Known For
Acting
Known Credits
136
Gender
Male
Birthday
September 21, 1918 (107 years old)
Place of Birth
Wright City, Missouri, USA
Arlington Rand Brooks Jr. (September 21, 1918 – September 1, 2003) was an American film and television actor.
Brooks was born in Wright City, Missouri. He was the son of Arlington Rand Brooks, a farmer. His mother and he moved to Los Angeles when he was four, though he continued to spend summers in Wright City. Brooks continued to make visits to his hometown of Wright City into the 1950s, up to and following the death of his father in 1950. His mother and his grandfather were actors.
After leaving school, Brooks got a screen test at MGM and was given a bit part in Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938). His big fame came with his part as Charles Hamilton in Gone with the Wind (1939), a role which he later admitted he despised; he wanted to play more macho parts. He made $100 per week under contract at MGM, but when he was on loan to Selznick International Pictures for Gone with the Wind, he made $500 per week.
After Gone With the Wind, he had relatively small parts in other movies including Babes in Arms, then a regular role as Lucky in the Hopalong Cassidy series of Westerns in the mid-1940s; Brooks succeeded Russell Hayden in the role. Among the films, which starred William Boyd as Hopalong, were Hoppy's Holiday, The Dead Don't Dream, and Borrowed Trouble. He received positive notice for his work in Fool's Gold, with Variety reporting that he did "an excellent job." In edited, half-hour versions of some of the films, he appeared in 12 of the 52 episodes of the Hopalong Cassidy television series.
In 1948, he co-starred with Adele Jergens and Marilyn Monroe in the low-budget, black-and-white Columbia Pictures film, Ladies of the Chorus. Brooks became the first actor to share an on-screen kiss with Monroe, who in a few years was one of the world's biggest movie stars. Filmed in just 10 days, the film was released soon after its completion. Variety called his performance in the 1952 film The Steel Fist "capable."
Television brought new opportunities, again often in Westerns. He played Cpl. Randy Boone in the 1950s television series, The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin. Brooks had guest roles in 1950s Western series, including Mackenzie's Raiders, The Lone Ranger, Maverick, Gunsmoke, and Bonanza. He appeared twice on the syndicated adventure series, Rescue 8, as well as on CBS's Perry Mason courtroom drama series.
In 1962, he directed and produced a movie about brave dogs, Bearheart, but the film was entangled in legal troubles due to his business manager's involvement in crimes such as forgery and graft. The film was finally released in 1978, under the title Legend of the Northwest.
After he left show business, Brooks ran a private ambulance company in Glendale, California. He commented that he "died in more pictures than almost anyone" and that though he was never very big in show business, he was willing to return to it. Brooks sold the ambulance company in 1994, and retired to his ranch in the Santa Ynez Valley, where he bred champion Andalusian horses. He attended a Gone with the Wind reunion for Clark Gable's birthday, along with Ann Rutherford and Fred Crane, in Cadiz, Ohio, in 1992.
On September 1, 2003, Brooks died in Santa Ynez, California.
