Peter Brown (actor)
American actor (1935-2016)
title: "Peter Brown (actor)" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1935-births", "2016-deaths", "20th-century-american-male-actors", "21st-century-american-male-actors", "american-male-film-actors", "american-male-television-actors", "male-actors-from-los-angeles", "male-actors-from-new-york-city", "male-western-(genre)-film-actors", "neurological-disease-deaths-in-arizona", "warner-bros.-contract-players", "western-(genre)-television-actors"] description: "American actor (1935-2016)" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Brown_(actor)" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary American actor (1935-2016) ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox person"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Peter Brown |
| image | File:Peter Brown Lawman 1959.jpg |
| caption | Brown as Deputy Johnny McKay in the television series Lawman (1959) |
| birth_name | Pierre Lynn de Lappe |
| birth_date | |
| birth_place | New York City, NY, U.S. |
| death_date | |
| death_place | Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. |
| alma_mater | University of California, Los Angeles |
| occupation | Actor |
| yearsactive | 1957–2005 |
| spouse | {{Plain list |
| *{{marriage | Diane Jergens |
| *{{marriage | Sandy Edmundson |
| *{{marriage | Liliane Alice Yvette Safargy |
| *{{marriage | Mary Kathleen Gauba |
| children | 3 |
| :: |
::callout[type=note] the American actor ::
| name = Peter Brown | image = File:Peter Brown Lawman 1959.jpg | caption = Brown as Deputy Johnny McKay in the television series Lawman (1959) | birth_name = Pierre Lynn de Lappe | birth_date = | birth_place = New York City, NY, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. | alma_mater = University of California, Los Angeles | occupation = Actor | yearsactive = 1957–2005 | spouse= {{Plain list|
| children = 3
Pierre Lynn de Lappe (October 5, 1935 – March 21, 2016), also known as Peter Brown, was an American actor. He portrayed Deputy Johnny McKay opposite John Russell as Marshal Dan Troop in the 1958 to 1962 ABC-Warner Brothers western television series Lawman and Texas Ranger Chad Cooper on NBC's Laredo from 1965 to 1967.
Early life
Brown served in Alaska with the U.S. Army's 2nd Infantry Division where he entertained his fellow troops by writing, directing, and acting in plays.
Following discharge, he supported himself by working in a gasoline station on the Sunset Strip. One night a man paid for his purchase with a credit card reading "Jack L. Warner". Brown asked the customer whether he was one of the Warner Brothers, the man replied "I'm the last one left".
Career
As a contract player for Warner Bros., Brown appeared in the theatrical film Darby's Rangers (1958) with James Garner and Stuart Whitman. He also appeared in the 1962 films Merrill's Marauders, which was co-written and directed by Samuel Fuller starring Jeff Chandler, and Red Nightmare with Jack Kelly.
''Lawman''
Brown portrayed deputy Johnny McKay in Lawman.
''Maverick''
Brown appeared in dozens of other television shows and did several crossovers with other western series as Johnny McKay, including Maverick, in the 1961 episode "Hadley's Hunters". He also appeared on Maverick playing different characters in the 1957 episode "Point Blank" (as Clay Semple) and "Stage West", playing a villain named Rip Fallon.
''Cheyenne''
In 1957 Brown appeared as Clay Conover in Cheyenne in the episode "Top Hand." In 1958 he appeared as Billy Younger in Cheyenne in the episode "Ghost of the Cimarron." In the Cheyenne episode "Renegades" (1958), Brown portrayed Jed Wayne.
''Colt .45''
Brown twice guest-starred in another ABC/WB western, Colt .45, with Wayde Preston. He appeared as Dave in "The Peacemaker" or "Judgment Day", the series premiere in 1957. That same season, he was cast as Jimmy Benedict in the episode "Young Gun".
Post-Warner Bros.
After his contract with Warner Bros. lapsed, Brown made two films for Walt Disney Studios; Summer Magic with Hayley Mills and Burl Ives and A Tiger Walks. He appeared in other television series too, such as Redigo, starring Richard Egan as a New Mexico rancher.
After appearing opposite Ann-Margret in Kitten with a Whip, he was contracted to Universal Pictures for the 1965 NBC Western television series Laredo, set on the Mexican border in and about Laredo, Texas.
