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Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Birthday
May 3, 1933
Died
December 25, 2006
Place of Birth
Barnwell, South Carolina, USA
Also Known As
- The Godfather of Soul
- The Hardest-Working Man in Show Business
- Mr. Dynamite
- Soul Brother No. 1
James Brown
0.7 Popularity
Biography
James Brown (May 3, 1933 - December 25, 2006) was an American singer and songwriter, eventually referred to as "The Godfather of Soul"(GFOS). Brown started singing in gospel groups and worked his way on up. He has been recognized as one of the most iconic figures in the 20th century popular music and was renowned for his vocals and feverish dancing. He was also called "the hardest-working man in show business". Brown began his professional music career in 1956 and rose to fame during the late 1950s and early 1960s on the strength of his thrilling live performances and string of smash hits. In spite of various personal problems and setbacks he continued to score hits in every decade through the 1980s. In addition to his acclaim in music, Brown was also a presence in American political affairs during the 1960s and 1970s.
Known For
7.7
Self - Musical Guest December 13, 1980 (archive footage)
Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music
2025
8.0
Self (archive footage)
James Brown: Say It Loud
2024
8.0
Self (archive footage)
Sunday Best: The Untold Story of Ed Sullivan
2023
6.6
Self (archive footage)
Death by Fame
2023
6.7
Self (archive footage)
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
2022
8.0
Self (archive footage)
Nueva York: A Musical History of Latin New York
2021
6.5
Self (archive footage)
Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, and Rage
2021
0.0
Self (archive footage)
Best of the 60s: The Story of Ready, Steady, Go!
2021
7.7
Self (archive footage)
1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything
2021
7.2
Self (archive footage)
70 Years of Youth Revolt
2020
Credits
Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music
as Self - Musical Guest December 13, 1980 (archive footage)
2025
7.7
James Brown: Say It Loud
as Self (archive footage)
2024
8.0
Sunday Best: The Untold Story of Ed Sullivan
as Self (archive footage)
2023
8.0
Death by Fame
as Self (archive footage)
2023
6.6
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
as Self (archive footage)
2022
6.7
Nueva York: A Musical History of Latin New York
as Self (archive footage)
2021
8.0
Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, and Rage
as Self (archive footage)
2021
6.5
Best of the 60s: The Story of Ready, Steady, Go!
as Self (archive footage)
2021
0.0
1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything
as Self (archive footage)
2021
7.7
70 Years of Youth Revolt
as Self (archive footage)
2020
7.2
The AGFA Mystery Mixtape Vault
as (archive footage)
2020
0.0
Africa Rising
as Self - Musician (archive footage)
2019
7.5
The Apollo
as Self (archive footage)
2019
6.5
Nice Girls Don't Stay for Breakfast
as Self - Singer (archive footage)
2019
4.6
1968: A Year of War, Turmoil and Beyond
as Self (archive footage)
2018
8.0
A Tale of James Brown
as Self (archive footage)
2016
0.0
Les Fous du Funk
as Self
2015
8.0
The Story of Funk: One Nation Under a Groove
2014
7.0
James Brown - The Man, The Music & The Message
as Self
2014
8.0
Madam Secretary
as James Brown
2014
7.0
Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown
as Self (archive footage)
2014
6.9
Finding the Funk