| 1991 | Rin-Tin-Tin: Hero of the Westas Cpl. Boone | |
| 1974 | The Sex Symbolas Edward Kelly (voice) | |
| 1971 | Columboas Jerry - Wine Lab Assistant (uncredited) | |
| 1968 | Adam-12as Bus Driver | |
| 1968 | Adam-12as Mr. Edwards | |
| 1968 | Adam-12as Mr. Marshall | |
| 1967 | In Like Flintas Missle Control Officer (uncredited) | |
| 1966 | The Green Hornetas Conway | |
| 1965 | Requiem for a Gunfighteras Abe Gentry | |
| 1964 | The Munstersas The Man | |
| 1964 | 12 O'Clock Highas Finance Officer | |
| 1963 | Petticoat Junctionas Ernest Belden | |
| 1962 | Combat!as G.I. Lieutenant | |
| 1962 | Stagecoach to Dancers' Rockas Quint Rucker | |
| 1962 | The Virginianas Henry | |
| 1960 | My Three Sonsas Ed Henson | |
| 1960 | My Three Sonsas Frank Walker | |
| 1960 | Comanche Stationas Station Man | |
| 1960 | Stump Runas | |
| 1959 | Hawaiian Eyeas Agent | |
| 1959 | Bonanzaas Cowboy | |
| 1959 | Tightropeas Young Man | |
| 1958 | The Last Hurrahas Votes Tallyman (uncredited) | |
| 1958 | Bat Mastersonas Willard Wynant | |
| 1958 | Peter Gunnas | |
| 1958 | The Challenge of Rin Tin Tinas | |
| 1958 | Jefferson Drumas Ray Comstock | |
| 1957 | Tombstone Territoryas Ed | |
| 1957 | The Real McCoysas Mr. Foster | |
| 1957 | Maverickas Jack Blair | |
| 1957 | Maverickas Second at Duel (uncredited) | |
| 1957 | Perry Masonas Ted Richert | |
| 1957 | Perry Masonas Trainer | |
| 1957 | M Squadas Purser | |
| 1957 | Wagon Trainas Thomas Pope | |
| 1956 | Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatreas Banker Wilson | |
| 1956 | The Man Called Xas | |
| 1955 | Highway Patrolas Bill Rinker | |
| 1955 | Sergeant Preston of the Yukonas | |
| 1955 | Gunsmokeas Man | |
| 1955 | Gunsmokeas Rand | |
| 1955 | The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earpas Sheriff Del Mathey | |
| 1955 | The Millionaireas Allan Carter | |
| 1954 | The Wonderful World of Disneyas Baseball Coach (uncredited) | |
| 1954 | The Adventures of Rin Tin Tinas Cpl. Boone | |
| 1954 | The Adventures of Rin Tin Tinas Cpl. Boone (uncredited) | |
| 1954 | Studio 57as | |
| 1954 | Lassieas Bulldozer Operator | |
| 1954 | Crash of Moonsas Andrews | |
| 1954 | Silver Needle in the Skyas Ranger Andrews | |
| 1953 | City Detectiveas | |
| 1953 | Born to the Saddleas John Grant | |
| 1952 | The Maverickas Trooper Barnham | |
| 1952 | Behind Southern Linesas Captain Loomis | |
| 1952 | Montana Incidentas Dave Connors | |
| 1952 | Man from the Black Hillsas Fake Jimmy Fallon | |
| 1952 | Wacoas Al | |
| 1952 | The Cimarron Kidas Emmett Dalton (uncredited) | |
| 1952 | The Steel Fistas Captain Giorg Nicholoff | |
| 1952 | The Gunmanas Jud Calvert | |
| 1951 | The Roy Rogers Showas | |
| 1951 | Schlitz Playhouse of Starsas | |
| 1951 | Boston Blackieas Hutch | |
| 1951 | The Adventures of Kit Carsonas | |
| 1951 | Yukon Manhuntas Len Kaufman | |
| 1951 | The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickokas Ben Webb | |
| 1951 | The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickokas Bob Purdy | |
| 1951 | The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickokas Capt. Loomis | |
| 1951 | The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickokas Ed Chandler | |
| 1951 | The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickokas Ob Wilkins | |
