Matinee Classics - Neville Brand Biography & Filmography

Neville Brand ACTOR

PHOTOS

NEVILLE BRAND BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:

Neville Brand was born on August 13, 1920 and raised in Illinois. Following high school, in 1939, he joined the Illinois National Guard and then went on to serve in the U.S. Army during World War II for nine months. He was sent home early due to an almost fatal bullet wound. In 1946, he participated in a U.S. Army Signal Corps film and enjoyed working on it so much that he later moved to Greenwich Village to enroll at the American Theatre Wing and work off Broadway. He also used the G.I. Bill to attend the Geller Drama School in Los Angeles.

While in Los Angeles, he got two extra parts in “Port of New York” (1949) and “My Foolish Heart” (1949) before appearing in the television show “The Bigelow Theatre” in 1950. His first credited film part came soon after, in “D.O.A.” (1950) starring Edmond O'Brien and Pamela Britton, as a psychotic henchman named Chester. This role set the precedent for his role in many films, as he usually portrayed the villain. However, his rough features and gruff voice lent well to these types of roles, so it is not surprising that these characters were given to him. The actor took the part of an antagonistic and untrusting prisoner of war in the Oscar winning “Stalag 17” (1953) starring William Holden and Peter Graves. Brand additionally played the lead of convict envoy James V. Dunn in “Riot in Cell Block 11” (1954). The actor again played his typecast role in “Love Me Tender” (1956), as he killed the character played by Elvis Presley in this film which also starred Richard Egan, Debra Paget, James Drury and William Campbell. Brand also portrayed gangster Al Capone three different times, in the biographical drama “The George Raft Story” (1961), the made for TV movie titled “The Scarface Mob” (1959), and the television series “The Untouchables” (1959) for two episodes.

However, Brand could also play roles that deviated from his regular 'bad guy' persona. He played the lead in the romantic drama “Return From the Sea” (1954) and the sympathetic guard in “Birdman of Alcatraz” (1962) starring Burt Lancaster. In fact, one of his most loved and memorable roles is that of the kind hearted, vociferous, ditzy but efficient Texas Ranger Reese Bennett in “Three Guns For Texas” (1968), which is composed of several episodes of Brand’s show, “Loredo” (1965-67), edited and put together in a feature, and “Backtrack!” (1969).

Throughout his career, Brand performed in variety of films. His involvements add up to him being involved in a whole sixty motion pictures, not limited to “Gun Brothers” (1956), “Cahill, U.S. Marshal” (1973) starring John Wayne, “Angel’s Brigade” (1979), and “The Ninth Configuration” (1980). The actor’s last contribution to movies was his part in the horror/sci-fi “Evils of the Night” (1986). During his participation in acting, he also appeared in over seventy five different television shows and movies.

All through his thirty six year acting career span, Brand was only nominated for one award: the BAFTA award for best foreign actor in “Riot in a Cell Block” (1954) in 1955. Unfortunately, he never actually won any awards, but is remembered as a great actor with a wide range of emotional capabilities. He was also a real life hero, for he served his country during the war. On top of this, he was a man with an insatiable thirst for knowledge, as he had one of the most extensive libraries of books in Hollywood at his time. All live must end, though, and on April 16, 1992, at age seventy one, Brand’s emphysema got the best of him.

Filmography

1985 Evils of the Night

1982 Harper Valley

1980 Without Warning

1980 Fantasy Island

1980 The Ninth Configuration

1980 The Return

1979 The Seekers

1979 Angels' Brigade

1979 Quincy, M.E.

1979 Five Days from Home

1978 Man from Atlantis