Emmy Winning Actor Roscoe Lee Browne Dies
Jack McGoughey
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Actor Roscoe Lee Browne, known for his deep voice and dignified bearing, died in Los Angeles Wednesday at the age of 81. 
Browne, who won an Emmy and garnered a Tony nomination, died early Wednesday at Cedars-Sanai Medical Center after a long bout with cancer, family spokesman Alan Nierob said.
Browne had a long and dignified career that included working with some of Hollywood's leading directors, including Alfred Hitchcock in "Topaz." Browne also had the change to guest star in TV roles on shows such as "The Cosby Show" and "All in the Family."
The actor is also well known for his voice as the narrator on the 1995 film, "Babe" as well as its sequel, "Babe: Pig in the City."
Browne was born on May 2, 1925 in New Jersey to a Baptist minister. He graduated from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, and later returned to teach literature and French at his alma mater.
He was also a poet and a track star. In 1951 he won the world championship in the 800 yard dash.
He decided to become a full time actor in 1956 and that year had a role in a New York Shakespeare Festival in "Julius Caesar." He won an Obie Award in 1965 for his role as a rebellious slave in the off-Broadway play "Benito Cereno."
In movies he was known for his roles in such film's as 1969's "Topaz" from Alfred Hitchcock and for a role in John Wayne's "The Cowboys" in 1972.
"Some critics complained that I spoke too well to be believable" in the cook's role, Browne told the Washington Post in 1972. "When a critic makes that remark, I think, if I had said, 'Yassuh, boss' to John Wayne, then the critic would have taken a shine to me."
Browne also had many guest roles on TV. He played a role as a black lawyer trapped in an elevator with Archie Bunker on "All in the Family," and a butler on the comedy "Soap." He won an Emmy in 1986 for his role as a professor on the smash hit "The Cosby Show."
Brown was also a poet who included some of his poetry being included in a poetry anthology stage piece that he and Anthony Zerbe performed every year for three decades.
Emmy Winning Actor Roscoe Lee Browne Dies
Browne, who won an Emmy and garnered a Tony nomination, died early Wednesday at Cedars-Sanai Medical Center after a long bout with cancer, family spokesman Alan Nierob said.
Browne had a long and dignified career that included working with some of Hollywood's leading directors, including Alfred Hitchcock in "Topaz." Browne also had the change to guest star in TV roles on shows such as "The Cosby Show" and "All in the Family."
The actor is also well known for his voice as the narrator on the 1995 film, "Babe" as well as its sequel, "Babe: Pig in the City."
Browne was born on May 2, 1925 in New Jersey to a Baptist minister. He graduated from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, and later returned to teach literature and French at his alma mater.
He was also a poet and a track star. In 1951 he won the world championship in the 800 yard dash.
He decided to become a full time actor in 1956 and that year had a role in a New York Shakespeare Festival in "Julius Caesar." He won an Obie Award in 1965 for his role as a rebellious slave in the off-Broadway play "Benito Cereno."
In movies he was known for his roles in such film's as 1969's "Topaz" from Alfred Hitchcock and for a role in John Wayne's "The Cowboys" in 1972.
"Some critics complained that I spoke too well to be believable" in the cook's role, Browne told the Washington Post in 1972. "When a critic makes that remark, I think, if I had said, 'Yassuh, boss' to John Wayne, then the critic would have taken a shine to me."
Browne also had many guest roles on TV. He played a role as a black lawyer trapped in an elevator with Archie Bunker on "All in the Family," and a butler on the comedy "Soap." He won an Emmy in 1986 for his role as a professor on the smash hit "The Cosby Show."
Brown was also a poet who included some of his poetry being included in a poetry anthology stage piece that he and Anthony Zerbe performed every year for three decades.