| 1951 | Heart of the Rockiesas Jim Corley | |
| 1950 | Lux Video Theatreas Uncle George | |
| 1950 | The Cisco Kidas Clint Riley | |
| 1950 | Bunco Squadas Robert (uncredited) | |
| 1950 | The Gene Autry Showas Jeff Elwood | |
| 1950 | The Gene Autry Showas Young Deputy | |
| 1950 | Riding Highas Henry Early | |
| 1950 | The Vanishing Westerneras Sanderson's First Victim | |
| 1949 | Black Midnightas Daniel Jordan | |
| 1949 | The Lone Rangeras Al Sommers | |
| 1949 | The Lone Rangeras Ben | |
| 1949 | The Lone Rangeras Deputy Jim Tyler | |
| 1949 | The Lone Rangeras Dick Larrabee | |
| 1949 | The Lone Rangeras Express Rider | |
| 1949 | The Lone Rangeras Lieutenant Tipton | |
| 1949 | The Lone Rangeras Marshal Roy Bell | |
| 1949 | The Lone Rangeras Private Jack Carey | |
| 1949 | The Lone Rangeras Private Phillips | |
| 1949 | The Wyoming Banditas Jimmy Howard | |
| 1948 | Ladies of the Chorusas Randy Carroll | |
| 1948 | Joan of Arcas Jean d'Arc, Joan's older brother | |
| 1948 | Sundown in Santa Feas Tom Wyatt | |
| 1948 | Strange Gambleas Lucky Jenkins | |
| 1948 | False Paradiseas Lucky Jenkins | |
| 1948 | Borrowed Troubleas Lucky Jenkins | |
| 1948 | Sinister Journeyas Lucky Jenkins | |
| 1948 | The Dead Don't Dreamas Lucky Jenkins | |
| 1948 | Silent Conflictas Lucky Jenkins | |
| 1947 | Kilroy Was Hereas Rodney Meadows | |
| 1947 | Hoppy's Holidayas Lucky Jenkins | |
| 1947 | The Maraudersas Lucky Jenkins | |
| 1947 | Dangerous Ventureas Lucky Jenkins | |
| 1947 | Unexpected Guestas Lucky Jenkins | |
| 1946 | The Devil's Playgroundas Lucky Jenkins | |
| 1946 | Fool's Goldas Lucky Jenkins | |
| 1946 | The Harvey Girlsas Townsman at Saloon (uncredited) | |
| 1945 | The Great Morganas Film Character (uncredited) | |
| 1944 | Resisting Enemy Interrogationas Pilot | |
| 1944 | Lady in the Darkas Ben (uncredited) | |
| 1944 | Ditch and Liveas T / Sgt. Ryan | |
| 1943 | High Explosiveas Jimmy Baker | |
| 1943 | Air Forceas Co-Pilot (uncredited) | |
| 1942 | The Sombrero Kidas Philip Martin | |
| 1942 | Fingers at the Windowas Young Reporter (uncredited) | |
| 1942 | The Affairs of Jimmy Valentineas | |
| 1942 | Cowboy Serenadeas Jim Agnew | |
| 1941 | Niagara Fallsas Honeymooner | |
| 1941 | Lady Scarfaceas James 'Jimmy' Powell | |
| 1941 | Double Dateas Jerry Baldwin | |
| 1941 | Life with Henryas Daniel Gordon (uncredited) | |
| 1940 | Jennieas Karl Schermer | |
| 1940 | The Son of Monte Cristoas Hans Mirbach | |
| 1940 | The Girl from Avenue Aas Steve | |
| 1940 | Florianas Victor | |
| 1940 | And One Was Beautifulas Joe Havens | |
| 1940 | Northwest Passageas Eben Towne | |
| 1940 | Laddieas Peter Dover | |
| 1940 | Andy Hardy's Dilemma: A Lesson in Mathematics... and Other Thingsas Mechanic (uncredited) | |
| 1939 | Gone with the Windas Charles Hamilton | |
| 1939 | Balalaikaas Crying Soldier (uncredited) | |
| 1939 | Babes in Armsas Jeff Steele | |
| 1939 | Dancing Co-Edas Steve (uncredited) | |
| 1939 | Thunder Afloatas Listener (uncredited) | |
| 1939 | The Old Maidas Jim | |
| 1938 | Dramatic Schoolas Pasquel Jr. | |
| 1938 | Love Finds Andy Hardyas Young Man on Bandstand (uncredited) |
| 1978 | Legend of the Northwest...Director | |
| 1978 | Legend of the Northwest...Story | |
| 1967 | The King's Pirate...Dialogue Coach |