Name
James Brown
Known For
Acting
Birthday
1933-05-03
Deathday
2006-12-25 (73 years old)
Place of Birth
Barnwell, South Carolina, USA
Biography
James Brown (May 3, 1933 - December 25, 2006) was an American singer and songwriter, eventually referred to as "The Godfather of Soul"(GFOS). Brown started singing in gospel groups and worked his way on up. He has been recognized as one of the most iconic figures in the 20th century popular music and was renowned for his vocals and feverish dancing. He was also called "the hardest-working man in show business".
Brown began his professional music career in 1956 and rose to fame during the late 1950s and early 1960s on the strength of his thrilling live performances and string of smash hits. In spite of various personal problems and setbacks he continued to score hits in every decade through the 1980s. In addition to his acclaim in music, Brown was also a presence in American political affairs during the 1960s and 1970s.
Known For
7.716
Jake Blues, just released from prison, puts his old band back together to save the Catholi...
7.36
After returning home from the Vietnam War, veteran Jacob Singer struggles to maintain his ...
5.9
An Afro-American organization, the B.R.O.T.H.E.R.H.O.O.D., is in permanent fight against a...
6.7
Never-before-heard personal recordings and archival footage tell the story of Louis Armstr...
6.9
Ed Sullivan broke barriers by booking Black artists on his Sunday night variety show. This...
5.3
Finally released from prison, Elwood Blues is once again enlisted by Sister Mary Stigmata ...
- 1980 The Blues Brothers as Cleophus James
- 1985 Rocky IV as The Godfather of Soul
- 1996 When We Were Kings as Self
- 1998 Blues Brothers 2000 as Cleophus James
- 2021 Best of the 60s: The Story of Ready, Steady, Go! as Self (archive footage)
- 2009 Soul Power as Self (archive footage)
- 2004 James Brown: Body Heat as Self
- 2005 Live 8 as Self
- 1983 When the Music's Over as Self
- 1991 The Lost James Brown Tapes as Vocals
- 1970 The Phynx as James Brown
- 2013 Fathers and Songs: Music for Father's Day as Self (archive footage)
- 2021 Nueva York: A Musical History of Latin New York as Self (archive footage)
- 2002 Beat the Devil as Mr. James Brown
- 1964 The T.A.M.I. Show as Self
- 2008 James Brown - The Night James Brown Saved Boston as Self (archive footage)
- 1985 James Brown - Live At Chastain Park as Himself
- 2008 James Brown Live At The Apollo '68 as Self
- 2003 Paper Chasers
- 2005 Robots as Diesel (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 2011 The Real Rocky as Self (archive footage)
- 1981 James Brown: Live at Montreux as Self
- 2021 Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, and Rage as Self (archive footage)
- 2014 James Brown - The Man, The Music & The Message as Self
- 1971 James Brown: Love Power Peace as Self
- 2014 Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown as Self (archive footage)
- 1974 The Midnight Special Legendary Performances 1974 as Self
- 1965 Ski Party as Self
- 1993 RapLine as Self
- 1989 Legends of Rock 'n' Roll as James Brown
- 2012 Yo! The Story of ‘Yo! MTV Raps’ as Self (archive footage)
- 2004 James Brown: Live as Self
- 2004 Casey Kasem's Rock 'n' Roll Goldmine: The Soul Years as Self (archive footage)
- 2003 The Giants of Black Music as Self
- 2003 James Brown: Soul Survivor as Self
- 2022 Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues as Self (archive footage)
- 1991 James Brown Live in Berlin
- 2006 Frankie Laine: An American Dreamer as Self (archive footage)
- 1978 James Brown Soul Brother No. 1
