From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia John "Johnny" Brown (born June 11, 1937) was an American actor and singer. Brown was a nightclub and stage performer as well as a comic actor, and a regular cast member of the television series Laugh-in. Brown is mostly remembered for his chubby physique, wide ingratiating smile, mobile facial expressions, and easy pleasant joking style. Brown is most famous, however, for his role as building superintendent Nathan Bookman on the 1970s CBS sitcom, Good Times. Bookman was often the brunt of fat jokes via the show's main character J. J. Evans (Jimmie Walker). Brown portrayed Bookman until the series was cancelled in 1979. Other television shows Brown has appeared on include Flip Wilson Show, The Jeffersons, Family Matters, Sister, Sister, The Jamie Foxx Show and Martin. Brown also used to go to school with Walter Dean Myers when he lived in Harlem as a boy. Brown is also the father of actress Sharon Brown,[citation needed] who was born in 1962, and also the father of John Brown Jr. or J.J Brown Jr. Brown had earlier established himself in the Broadway musical Golden Boy, starring Sammy Davis, Jr.; his supporting role was in the part of Ronnie and was featured as the lead voice on the show stopping rouser, "Don't Forget 127th Street". In the early 1970s, Brown starred in a television commercial for the Write Brothers pen, a short-lived product of the Papermate pen company. The commercial consisted of an elaborate musical number, "Write On, Brothers, Write On", led by Brown as a schoolteacher who encourages his chorus line of students to use this pen for their school assignments. In 1997, Brown contributed his voice to the introduction of the compilation album Comedy Stew: The Best of Redd Foxx. In the introduction, Brown tells of how Norman Lear had considered Brown to play the role of Lamont in Sanford And Son, but was unavailable to do so because of his prior commitment to Laugh-In, leading Lear to give the role to Demond Wilson instead.
The Out-of-Towners
(Waiter in Train)
Man in the Mirror
(Wallace Jones)
I'm Through with White Girls
(Sam Moore)
Lord Help Us
(Cephas Thomas)
A Man Called Adam
(Les)
Hanky Panky
(Bus Driver)
The Old Negro Space Program
(Wallace 'Suitcase' Jefferson)
In Da Cut
(Granddad)
Town & Country
(Chauffeur)
Jackie's Back!
(Rev. Eustace Barnett (Pastor, Kinloch Baptist Temple))
Good Times
(Nathan Bookman)
Martin
The Rookies
Kenan & Kel
(Uncle Louie)
The Wayans Bros.
(Maurice)
The Jamie Foxx Show
227
The Jeffersons
Moonlighting
(Sam the Piano Player)
E! True Hollywood Story
Sister, Sister
Punky Brewster
(Chuck)
The Parent 'Hood
Family Matters
(Pastor Fuller)
The Parkers
Archie Bunker's Place
Night Gallery
(Man with Stake (segment "How to Cure the Common Vampire"))
Gimme a Break!
Rickety Rocket
(Splashdown)
Baby Bob
The Flip Wilson Show
(Self)
The Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show
The Leslie Uggams Show
Lotsa Luck
(Ronnie)
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
(Self)
On Our Own
(Mr. Terwilliger)
Out All Night
(Man at Reunion)
The Wayans Bros.
(Bookman)
Love, American Style
(Gordon)
Touched by an Angel
(Johnny Brown)
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
(Regular Performer)