Joe E. Brown
ActingAbout Joe E. Brown
Joseph Evans Brown (July 28, 1891 – July 6, 1973) was an American actor and comedian, remembered for his amiable screen persona, comic timing, and enormous smile. In 1902 at the age of nine, he joined a troupe of circus tumblers known as the Five Marvelous Ashtons which toured the country on both the circus and vaudeville circuits. Later he became a professional baseball player. After three seasons he returned to the circus, then went into Vaudeville and finally starred on Broadway. He gradually added comedy into his act and transformed himself into a comedian. He moved to Broadway in the 1920s first appearing in the musical comedy Jim Jam Jems. Description above from the Wikipedia article Joe E. Brown , licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Career Statistics & Market Influence
Analyzing the cinematic journey of Joe E. Brown reveals a career defined by diverse artistic exploration. With a total of 50 major appearances, the actor has established a significant footprint in global cinema.
Genre Dominance: Comedy
The majority of Joe E. Brown's filmography leans towards the Comedy genre. Audience data suggests that viewers respond most favorably to this persona, though their versatility has allowed for successful crossovers into other categories.
The "Box Office" Signature
With a 34% Success Ratio (movies rated above 6.5), Joe E. Brown remains a reliable draw for studios. Their peak performance was recorded in Showbiz Goes to War, which continues to be the benchmark for their career rating-wise.
Best Joe E. Brown Movies Ranked
Must-watch hits from Joe E. Brown's career based on audience ratings.
Complete Filmography & Success Status
Tracking the career evolution and box office verdicts of Joe E. Brown.
| Year | Movie | Character | Success | More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Classic Movie Bloopers: Uncensored | Self (archive footage) | Average | Similar → |
| 2001 | Nobody's Perfect: The Making of Some Like It Hot | Self | Average | Similar → |
| 1984 | Going Hollywood: The '30s | Self (archive footage) | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1983 | Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage | Self (archive footage) (uncredited) | Hit | Similar → |
| 1982 | Showbiz Goes to War | (archive footage) | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1976 | It's Showtime | Self (archive footage) | Hit | Similar → |
| 1975 | Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? | Self (archive footage) | Average | Similar → |
| 1974 | That's Entertainment! | (archive footage) (uncredited) | Hit | Similar → |
| 1964 | The Comedy of Terrors | Cemetery Keeper | Hit | Similar → |
| 1963 | It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World | Union Official | Hit | Similar → |
| 1959 | Some Like It Hot | Osgood Fielding III | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1956 | Around the World in 80 Days | Stationmaster | Hit | Similar → |
| 1951 | Show Boat | Cap'n Andy Hawks | Average | Similar → |
| 1948 | The Tender Years | Will Norris | Hit | Similar → |
| 1944 | Hollywood Canteen | Self | Hit | Similar → |
| 1944 | Pin Up Girl | Eddie Hall | Average | Similar → |
| 1943 | Show-Business at War | Self | Hit | Similar → |
| 1942 | Shut My Big Mouth | Wellington Holmes | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1941 | Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 2 | - | Average | Similar → |
| 1941 | Polo with the Stars | Self - Polo Player | Flop | Similar → |
| 1940 | Rodeo Dough | Joe E. Brown | Flop | Similar → |
| 1940 | So You Won't Talk? | Whiskers / Brute Hanson | Flop | Similar → |
| 1939 | Beware Spooks! | Roy L. Gifford | Hit | Similar → |
| 1939 | Hollywood Hobbies | Self (uncredited) | Flop | Similar → |
| 1938 | Flirting with Fate | Dan Dixon | Hit | Similar → |
| 1938 | Wide Open Faces | Wilbur Meeks | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1937 | Fit for a King | Virgil Ambrose Jeremiah Christopher 'Scoop' Jones | Flop | Similar → |
| 1937 | Riding on Air | Elmer Lane | Flop | Similar → |
| 1937 | Hollywood Party | Himself | Average | Similar → |
| 1936 | Earthworm Tractors | Alexander Botts | Flop | Similar → |
| 1935 | A Dream Comes True | Himself (uncredited) | Average | Similar → |
| 1935 | A Midsummer Night's Dream | Flute | Average | Similar → |
| 1935 | Alibi Ike | Frank "Ike" Farrell | Average | Similar → |
| 1934 | 6 Day Bike Rider | Wilfred | Average | Similar → |
| 1934 | The Circus Clown | Happy Howard / Chuckles | Average | Similar → |
| 1933 | Son of a Sailor | Handsome | Flop | Similar → |
| 1933 | Elmer, the Great | Elmer Kane | Flop | Similar → |
| 1932 | You Said a Mouthful | Joe Holt | Flop | Similar → |
| 1932 | The Tenderfoot | Calvin Jones | Average | Similar → |
| 1932 | Fireman, Save My Child | 'Smokey' Joe Grant | Average | Similar → |
| 1931 | Local Boy Makes Good | John Augustus Miller | Average | Similar → |
| 1931 | How I Play Golf, by Bobby Jones No. 10: 'Trouble Shots' | Self - Golfer (uncredited) | Average | Similar → |
| 1931 | Screen Snapshots (Series 10, No. 8) | Self | Average | Similar → |
| 1931 | The Stolen Jools | Robbery Suspect | Average | Similar → |
| 1931 | Sit Tight | Jojo | Average | Similar → |
| 1930 | Going Wild | Rollo Smith | Average | Similar → |
| 1930 | Top Speed | Elmer Peters | Average | Similar → |
| 1930 | Hold Everything | Gink Schiner | Average | Similar → |
| 1930 | Sally | Grand Duke Connie | Hit | Similar → |
| 1929 | On With the Show! | Joe Beaton | Flop | Similar → |
Joe E. Brown - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best movie of Joe E. Brown?
According to audience ratings, the best movie starring Joe E. Brown is "Showbiz Goes to War" with a rating of 10.0/10.
How many movies has Joe E. Brown acted in?
Joe E. Brown has been featured in at least 50 major films throughout their career.
What are some other popular movies by Joe E. Brown?
Other notable films include "Going Hollywood: The '30s", "Wide Open Faces", and "Shut My Big Mouth".