Timothy Brown Dies, M*A*S*H Star and NFL Legend Was 82

M*A*S*H fans are dealing with their second loss of 2020 as Timothy Brown, an actor who appeared in both the original movie along with the television series adaptation, has passed away. This follows the recent passing of Brown’s M*A*S*H co-star Kellye Nakahara, who died back in February. According to reports, Brown died on April 4 due to complications from dementia, though funeral services are said to be delayed due to health and safety concerns for the attendees given the recent stay-at-home orders from the United States government. Brown was 82 years old.

In addition to his acting career, Brown is also known as a former NFL star, spending ten years playing professionally for the league starting in 1959. During his time in the NFL, Brown had played for Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles, and Baltimore Colts. “Rest in peace, Timmy Brown—native Hoosier, elusive halfback/return man and three-time Pro Bowl player. Brown , ended his NFL career with the ’68 NFL champion Baltimore Colts before moving on to Hollywood,” Colts owner Jim Irsay said of Brown’s passing with a post on Twitter. Eagles chairman Jeffrey Lurie also weighed in on the news, referring to Brown as an “all-time great Eagle and one of the most dynamic multipurpose players of his era.”

A native of Richmond, Indiana, Brown was born on May 24, 1937. After playing college football at Ball State College, Brown moved into his NFL career, earning his way into multiple pro games. He is also the only Eagle in the NFL’s history to return a kickoff 105 yards for a touchdown and led the league twice in all-purpose yards. After hanging up the shoulder pads, Brown would later work as an NFL analyst for CBS and would be inducted into the Professional Football Researchers Associations Hall of Very Good Class of 2007.

While still playing football, Brown began his acting career in 1967 with an appearance on the classic Western series The Wild Wild West. After getting bit by the acting bug, Brown pursued the craft full time after leaving the NFL, appearing in movies like Sweet Sugar, Nashville, Black Heat, and Gus.

In 1970, he starred as Corporal Judson in the war movie MASH; he later starred as Dr. Oliver Harmon Jones during the first season of M*A*S*H, the television series adaptation, making Brown one of just four actors to appear in both iterations of the story. The character was written out of the series by the end of season one, reportedly due to the producers learning no African-Americans had served as surgeons in Korea in the Korean War.

Truly a tough guy on and off screen, Brown worked as a correctional officer after stepping away from sports and acting, later retiring to spend the rest of his days living in Palm Springs, California. Brown’s survivors include a son, two grandchildren, and a sister. We send positive thoughts and our condolences to them at this time. Brown was a very talented fellow in many different ways, and though he’s no longer with us, his memory will live on for some time to come. May he rest in peace. This news comes to us from Fox News.