David Brian
David James Brian (* 5. August 1910 in New York City as Brian David ; † 15. July 1993 in Sherman Oaks , California ) was an American actor.
life and career
Brian James David, who later turned his name around for his acting career, was probably born in New York City in 1910 (according to other sources also in 1911 or 1914). At first he worked as a bouncer before he began his show career with engagements as a dancer in nightclubs and vaudeville theaters. During World War II he served in the United States Coast Guard . After a few years as a theater actor in New York, he got a studio contract in Hollywood, not least thanks to the help of his friend Joan Crawford . He played his first role alongside Crawford in their film The Road to Success . In 1949 and 1950, Brian followed in major roles in prestigious films such as The Sting of Evil with Bette Davis or the war film 6.6. 6.30 a.m. - Breakthrough in Normandy . Brian, who is 1.93 meters tall and tall, played mainly commanding and leadership figures such as officers, police officers and lawyers. Brian even received a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of a committed lawyer in the racial drama Reach in the Dust by Clarence Brown .
As early as the mid-1950s, however, the film offers for the now graying Dave Brian were falling. He now played mostly dangerous villains in westerns, and he also had a supporting role on the side of John Wayne in the disaster film It's Always Day . But Brian now turned mainly to television work: he played the main role of a prosecutor in the television series Mr. District Attorney in about 1954 , a role he had previously spoken on a radio show. In 1968 he played Nazi leader John Gill in the Starship Enterprise episode Patterns of Force . In addition to his television appearances, Brian occasionally took on supporting roles in films, for example in Frank Capra's last film The Lower Ten Thousand (1961) or in the lavish western epic That Was the Wild West (1963). In the 1980s, the actor retired from the business.
Dave Brian died in 1993 from a combination of heart failure and cancer. From 1949 until his death in 1993, Brian was married to fellow actor Lorna Gray (1917-2017). Brian has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his television work .
Filmography (selection)
- 1949: The Road of the Successful (Flamingo Road)
- 1949: Beyond the Forest (Beyond the Forest)
- 1949: Intruder in the Dust (Intruder in the Dust)
- 1950: In the pay of Satan (The Damned Do not Cry)
- 1950: 6.6. 6:30 - Breakthrough in Normandy (Breakthrough)
- 1951: The Last Fort (Fort Worth)
- 1951: Inside the Walls of Folsom Prison
- 1952: This Woman is Dangerous
- 1952: Million Dollar Mermaid
- 1953: The Hour of Reckoning (Ambush at Tomahawk Gap)
- 1954: Mr. District Attorney (TV series, 12 episodes)
- 1954: Duel in Socorro (Dawn at Socorro)
- 1954: The High and the Mighty (The High and the Mighty)
- 1956: The First Traveling Saleslady
- 1956: Accused of Murder
- 1959: The Rabbit Trap
- 1961: The Lower Ten Thousand (Pocketful of Miracles)
- 1962: How the West Was Won (How the West Was Won)
- 1965: The Charming Jeannie (TV series, an episode)
- 1966: Rancho River (The Rare Breed)
- 1968: Spaceship Enterprise (TV series, episode Patterns of Force )
- 1968–1974: Smoking Colts (TV series, three episodes)
- 1971: The Seven Minutes
- 1972: Cobra, Take Over (TV series, episode)
- 1983–1984: Father's Day (TV series, two episodes)
Web links
- David Brian in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- David Brian at the All Movie Guide
Individual evidence
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Brian, David |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | David, Brian James (maiden name); Brian, David James |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | US-American actor |
| DATE OF BIRTH | August 5, 1910 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | New York City , New York |
| DATE OF DEATH | July 15, 1993 |
| Place of death | Sherman Oaks , Los Angeles , California |