About

Known credits:
89
Birthday:
1890-05-10
Place of birth:
Clinton, Massachusetts, USA
Website:
N/A

Clarence Brown

Overview

Clarence Leon Brown (May 10, 1890 – August 17, 1987) was an American film director.

After serving as a fighter pilot and flight instructor in the United States Army Air Service during World War I, Brown was given his first co-directing credit (with Tourneur) for The Great Redeemer (1920). Later that year, he directed a major portion of The Last of the Mohicans after Tourneur was injured in a fall.

Brown moved to Universal in 1924, and then to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, where he remained until the mid-1950s. At MGM he was one of the main directors of their major female stars, he directed Joan Crawford six times and Greta Garbo seven.

Brown was nominated five times for six films (see below) for an Academy Award as a director, but he never received an Oscar. However, he won Best Foreign Film for Anna Karenina, starring Garbo at the 1935 Venice International Film Festival.

Brown's films gained a total of 38 Academy Award nominations and earned nine Oscars. Brown himself received five Academy Award nominations for six films and in 1949, he won the British Academy Award for the film version of William Faulkner's Intruder in the Dust.

In 1957, Brown was awarded The George Eastman Award, given by George Eastman House for distinguished contribution to the art of film. Brown retired a wealthy man due to his real estate investments, but refused to watch new movies, as he feared they might cause him to restart his career.

The Clarence Brown Theater, on the campus of the University of Tennessee, is named in his honor. He holds the record for most nominations for the Academy Award for Best Director without a win, with six.

Known for

Acting
1988 Dead Heat Actor Harry Latham 59
Average
1986 Fats Domino Live from Austin Texas Actor Batterie 59
Average
1938 Hollywood Goes to Town Actor Self 59
Average
1929 Navy Blues Actor Roller Coaster Rider 59
Average
1925 Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ Actor Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited) 61
Fair
1924 The Signal Tower Actor Switch Man 58
Average

Directing
1952 Plymouth Adventure Directing Director 58
Average
1952 When in Rome Directing Director N/A
N/A
1951 It's a Big Country Directing Director 58
Average
1951 Angels in the Outfield Directing Director 59
Average
1950 To Please a Lady Directing Director 58
Average
1949 Intruder in the Dust Directing Director 59
Average
1947 Song of Love Directing Director 59
Average
1946 The Yearling Directing Director 59
Average
1945 National Velvet Directing Director 61
Fair
1944 The White Cliffs of Dover Directing Director 59
Average
1943 The Human Comedy Directing Director 59
Average
1941 They Met in Bombay Directing Director 59
Average
1941 Come Live with Me Directing Director 59
Average
1940 Edison, the Man Directing Director 59
Average
1939 The Rains Came Directing Director 58
Average
1939 Idiot's Delight Directing Director 58
Average
1938 Of Human Hearts Directing Director 58
Average
1937 Conquest Directing Director 59
Average
1936 The Gorgeous Hussy Directing Director 58
Average
1936 Wife vs. Secretary Directing Director 59
Average
1935 Ah, Wilderness! Directing Director 59
Average
1935 Anna Karenina Directing Director 59
Average
1934 Chained Directing Director 59
Average
1934 Sadie McKee Directing Director 59
Average
1933 Night Flight Directing Director 58
Average
1933 Looking Forward Directing Director 59
Average
1932 The Son-Daughter Directing Director 58
Average
1932 Letty Lynton Directing Director 59
Average
1932 Emma Directing Director 58
Average
1931 Possessed Directing Director 59
Average
1931 A Free Soul Directing Director 59
Average
1931 Inspiration Directing Director 59
Average
1930 Romance Directing Director 59
Average
1930 Anna Christie Directing Director 59
Average
1929 Navy Blues Directing Director 59
Average
1929 Wonder of Women Directing Director 58
Average
1928 A Woman of Affairs Directing Director 59
Average
1928 The Trail of '98 Directing Director 58
Average
1926 Flesh and the Devil Directing Director 60
Fair
1926 Kiki Directing Director 59
Average
1925 The Eagle Directing Director 59
Average
1925 The Goose Woman Directing Director 59
Average
1925 Smouldering Fires Directing Director 59
Average
1924 Butterfly Directing Director N/A
N/A
1924 The Signal Tower Directing Director 58
Average
1923 The Acquittal Directing Director N/A
N/A
1923 Don't Marry for Money Directing Director N/A
N/A
1922 The Light in the Dark Directing Director 59
Average
1921 The Foolish Matrons Directing Director N/A
N/A
1920 The Last of the Mohicans Directing Co-Director 59
Average
1920 The Great Redeemer Directing Director N/A
N/A
1917 The Pride of the Clan Directing Assistant Director 59
Average
1916 The Rail Rider Directing Assistant Director N/A
N/A
1916 The Closed Road Directing Assistant Director N/A
N/A

Writing
1922 The Light in the Dark Writing Writer 59
Average

Production
1953 Never Let Me Go Production Producer 58
Average
1951 Angels in the Outfield Production Producer 59
Average
1950 To Please a Lady Production Producer 58
Average
1949 Intruder in the Dust Production Producer 59
Average
1949 The Secret Garden Production Producer 59
Average
1947 Song of Love Production Producer 59
Average
1945 National Velvet Production Producer 61
Fair
1944 The White Cliffs of Dover Production Producer 59
Average
1943 The Human Comedy Production Producer 59
Average
1936 The Gorgeous Hussy Production Producer 58
Average
1936 Wife vs. Secretary Production Producer 59
Average
1935 Ah, Wilderness! Production Producer 59
Average
1934 Chained Production Producer 59
Average
1933 Night Flight Production Producer 58
Average
1933 Looking Forward Production Producer 59
Average
1931 Possessed Production Producer 59
Average
1931 Inspiration Production Producer 59
Average
1930 Romance Production Producer 59
Average
1929 Navy Blues Production Producer 59
Average
1928 The Trail of '98 Production Producer 58
Average
1926 Kiki Production Producer 59
Average

Editing
1918 The Blue Bird Editing Editor 59
Average
1917 A Girl's Folly Editing Editor 59
Average
1917 The Pride of the Clan Editing Editor 59
Average
1916 The Rail Rider Editing Editor N/A
N/A
1916 The Closed Road Editing Editor N/A
N/A
1916 The Hand of Peril Editing Editor N/A
N/A
1915 The Cub Editing Editor 59
Average