James Brown

ActorSoundComposer May 3 (died age 73) Barnwell, South Carolina, USA 1948–2025 (77 year career)

6.6 avg rating

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 1…

Known For

Film

The Blues Brothers

Cleophus James

Film

Rocky IV

The Godfather of Soul

Film

Jacob's Ladder

Songs

Film

Robots

Diesel (archive footage) (uncredited)

Film

The Tuxedo

James Brown

Film

Get On Up

Songs

Film

When We Were Kings

Self

Film

Undercover Brother

Self

Filmography

Acting (98)

Movies (69)

Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music

2025

as Self (archive footage)

7.8

Sunday Best: The Untold Story of Ed Sullivan

2023

as Self (archive footage)

7.2

Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues

2022

as Self (archive footage)

6.7

Nueva York: A Musical History of Latin New York

2021

as Self (archive footage)

8.0

Best of the 60s: The Story of Ready, Steady, Go!

2021

as Self (archive footage)

Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, and Rage

2021

as Self (archive footage)

6.4

The AGFA Mystery Mixtape Vault

2020

as (archive footage)

Nice Girls Don't Stay for Breakfast

2019

as Self - Singer (archive footage)

4.6

The Apollo

2019

as Self (archive footage)

6.5

Africa Rising

2019

as Self - Musician (archive footage)

7.5

1968: A Year of War, Turmoil and Beyond

2018

as Self (archive footage)

8.0

A Tale of James Brown

2016

as Self (archive footage)

Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown

2014

as Self (archive footage)

6.9

James Brown - The Man, The Music & The Message

as Self

Finding the Funk

as Self

The Story of Funk: One Nation Under a Groove

2014

7.0

Fathers and Songs: Music for Father's Day

2013

as Self (archive footage)

Yo! The Story of ‘Yo! MTV Raps’

2012

as Self (archive footage)

5.0

The Real Rocky

2011

as Self (archive footage)

6.1

Sex in '69: The Sexual Revolution in America

2009

as Self

7.0

Soul Power

2009

as Self (archive footage)

6.4

James Brown - The Night James Brown Saved Boston

2008

as Self (archive footage)

6.6

James Brown Live At The Boston Garden - April 5, 1968

2008

as Self

4.0

James Brown Live At The Apollo '68

2008

as Self

5.3

Pavarotti The Duets

2008

as Self

The Midnight Special Legendary Performances: More 1977

2007

7.0

James Brown: Living in America

2007

Frankie Laine: An American Dreamer

2006

as Self (archive footage)

5.0

George Clinton: Tales of Dr Funkenstein

2006

as Self (archive footage)

7.5

Robots

2005

as Diesel (archive footage) (uncredited)

6.5

Live 8

2005

as Self

7.4

Casey Kasem's Rock 'n' Roll Goldmine: The Soul Years

2004

as Self (archive footage)

9.8

TV in Black: The First Fifty Years

2004

as Self (archive footage)

4.0

James Brown: Body Heat

2004

as Self

7.0

James Brown: Live

2004

as Self

Paper Chasers

2003

James Brown: Soul Survivor

2003

as Self

7.5

The Giants of Black Music

2003

as Self

James Brown - Live at Chastain Park Atlanta 1980

The Tuxedo

as James Brown

Undercover Brother

as Self

Beat the Devil

as Mr. James Brown

It's Black Entertainment

2002

as Self (archive footage)

8.0

The UB40: Story of Reggae

2001

as Drummer

Rhythm and Blues 40: A Soul Spectacular

2001

as Self

James Brown: Live From The House Of Blues

1999

as Self

Blues Brothers 2000

as Cleophus James

Holy Man

as James Brown

When We Were Kings

as Self

Cincinnati's Rock 'N Roll Legends

as Self

RapLine

as Self

James Brown Live in Berlin

1991

7.0

The Lost James Brown Tapes

1991

as Vocals

Legends of Rock 'n' Roll

1989

as James Brown

9.0

James Brown & Friends: A Night of Super Soul

1987

as Self

Rocky IV

1985

as The Godfather of Soul

7.1

James Brown - Live At Chastain Park

as Himself

Doctor Detroit

as Bandleader

When the Music's Over

1983

as Self

James Brown: Live at Montreux

as Self

The Blues Brothers

as Cleophus James

James Brown Soul Brother No. 1

1978

8.0

James Brown: Soul Train 1973-1974

1974

as Self

The Midnight Special Legendary Performances 1974

1974

as Self

James Brown: Love Power Peace

1971

as Self

The Phynx

as James Brown

Ski Party

as Self

The T.A.M.I. Show

as Self

Say Hello to Our Good Friend Paul Shaffer

as Self (archive footage)

Television (29)

James Brown: Say It Loud

2024

as Self (archive footage)

8.0

Death by Fame

2023

as Self (archive footage)

6.6

1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything

2021

as Self (archive footage)

7.7

70 Years of Youth Revolt

2020

as Self (archive footage)

Les Fous du Funk

as Self

Madam Secretary

as James Brown

The Millers

as James Brown

Web Junk 20

Soul Deep: The Story of Black Popular Music

as Self

The Hire

as Self

Where Are They Now?

as Self

The View

as Self

TFI Friday

as Self

Duckman

as Hostage Negotiator (voice)

New York Undercover

as Self

The Simpsons

as James Brown (voice)

Yo! MTV Raps

as Self

Amen

Throb

Miami Vice

as Lou De Long

The Kennedy Center Honors

as Self

The Flip Wilson Show

as Self

Playboy After Dark

The Music Scene

Shindig!

as Self

The Hollywood Palace

as Self

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

1962

as Self

7.4

The Mike Douglas Show

as Self - Co-Host

The Ed Sullivan Show

as Self

Crew (6)

Movies (6)

Get On Up

2014

Songs

6.8

Black Women, Sexual Politics and the Revolution

1992

Songs

Jacob's Ladder

1990

Songs

7.4

Walk Out

1981

Music

Black Caesar

1973

Original Music Composer

5.8

Slaughter's Big Rip-Off

1973

Original Music Composer

4.4