Brown appeared in the pilot for Police Woman, starring Angie Dickinson. Brown appeared in several exploitation films such as Foxy Brown, Chrome and Hot Leather, and Act of Vengeance.
Soap operas
Brown also appeared on several soap operas. On Days of Our Lives, he played Dr. Greg Peters from 1972-1979 who was involved in a romance with Amanda Howard (Mary Frann). He was Laurie Brooks' attorney, Robert Laurence, on The Young and the Restless (1981-1982) when she was on trial for the murder of her former mother-in-law, Vanessa Prentiss. He would return briefly to "Y&R" in between soap stints in the late 1980s.
Brown replaced John Shearin as Roger Forbes on Loving during its early days, but was written out after only a couple of months. From 1986-1987, he played Charles Sanders, former ambassador to Mendorra, on One Life to Live. The character had a heart attack and died on the evening of his wedding to Lee Halpern. He subsequently played Blake Hayes on The Bold and the Beautiful, the ex-husband of Dr. Taylor Hamilton Hayes.
Personal life
Brown was married five times. His wives were:
- Diane Jergens, an actress; they wed on September 6, 1958, in Las Vegas and divorced in June 1960.
- Sandy Edmundson, a model; they wed on May 26, 1964, in Palos Verdes and divorced in 1969. They had a son.
- Liliane Alice Yvette Safargy, a model; they wed on November 14, 1971, in Beverly Hills and divorced in September 1974.
- Mary Kathleen Gauba, they wed on November 29, 1986, in Santa Fe and divorced in 1999.
- Kerstin Kern; they wed on September 6, 2008, in Newbury Park, California.
Brown had three children as follows:
- Matthew, born 1965, by Sandy Edmundson
- Joshua, by Amber Karlson, with whom Brown lived from 1974 until 1979.
- Christi, by Merle Pertile.
Filmography
::data[format=table title="Film credits"]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | The Story of Esther Costello | Boy in Airport | Uncredited |
| 1957 | Sayonara | 2nd Military Policeman | Voice, Uncredited |
| 1957 | Freedom and You | Bill Martin | Edited to half an hour and rereleased in 1962 as Red Nightmare |
| 1958 | Darby's Rangers | Private / Corporal Rollo Burns | |
| 1958 | Too Much, Too Soon | Young Nightclub Patron | Uncredited |
| 1958 | Marjorie Morningstar | Alec | Uncredited |
| 1958 | Violent Road | Marine Corporal | Uncredited |
| 1958 | No Time for Sergeants | Radio Disc Jockey | Voice, Uncredited |
| 1958 | Onionhead | Clark | (scenes deleted) |
| 1959 | Westbound | Army Sentry Outside Tent | Voice, Uncredited |
| 1959 | The Young Philadelphians | Airline Ticket Agent / Elevator Operator | Voice, Uncredited |
| 1959 | The FBI Story | FBI Agent at Hearting | Voice, Uncredited |
| 1962 | Merrill's Marauders | Bullseye | |
| 1963 | Summer Magic | Tom Hamilton | |
| 1964 | ** | Vern Goodman | |
| 1964 | Ride the Wild Surf | Chase Colton | |
| 1964 | Kitten with a Whip | Ron | |
| 1968 | Three Guns for Texas | Texas Ranger Chad Cooper | Episodes of Laredo TV series made into a feature film |
| 1969 | Backtrack | Texas Ranger Chad Cooper | Episodes of Laredo TV series made into a feature film |
| 1970 | Eagles Attack at Dawn | Abie | Israeli film |
| 1971 | Chrome and Hot Leather | Al | |
| 1971 | Teenage Tease | ||
| 1972 | Piranha, Piranha | Jim Pendrake | |
