Robert Brown Biography
Robert James Brown was an English actor who starred in many British TV series and films. Born on July 23, 1921 in Swanage, Dorset, Brown had a long and illustrious career that spanned over several decades.
He was best known for his portrayal of the iconic character M in the James Bond film series from 1983 to 1989, after taking over the long standing Bernard Lee after his death in 1981.
Before his role in the Bond franchise, Brown was cast in many film and television and had a starring role in the 1950s television series Ivanhoe, where he played the character of Gurth, the faithful servant of Ivanhoe, played by Roger Moore, and ironically became his boss as M, the head of MI6.
It was his role in Ivanhoe that helped Robert Brown secure his role as M in the Bond films. Brown made his Bond debut in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) as Admiral Hargreaves, but after the death of Bernard Lee, he was offered the role of M, and went on to star in Octopussy (1983), A View to a Kill (1985), The Living Daylights (1987), and his last appearance as M was part of the Licence to Kill cast.
Aside from his Bond roles, Brown had an impressive list of film credits to his name, including The Third Man (1949), Helen of Troy (1956), Shake Hands with the Devil (1959), and Ben-Hur (1959). He also appeared in several TV series, including the popular Jesus of Nazareth (1977).
Robert Brown was married to Rita Becker from 1955 until his death in 2003. The couple had two children. He passed away on November 11, 2003, aged 82, in his hometown of Swanage, Dorset.