- 2014 The Story of Funk: One Nation Under a Groove
- 2006 George Clinton: Tales of Dr Funkenstein as Self (archive footage)
- 2016 A Tale of James Brown as Self (archive footage)
- 2008 James Brown Live At The Boston Garden - April 5, 1968 as Self
- 2001 The UB40: Story of Reggae as Drummer
- 1983 Doctor Detroit as Bandleader
- 1995 Cincinnati's Rock 'N Roll Legends as Self
- 2002 Undercover Brother as Self
- 2001 Rhythm and Blues 40: A Soul Spectacular as Self
- 2004 TV in Black: The First Fifty Years as Self (archive footage)
- 2002 The Tuxedo as James Brown
- 2014 Finding the Funk as Self
- 1974 James Brown: Soul Train 1973-1974 as Self
- 2019 Africa Rising as Self - Musician (archive footage)
- 2002 It's Black Entertainment as Self (archive footage)
- 2018 1968: A Year of War, Turmoil and Beyond as Self (archive footage)
- 1987 James Brown & Friends: A Night of Super Soul as Self
- 2019 The Apollo as Self (archive footage)
- 2008 Pavarotti The Duets as Self
- 2007 The Midnight Special Legendary Performances: More 1977
- 2009 Sex in '69: The Sexual Revolution in America as Self
- 1999 James Brown: Live From The House Of Blues as Self
- 2019 Nice Girls Don't Stay for Breakfast as Self - Singer (archive footage)
- 2020 The AGFA Mystery Mixtape Vault as (archive footage)
- 2023 Sunday Best: The Untold Story of Ed Sullivan as Self (archive footage)
- 2003 James Brown - Live at Chastain Park Atlanta 1980
- Soon Say Hello to Our Good Friend Paul Shaffer as Self (archive footage)
- 1998 Holy Man as James Brown
- 2025 Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music as Self (archive footage)
- 2007 James Brown: Living in America
- 2006 Full Length & Fabulous: The Beckhams' World Cup Party as Self
- 2005 Rock 'N' Roll Forever: Ed Sullivan's Greatest Hits as Self (archive)
- 2026 The Godfather of Soul as Self (archive footage)
- 2016 Andy Warhol, Fluorescent as (archive footage)
- 1997 Soulmates as Self
- 1985 Motown Returns to the Apollo
- 1991 A Party For Richard Pryor as Self
- 1994 Duckman ( 1 episode ) as Hostage Negotiator (voice)
- 1989 The Simpsons ( 1 episode ) as James Brown (voice)
- 1984 Miami Vice ( 1 episode ) as Lou De Long
- 1997 The View ( 1 episode ) as Self
- 2020 70 Years of Youth Revolt ( 1 episode ) as Self (archive footage)
- 1996 TFI Friday ( 1 episode ) as Self
- 2006 Web Junk 20 ( 1 episode )
- 1986 Amen ( 1 episode )
- 1964 The Hollywood Palace ( 2 episodes ) as Self
- 1964 Shindig! ( 1 episode ) as Self
- 1969 The Music Scene ( 1 episode )
- 1970 The Flip Wilson Show ( 1 episode ) as Self
- 1986 Throb ( 1 episode )
- 1999 Where Are They Now? ( 1 episode ) as Self
- 1969 Playboy After Dark ( 2 episodes )
- 1978 The Kennedy Center Honors ( 1 episode ) as Self
- 2001 The Hire ( 1 episode ) as Self
- 1962 The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson ( 4 episodes ) as Self
- 1948 The Ed Sullivan Show ( 2 episodes ) as Self
- 1961 The Mike Douglas Show ( 1 episode ) as Self - Co-Host
- 2015 Les Fous du Funk ( 1 episode ) as Self
- 2005 Soul Deep: The Story of Black Popular Music ( 6 episodes ) as Self
- 1961 The Mike Douglas Show ( 2 episodes ) as Self
- 1988 Yo! MTV Raps ( 1 episode ) as Self
- 1994 New York Undercover ( 1 episode ) as Self
- 2024 James Brown: Say It Loud ( 4 episodes ) as Self (archive footage)
- 2023 Death by Fame ( 1 episode ) as Self (archive footage)
- 2014 Madam Secretary ( 1 episode ) as James Brown
- 2013 The Millers ( 1 episode ) as James Brown
- 2021 1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything ( 1 episode ) as Self (archive footage)
- 1990 The Word ( 1 episode )
