W. Earl Brown Comes Home to his Alma Mater

                          

 

W. Earl Brown, a Murray State University radio and television/theatre graduate, recently discussed his acting career with a group of MSU theatre, music, English and philosophy students, and the general community, in the Wrather West Kentucky Museum’s auditorium.

 

Brown, who currently stars as Dan Dority on the HBO “Deadwood” series, has a lengthy list of film and television credits including "CSI," "There's Something About Mary,” VH1's "Meatloaf," Deep Impact,” “Kiss The Girls,” “The Alamo,” and “Being John Malkovich.”

 

Wearing a pair of brown jeans, denim work shirt, cowboy boots and a taupe “Deadwood” baseball cap pulled down around his shoulder-length black hair, Brown told the crowd he had learned many lessons and tricks of the trade since his graduation from MSU in 1986. “Just like many other careers, there are politics in this industry and sometimes it affects our jobs,” he said. “Prior to Deadwood I had been cast for ABC’s “Sugarhill” series alongside Charlie Sheen and because of an ongoing legal dispute between our producer, Michael Eisner, who represents Disney, and Jeffrey Katzenburg, who represents Dreamworks, the show was killed. Because of their feud Eisner nixed our show. I had already bought the convertible and was banking on it.”

 

Brown said after that episode he learned “don’t go buy a convertible unless the check is cleared.”

 

After graduating from MSU, Brown received his MFA in 1989 from DePaul University in Chicago . DePaul University is honoring Brown’s acting career with their "2005 Distinguished Alumni Award."

 

As Brown answered questions from a crowd of 100 people, he said that from his 60 television and film credits his favorites are “Deadwood,” “There’s Something about Mary,” “Scream,” and “Being John Malkovich.” When describing a most pivotal moment in his career, he spoke of comedian Robin Williams. Brown worked with Williams and Holly Hunter last summer in Alaska while filming “The Big White.” “It was fun on the set as many of the cast members kept teasing me about my character as Warren in the film ‘There’s Something about Mary.’ Robin looked at me one day and said, ‘That’s you? Wow, I’ve tried and tried to find out who knew you. That was an outstanding job!’ ”

 

Brown said that was surreal experience as Williams, who can go into character at any given moment and impersonate voices and people’s actions, would go into his own rendition of Warren on the set. “I finally told him one day, I grew up trying to imitate your ‘Na Nu,’ and now you’re impersonating me.”

 

Brown said the basic ingredient for success in this business is to “believe in yourself.” “You need to be honest with yourself and decide where you fit in and which role best fits you before trying for a part,” he said. “Also, get used to rejection because it’s going to happen.”

 

Clint Miller, a 1977 business administration graduate, traveled from Paducah to Murray to see Brown. An avid fan of “Deadwood,” Miller asked Brown about the crude language used in the show. Miller doesn’t remember that type of language being used so loosely in that genre and among people as it is on the HBO Emmy and Golden Globe winning series.

 

Brown responded to Miller that his own extensive research and the show’s producers support the use of such language in the show. “There is even research that shows a diary left from the late Robert Louis Stevenson’s wife (1850-1894) discussing this type of language that dates back to the 1800s,” he said. “There has also been research dating back to the Norse invasion of England in the 16 th century that illustrates how the “F” word evolved, but we don’t know it was used to the degree that we do on the show.”

 

Brown said the Norse used a word ‘fokken’ which meant to strike repeatedly with great force. “The Norse were repelled, but the English must have liked their word because it became part of the English lexicon from that part forward although the English spelled it ‘fukken.’ ”

 

Miller said it is obvious Brown appreciates the education he received at Murray State and the start it provided for him. “He is giving back to his alma mater by frequently coming back to talk to students,” Miller said. “That’s a sign of a great individual, and that’s coming from someone who’s old enough to be Brown’s father.”

 

Miller said Brown hasn’t lost his western Kentucky roots and the basic morals he gained while growing up in a small town like Murray . “He’s very level headed, has great determination and faith in himself. That’s what it takes in this world. We were seeing the real W. Earl Brown yesterday. I was very impressed with him.”