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Rand Brooks

Known For
Acting

Known Credits
136

Gender
Male

Birthday
September 21, 1918 (107 years old)

Place of Birth
Wright City, Missouri, USA

Rand Brooks

Biography

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.

Known For

Acting

1991Rin-Tin-Tin: Hero of the Westas Cpl. Boone
1974The Sex Symbolas Edward Kelly (voice)
1971Columboas Jerry - Wine Lab Assistant (uncredited)
1968Adam-12as Bus Driver
1968Adam-12as Mr. Edwards
1968Adam-12as Mr. Marshall
1967In Like Flintas Missle Control Officer (uncredited)
1966The Green Hornetas Conway
1965Requiem for a Gunfighteras Abe Gentry
1964The Munstersas The Man
196412 O'Clock Highas Finance Officer
1963Petticoat Junctionas Ernest Belden
1962Combat!as G.I. Lieutenant
1962Stagecoach to Dancers' Rockas Quint Rucker
1962The Virginianas Henry
1960My Three Sonsas Ed Henson
1960My Three Sonsas Frank Walker
1960Comanche Stationas Station Man
1960Stump Runas
1959Hawaiian Eyeas Agent
1959Bonanzaas Cowboy
1959Tightropeas Young Man
1958The Last Hurrahas Votes Tallyman (uncredited)
1958Bat Mastersonas Willard Wynant
1958Peter Gunnas
1958The Challenge of Rin Tin Tinas
1958Jefferson Drumas Ray Comstock
1957Tombstone Territoryas Ed
1957The Real McCoysas Mr. Foster
1957Maverickas Jack Blair
1957Maverickas Second at Duel (uncredited)
1957Perry Masonas Ted Richert
1957Perry Masonas Trainer
1957M Squadas Purser
1957Wagon Trainas Thomas Pope
1956Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatreas Banker Wilson
1956The Man Called Xas
1955Highway Patrolas Bill Rinker
1955Sergeant Preston of the Yukonas
1955Gunsmokeas Man
1955Gunsmokeas Rand
1955The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earpas Sheriff Del Mathey
1955The Millionaireas Allan Carter
1954The Wonderful World of Disneyas Baseball Coach (uncredited)
1954The Adventures of Rin Tin Tinas Cpl. Boone
1954The Adventures of Rin Tin Tinas Cpl. Boone (uncredited)
1954Studio 57as
1954Lassieas Bulldozer Operator
1954Crash of Moonsas Andrews
1954Silver Needle in the Skyas Ranger Andrews
1953City Detectiveas
1953Born to the Saddleas John Grant
1952The Maverickas Trooper Barnham
1952Behind Southern Linesas Captain Loomis
1952Montana Incidentas Dave Connors
1952Man from the Black Hillsas Fake Jimmy Fallon
1952Wacoas Al
1952The Cimarron Kidas Emmett Dalton (uncredited)
1952The Steel Fistas Captain Giorg Nicholoff
1952The Gunmanas Jud Calvert
1951The Roy Rogers Showas
1951Schlitz Playhouse of Starsas
1951Boston Blackieas Hutch
1951The Adventures of Kit Carsonas
1951Yukon Manhuntas Len Kaufman
1951The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickokas Ben Webb
1951The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickokas Bob Purdy
1951The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickokas Capt. Loomis
1951The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickokas Ed Chandler
1951The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickokas Ob Wilkins
1951Heart of the Rockiesas Jim Corley
1950Lux Video Theatreas Uncle George
1950The Cisco Kidas Clint Riley
1950Bunco Squadas Robert (uncredited)
1950The Gene Autry Showas Jeff Elwood
1950The Gene Autry Showas Young Deputy
1950Riding Highas Henry Early
1950The Vanishing Westerneras Sanderson's First Victim
1949Black Midnightas Daniel Jordan
1949The Lone Rangeras Al Sommers
1949The Lone Rangeras Ben
1949The Lone Rangeras Deputy Jim Tyler
1949The Lone Rangeras Dick Larrabee
1949The Lone Rangeras Express Rider
1949The Lone Rangeras Lieutenant Tipton
1949The Lone Rangeras Marshal Roy Bell
1949The Lone Rangeras Private Jack Carey
1949The Lone Rangeras Private Phillips
1949The Wyoming Banditas Jimmy Howard
1948Ladies of the Chorusas Randy Carroll
1948Joan of Arcas Jean d'Arc, Joan's older brother
1948Sundown in Santa Feas Tom Wyatt
1948Strange Gambleas Lucky Jenkins
1948False Paradiseas Lucky Jenkins
1948Borrowed Troubleas Lucky Jenkins
1948Sinister Journeyas Lucky Jenkins
1948The Dead Don't Dreamas Lucky Jenkins
1948Silent Conflictas Lucky Jenkins
1947Kilroy Was Hereas Rodney Meadows
1947Hoppy's Holidayas Lucky Jenkins
1947The Maraudersas Lucky Jenkins
1947Dangerous Ventureas Lucky Jenkins
1947Unexpected Guestas Lucky Jenkins
1946The Devil's Playgroundas Lucky Jenkins
1946Fool's Goldas Lucky Jenkins
1946The Harvey Girlsas Townsman at Saloon (uncredited)
1945The Great Morganas Film Character (uncredited)
1944Resisting Enemy Interrogationas Pilot
1944Lady in the Darkas Ben (uncredited)
1944Ditch and Liveas T / Sgt. Ryan
1943High Explosiveas Jimmy Baker
1943Air Forceas Co-Pilot (uncredited)
1942The Sombrero Kidas Philip Martin
1942Fingers at the Windowas Young Reporter (uncredited)
1942The Affairs of Jimmy Valentineas
1942Cowboy Serenadeas Jim Agnew
1941Niagara Fallsas Honeymooner
1941Lady Scarfaceas James 'Jimmy' Powell
1941Double Dateas Jerry Baldwin
1941Life with Henryas Daniel Gordon (uncredited)
1940Jennieas Karl Schermer
1940The Son of Monte Cristoas Hans Mirbach
1940The Girl from Avenue Aas Steve
1940Florianas Victor
1940And One Was Beautifulas Joe Havens
1940Northwest Passageas Eben Towne
1940Laddieas Peter Dover
1940Andy Hardy's Dilemma: A Lesson in Mathematics... and Other Thingsas Mechanic (uncredited)
1939Gone with the Windas Charles Hamilton
1939Balalaikaas Crying Soldier (uncredited)
1939Babes in Armsas Jeff Steele
1939Dancing Co-Edas Steve (uncredited)
1939Thunder Afloatas Listener (uncredited)
1939The Old Maidas Jim
1938Dramatic Schoolas Pasquel Jr.
1938Love Finds Andy Hardyas Young Man on Bandstand (uncredited)

Production

1978Legend of the Northwest...Director
1978Legend of the Northwest...Story
1967The King's Pirate...Dialogue Coach