| 1973 | Gentle Savage | - | Executive producer |
| 1974 | Foxy Brown | Stevie Elias | |
| 1974 | Memory of Us | Winston | |
| 1974 | Act of Vengeance | Jack | |
| 1975 | Slashed Dreams | The Professor | |
| 1976 | Sparkle | - | Executive producer |
| 1982 | ** | Danny | |
| 1986 | ** | Sheriff | |
| 1986 | ** | Harris | |
| 1990 | Deathstone | Admiral | |
| 1995 | Karate Tiger 8: Fists of Iron | Max | |
| 1997 | Asylum | Dr. Frank Meyers | |
| 1999 | Wasteland Justice | Wilkerson | |
| 2001 | ** | Justice | |
| 2004 | Y.M.I. | Glenn | |
| 2004 | Land of the Free? | Senator Jacobs | |
| 2004 | Hollywood, It's a Dog's Life | Hank O'Hara | |
| 2005 | Three Bad Men | Tom Noland | |
| 2005 | Hell to Pay | Johnny Behan | (final film role) |
| :: |
::data[format=table title="Television credits"]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | Colt .45 | Jimmy Benedict / Dave | 2 episodes |
| 1957–1960 | Maverick | Deputy Johnny McKay / Rip Fallon in the episode: "Stage West"/ Chris Semple | 3 episodes |
| 1957–1962 | Cheyenne | Ross Andrews-Pocketful Of Stars ... Billy Younger [Ep:"Ghost of the Cimarron"] | |
| 1958–1959 | Sugarfoot | Deputy Johnny McKay / Davey Reeder | 2 episodes |
| 1958–1962 | Lawman | Deputy Johnny McKay | 156 episodes |
| 1962 | Hawaiian Eye | Teo | Episode: "Lalama Lady" |
| 1962 | 77 Sunset Strip | Trace Morgan / Timmy Ellison | 2 episodes |
| 1963 | ** | Lieutenant Hodges | Episode: "The Bridge" |
| 1963 | ** | Ed | Season 1 Episode 17: "Forecast: Low Clouds and Coastal Fog" |
| 1963 | ** | Detective Philip Reardon | Season 1 Episode 32: "Death of a Cop" |
| 1963 | Redigo | Johnny Porter | Episode: "The Blooded Bull" |
| 1963–1964 | Wagon Train | Ben Campbell / Aaron Balfour / Benedict O'Brien | 3 episodes |
| 1964 | Kraft Suspense Theatre | Chris Forrester / Lieutenant Ben Hollister | 2 episodes |
| 1964–1967 | ** | Tom Conlan / Chad Cooper / Craig Ryan | 3 episodes |
| 1965–1967 | Laredo | Chad Cooper | 56 episodes, three of which are a credit only. Credited as Chad Cooper/Prince Lazlo in "A Prince of a Ranger" (1966) |
| 1967 | ** | Eddie Kimble | Episode: "The Enemy" |
| 1969 | ** | Dempster | Made-for-television movie |
| 1969 | Mod Squad | Lou Franklin | Episode: "The Debt" |
| 1970 | Hunters Are for Killing | Raymond Pera | Made-for-television movie |
| 1970 | ** | Scott Norton | Episode: "War Games" |
| 1971 | My Three Sons | Mike Turley | Episode: "The Love God" |
| 1971 | Dan August | Fred Bowers | Episode: "The Manufactured Man" |
| 1971 | Mission: Impossible | Johnny Brown | Episode: "Blind" |
| 1971 | O'Hara, U.S. Treasury | Special Agent Bart Herron | Episode: "Operation: Spread" |
| 1972 | Medical Center | Dr. Musante | Episode: "Deadlock" |
| 1972 | ** | Stan Conners | Episode: "Tennis, Emily?" |
| 1972–1978 | Days of Our Lives | Dr. Greg Peters | 10 episodes |
| 1973 | ** | Ray Weaver | Episode: "The Vanishing Lady" |
| 1974 | Police Story | Chuck / Lloyd | 2 episodes |
| 1975 | Marcus Welby, M.D. | Mike Ross | Episode: "The Covenant" |
| 1975 | Matt Helm | Episode: "Dead Men Talk", Episode: "Murder on Ice" | |
| 1975 | Police Woman | Paul Monarch | Episode: "Above and Beyond" |
| 1977 | ** | Officer Brady | Episode: "One Last Trick" |
| 1977 | Quincy M.E. | Bondine - College Football Coast | Episode: "Main Man" |
