Alan Browning
Alan Brown (23 March 1926 – 7 September 1979), known professionally as Alan Browning, was an English actor. Whilst working by day as a reporter for a local paper in Newcastle in the 1950s, he began acting as an amateur at the People's Theatre. He then moved to London to work for a news agency and was sent abroad to Cairo, where he met his first wife (Anne) who was serving in the Women's Royal Naval Service (Wrens). On their return to the UK, and following encouragement from Anne, he began to seek work as an actor. Very soon he was cast as King John in a pair of educational films made for Encyclopedia Britannica, and then became a regular 'extra' playing bit parts in TV series such as Z-Cars, The Saint, and The Avengers. He also starred as Chief Officer Steve Rettar in the ABC series Jezebel in 1963. He became a household name in the UK when he was cast as Ellis Cooper in The Newcomers (1965-1968), but is best remembered for portraying Alan Howard in the television series Coronation Street, a role he played from 1969 to 1973. He was married to his Coronation Street co-star Pat Phoenix from 23 December 1972, until his 1979 death from liver failure as a result of his heavy alcohol intake. Phoenix also played his onscreen wife, Elsie Tanner, in Coronation Street. The pair left The Street in 1973 and toured the UK and New Zealand with theatrical productions of Gaslight and Night Must Fall, both directed by Browning, before Phoenix rejoined the cast of The Street. Browning also recorded an LP of jazz standards called "Whisky & Milk" (a reference to his preferred drink, being easier on the stomach than neat whisky) with the Tony Hayes Quartet in 1975. Browning's other television appearances included Interpol Calling (1960), Dr. Finlay's Casebook (1962), Maigret (1963), The Plane Makers (1964), The War of Darkie Pilbeam (1968), Big Breadwinner Hog (1969), The Onedin Line (1971), The Fear Is Spreading (an episode of the TV series Thriller, 1975), When the Boat Comes In (1976), and a leading role in The Cedar Tree (1976-77). His final credit was in a 1978 episode of Return of the Saint. His film credits included Feet of Clay (1960), Fury at Smugglers' Bay (1961), Cleopatra (1963), Guns at Batasi (1964), and Julius Caesar (1970).
Guns at Batasi
as uncreditedAn anachronistic martinet RSM on a remote Colonial African army caught in a local coup d'etat...
Movie pageFury at Smugglers' Bay
as 2nd HighwaymanIt is the end of the 18th century and smuggling is considered to be a legitimate spare-time...
Movie pagePart-Time Wife
as Police SergeantInsurance salesman Tom and his wife Jenny are struggling through the first years of marriage in...
Movie pageThe Crazy Kill
as Supt. BrookA doctor and his wife are held hostage in their country home by an escaped convict and his...
Movie pageThe Avengers
as MossThe Avengers is a British television series created in the 1960s. It initially focused on Dr....
TV Show pageThe Avengers
as ZaroffThe Avengers is a British television series created in the 1960s. It initially focused on Dr....
TV Show pageThe Saint
as Cafe ProprietorSimon Templar is The Saint, a handsome, sophisticated, debonair, modern-day Robin Hood who...
TV Show pageCrown Court
as uncreditedCrown Court is an afternoon television courtroom drama produced by Granada Television for the...
TV Show pageNo Hiding Place
as uncreditedNo Hiding Place is a British television series that was produced at Wembley Studios by...
TV Show pageZ-Cars
as uncreditedZ-Cars or Z Cars is a British television drama series centred on the work of mobile uniformed...
TV Show pageThe Main Chance
as MonteroThe Main Chance was a British television series which first aired on ITV between 1969,1970,1972...
TV Show pageMaigret
as uncreditedBBC series based on the novels by Georges Simenon which starred Rupert Davies as Inspector...
TV Show pageThriller
as Supt. BrookThriller is a British television series, originally broadcast in the UK from 1973 to 1976. It is...
TV Show pageReturn of the Saint
as HenryFollow the swashbuckling exploits of Simon Templar, a modern-day Robin Hood of sorts.
TV Show pageGideon's Way
as WilsonGideon's Way is a British television crime series made by ITC Entertainment in 1964/65, based on...
TV Show pageDr. Finlay's Casebook
as uncreditedDr Finlay's Casebook is a television series that was broadcast on the BBC from 1962 until 1971....
TV Show pageSuspense
as uncreditedAnthology series telling suspenseful tales.
TV Show page