Neville Brand

Overview

While he rarely got to play the hero in any of his films which stretched over 40 years in real life he joined the US army as a boy soldier after dropping out of high school in 1936 and fought in the 2nd World War as a platoon sgt. and emerged as America's 4th most decorated serviceman.. His first attempt at acting was in a propaganda film for the US Army Signal Corps in 1946 in which he was with another unknown actor called Charlton Heston. Demobbed he took advantage of the GI Bill to study acting and was in a few off Broadway shows before making his film debut as a hoodlum in D.O.A.in 1949 since when he was hardly out if work but his cruel looking face led to his type casting as a 'Heavy'. An article in 1963 mentioned that in over 50 films he'd never been seen without a gun in his hand which was broken that year when he played a viking and changed the gun for a spear.Among his best known films are Stalag 17, Birdman of Alcatraz, Riot in Cell Block 11, and Tora! Tora! Tora!. He was cast as Al Capone 3 times and won the Sylania Award for his role of Willie Stark in the 1958 TV production of All the Kings Men.. He died of emphysema in hospital in California in May 1992 aged 70.survived by his wife and 3 daughters. He'd been born in Kewanee, Illinois13 August 1921
- IMDb mini biography by: Tonyyman 5

Neville Brand was regularly cited as the 4th most decorated soldier in WWII, but that information is incorrect and was denied by Brand before his death. He was, however, according to official military records, the recipient of the Silver Star for gallantry in combat. His other awards and decorations are the Purple Heart, the Good Conduct Medal, the American Defense Service Ribbon, the European/African/Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon with three Battle Stars, one Overseas Service Bar, one Service Stripe, and the Combat Infantryman's Badge.
A voracious reader, he owned one of the largest private libraries in Hollywood with over 5,000 books. He once had over 30,000 books until a fire in 1978 destroyed his Malibu house and most of the books.
Developing post traumatic stress disorder from his decorated military years, Brand later fought a long battle with alcohol.
Won the Sylvania Award in 1958 for his lead role as Willie Stark in the TV special All the King's Men: Part 1 (1958).
Lived in Sacramento, California during the last eight years of his life after he retired from acting in 1984. Died there of emphysema at age 71 due to his heavy smoking most of his adult life. Interred at East Lawn Memorial Park in Sacramento, CA. Plot Niche # 1327 Section L-L, Morning Glory Room.

[on playing villains] I don't go in thinking he's a villain. The audience might, but the villain doesn't think he's a villain. Even a killer condones what he's done. I just create this human being under the circumstances that are given. I don't think he's a villain. Everybody just condones his own actions.