| 1978 | Wonder Woman | Inspector Tim Bolt | Episode: "Hot Wheels" |
| 1978 | Charlie's Angels | Mark Correll | Episode: "Angels Ahoy" |
| 1978 | Vega$ | Richie | Episode: "The Pageant" |
| 1978 | ** | Episode: "Breakout to Murder" | |
| 1978 | Flying High | Richard | Episode: "Brides and Grooms" |
| 1979 | Salvage 1 | Bill Kelly | Episode: "Salvage" (pilot) |
| 1979 | Project U.F.O. | Steve Rollins | Episode: "Sighting 4026: The Atlantic Queen Incident" |
| 1979 | California Fever | Woods | Episode: "Beach Wars" |
| 1980 | ** | Floyd Baker | Episode: "Officer Daisy Duke" |
| 1980 | Top of the Hill | McCain | Made-for-television movie |
| 1980 | ** | Bodyguard | Made-for-television movie |
| 1981 | Fantasy Island | Patrick O'Herlihy | Episode: "Elizabeth's Baby/The Artist and the Lady" |
| 1981 | ** | Hijacker Thompson | Episode: "Airsick - 1981" |
| 1982 | Dallas | Tom Flintoff | Episode: "Denial" |
| 1982 | Magnum, P.I. | Robert Brighton | Episode: "Heal Thyself" |
| 1983 | Hart to Hart | Ray Martin / Dr. Scott | Episode: "As the Hart Turns" |
| 1983 | Loving | Roger Forbes | |
| 1983 | T.J. Hooker | Lieutenant Drummer | 2 episodes |
| 1983 | Manimal | Carl McGhan | Episode: "High Stakes" |
| 1984 | Whiz Kids | Androv | Episode: "Father's Day" |
| 1984 | Cover Up | Mark Reynolds | Pilot episode |
| 1984 | ** | Episode: "San Francisco Caper" | |
| 1984 | Riptide | Fred Cushing | Episode: "Peter Pan Is Alive and Well" |
| 1984–1986 | Simon & Simon | Manny Crobett / FBI Agent Frank Kenniman | 2 episodes |
| 1985 | Crazy Like a Fox | Episode: "Till Death Do Us Part" | |
| 1985 | Knight Rider | Episode: "Knight Behind Bars" | |
| 1986 | Airwolf | Herb Waldron | Episode: "Little Wolf" |
| 1986 | The A-Team | Ted Burke | Episode: "The Theory of Revolution" |
| 1986–1987 | One Life to Live | Charles Sanders, III | Featured Role |
| 1988 | Ohara | Austin Snyder | Episode: "Last Year's Model" |
| 1988 | Aaron's Way | Coach Grady | Episode: "New Patterns" |
| 1988 | 1st & Ten: The Championship | Mal Hutchins | Episode: "Caught in the Draft" |
| 1989 | Hunter | Fuller | Episode: "Partners" |
| 1989 | Generations | Doctor | 4 episodes |
| 1989–1991 | The Young and the Restless | Robert Laurence | 6 episodes |
| 1990 | Baywatch | Bucky | Episode: "Shark Derby" |
| 1991–1992 | The Bold and the Beautiful | Blake Hayes | 30 episodes |
| 1992 | Wings | Dr. Lasker | Episode: "Noses Off" |
| 1994 | One West Waikiki | Mr. Dineheart | Episode: "Along Came a Spider" |
| 1997 | Babylon 5 | Minister | Episode: "Intersections in Real Time" |
| 2000 | JAG | Bill Layton | Episode: "Real Deal SEAL" |
| 2001 | Disney's California Adventure TV Special | Made-for-television movie | |
| :: |
Notes
References
References
- Rosenberg, Eli. (March 25, 2016). "Peter Brown, Star in TV Westerns and Soap Opera, Dies at 80". [[The New York Times]].
- Thomas, Bob. (February 8, 1959). "Peter Brown Major Reason 'Lawman' Show Popular". [[Star-Banner.
- "Peter Brown Obituary (1935 - 2016) - Newark, NJ - the Star-Ledger".
- "Peter Brown Biography". Official Peter Brown Fan Site.
- Aaker, Everett. (2017). ["Television Western Players, 1960-1975: A Biographical Dictionary"]({{Google books). [[McFarland & Company]].
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