Clarence Brown(1890-1987)
- Director
- Producer
- Editor
Clarence Leon Brown was the son of Larkin Harry and Catherine Ann (Gaw)
Brown of Clinton, Massachusetts. His family moved to Knoxville,
Tennessee, when he was 12 years old. He graduated from Knoxville High
School in 1905 and from the University of Tennessee with a B.A. in
mechanical and electrical engineering in 1912. After graduation Brown
settled in Alabama, where he operated a Stevens Duryea dealership
called the Brown Motor Car Co. He soon tired of the car business and,
fascinated by the movies, moved to New Jersey to study with French
director Maurice Tourneur at Peerless
Productions in Fort Lee.
During his career Brown directed or produced more than 50 widely-acclaimed full-length films--many during his long association with prestigious MGM--and worked with many of the industry's most illustrious performers. He also maintained close ties with the University of Tennessee, donating the money necessary to construct the institution's Clarence Brown Theatre during the 1970s and an additional $12 million after his death.
During his career Brown directed or produced more than 50 widely-acclaimed full-length films--many during his long association with prestigious MGM--and worked with many of the industry's most illustrious performers. He also maintained close ties with the University of Tennessee, donating the money necessary to construct the institution's Clarence Brown Theatre during the 1970s and an additional $12 million after his death.
