392723e.jpg) Joe E. Brown — Unknown authorUnknown author or not provided, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/69/Eleanor_Roosevelt%2C_Gene_Kelly%2C_Charles_Bickford%2C_Veronica_Lake%2C_Joe_E._Brown%2C_Jane_Wyman%2C_Myrna_Loy%2C_George_Murphy..._-_NARA_-_196787.jpg/1280px-Eleanor_Roosevelt%2C_Gene_Kelly%2C_Charles_Bickford%2C_Veronica_Lake%2C_Joe_E._Brown%2C_Jane_Wyman%2C_Myrna_Loy%2C_George_Murphy..._-_NARA_-_196787.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Still from the the American musical comedy film Hold Everything (1930). Subjects (LCTGM): motion pictures, actors](https://film.one/media/person/59236/gallery-e67949e248c2.jpg) Still from the the American musical comedy film Hold Everything (1930). Subjects (LCTGM): motion pictures, actors — Unknown photographerUnknown photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/Hold_Everything_%28SAYRE_15371%29.jpg/1280px-Hold_Everything_%28SAYRE_15371%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)

---
© 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/joe-e-brown