After his pro football career, Brown reinvented himself in films like The Dirty Dozen and Ice Station Zebra.
To our family, he was a loving husband, father, and grandfather.
Our hearts are broken."
Jim Brown.Greg Doherty/Getty Images
After nine seasons, he left the NFL to pursue acting full-time.
Jim Brown was born Feb. 17, 1936, on St. Simons Island, Ga. Brown made his screen debut in 1964, appearing as a buffalo soldier in the Western filmRio Conchos.
He then went on to one of his most iconic roles, as Robert Jefferson in 1966’sThe Dirty Dozen.
When production on the film ran long, Brown was threatened with being fined daily for missing training camp.
In a major coup, Brown was billed above both Welch and Burt Reynolds on the film.
Brown later branched out into television, appearing on series such asKnight Rider,The A-Team, andCHiPs.
Brown’s other major career pursuit was in sports broadcasting.
For the 1978 NFL season, he worked as an analyst reviewing games on CBS.
Brown released a memoir,Out of Bounds, in 1989.
Brown remained devoted to the Cleveland Browns even after his retirement.
In addition to his wife, whom he married in 1997, Brown is survived by their two children.