as Self
2014
7.2
The Millers
as James Brown
2013
5.9
Fathers and Songs: Music for Father's Day
as Self (archive footage)
2013
0.0
Yo! The Story of ‘Yo! MTV Raps’
as Self (archive footage)
2012
5.0
The Real Rocky
as Self (archive footage)
2011
6.1
Soul Power
as Self (archive footage)
2009
6.4
Sex in '69: The Sexual Revolution in America
as Self
2009
7.0
James Brown Live At The Apollo '68
as Self
2008
5.3
James Brown Live At The Boston Garden - April 5, 1968
as Self
2008
4.0
Pavarotti The Duets
as Self
2008
0.0
James Brown - The Night James Brown Saved Boston
as Self (archive footage)
2008
6.6
The Midnight Special Legendary Performances: More 1977
2007
7.0
George Clinton: Tales of Dr Funkenstein
as Self (archive footage)
2006
7.5
Frankie Laine: An American Dreamer
as Self (archive footage)
2006
5.0
🎬
Web Junk 20
2006
9.3
Live 8
as Self
2005
7.4
Soul Deep: The Story of Black Popular Music
as Self
2005
7.0
Robots
as Diesel (archive footage) (uncredited)
2005
6.5
James Brown: Live
as Self
2004
0.0
James Brown: Body Heat
as Self
2004
7.0
Casey Kasem's Rock 'n' Roll Goldmine: The Soul Years
as Self (archive footage)
2004
9.8
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
as Self (archive footage)
2004
4.0
James Brown: Soul Survivor
as Self
2003
7.5
James Brown - Live at Chastain Park Atlanta 1980
2003
0.0
Paper Chasers
2003
0.0
The Giants of Black Music
as Self
2003
0.0
Beat the Devil
as Mr. James Brown
2002
7.0
The Tuxedo
as James Brown
2002
5.7
Undercover Brother
as Self
2002
5.9
It's Black Entertainment
as Self (archive footage)
2002
8.0
Rhythm and Blues 40: A Soul Spectacular
as Self
2001
0.0
The UB40: Story of Reggae
as Drummer
2001
0.0
The Hire
as Self
2001
7.6
Where Are They Now?
as Self
1999
7.5
James Brown: Live From The House Of Blues
as Self
1999
0.0
Holy Man
as James Brown
1998
5.3
Blues Brothers 2000
as Cleophus James
1998
5.3
The View
as Self
1997
4.3
When We Were Kings
as Self
1996
7.5
TFI Friday
as Self
1996
6.8
Cincinnati's Rock 'N Roll Legends
as Self
1995
5.6
New York Undercover
as Self
1994
7.2
Duckman
as Hostage Negotiator (voice)
1994
7.1
RapLine
as Self
1993
10.0
James Brown Live in Berlin
1991
7.0
🎬
The Lost James Brown Tapes
as Vocals
1991
0.0
The Simpsons
as James Brown (voice)
1989
8.0
Legends of Rock 'n' Roll
as James Brown
1989
9.0
Yo! MTV Raps
as Self
1988
7.5
James Brown & Friends: A Night of Super Soul
as Self
1987
0.0
Amen
1986
6.5
🎬
Throb
1986
5.7
Rocky IV
as The Godfather of Soul
1985
7.1
James Brown - Live At Chastain Park
as Himself
1985
5.5
Miami Vice
as Lou De Long
1984
7.5
When the Music's Over
as Self
1983
0.0
Doctor Detroit
as Bandleader
1983
5.0
James Brown: Live at Montreux
as Self
1981
8.0
The Blues Brothers
as Cleophus James
1980
7.7
The Kennedy Center Honors
as Self
1978
7.4
James Brown Soul Brother No. 1
1978
8.0
The Midnight Special Legendary Performances 1974
as Self
1974
0.0
James Brown: Soul Train 1973-1974
as Self
1974
0.0
James Brown: Love Power Peace
as Self
1971
0.0
The Flip Wilson Show
as Self
1970
4.6
The Phynx
as James Brown
1970
3.2
The Music Scene
1969
0.0
Playboy After Dark
1969
1.0
Ski Party
as Self
1965
5.8
The T.A.M.I. Show
as Self
1964
8.0
Shindig!
as Self
1964
6.2
The Hollywood Palace
as Self
1964
4.5
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
as Self
1962
7.5
The Mike Douglas Show
as Self - Co-Host
1961
5.4
The Mike Douglas Show
as Self
1961
5.4
The Ed Sullivan Show
as Self
1948
6.8
🎬
Say Hello to Our Good Friend Paul Shaffer
as Self (archive footage)
N/A
0.0