Johnny Mack Brown: Up Close and Personal [Paperback]

Bobby J. Copeland (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 15, 2005

This book is unlike any Johnny Mack Brown book you have read. you will have a greater appreciation of Johnny after reading about his football, film, and real-life experiences. Writen with the assistance of the Brown family. Many rare photos. Complete filmography. Extensive quotes by Johnny, his family, and his peers. Thoroughly researched through over 70 years of documents.

Editorial Reviews

Review

This book is a leisurely read with something interesting at every turn of the page. -- Paul Holbrook, Big Reel, Sept 2005

Product Details

• Paperback: 156 pages
• Publisher: Empire Publishing, Inc. (June 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0944019455
• ISBN-13: 978-0944019450
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #926,698 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars johnny mack brown: up close and personal, June 13, 2008

By 

Jimmy C. Allen - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Johnny Mack Brown: Up Close and Personal (Paperback)

BEING A LIFE LONG FAN OF THE B WESTERN OF THE LATE 1930'S-1940'S THIS IS AN EXCELLENT TELLING OF THE LIFE AND CAREER OF ONE OF MY FAVORITE HERO'S FROM THAT TIME AS A SMALL BOY. HE WAS IN HIS PERSONAL LIFE WHAT I HAVE ALWAYS HELD HIM UP TO BE-A OUTSTANDING ATHLETE, HORSEMAN, AND GUN HANDLER. BUT, MORE IMPORTANTLY, HE WAS A TRUE & HONORABLE SOUTHERN GENTLEMAN, A DEVOTED HUSBAND AND FATHER. IF YOU ARE A FAN OF THE OLD B WESTERN STARS; ESPECIALLY ONE NAMED JOHNNY MACK BROWN; YOU WILL LOVE THIS BOOK.
A FAN IN TALLAPOOSA, GEORGIA

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "one of the best-liked actors in B-Westerns ~ Johnny Mack Brown", September 2, 2005

By 

J. Lovins "Mr. Jim" (Missouri-USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Johnny Mack Brown: Up Close and Personal (Paperback)

Bobby J. Copeland's book on "Johnny Mack Brown: Up Close & Personal" is chuck full of answers to all the questions his fans had from early on...when you went to see him on the big screen, you got exactly what the marquee said...plenty of thrills, adventure and loaded with action...Johnny Mack was a natural for the western, his riding abilities and fight scenes were of the the same caliber as Buck Jones and Bob Steele...Johnny Mack sets the saddle better than Duke Wayne...seems Johnny got better with the more films he made and the scripts were always top notch...he was one of the best-liked people in films, what you saw on the screen is what he really was...a great human being.

Copeland's coverage of up close and personal is very touching and entertaining...as in the table of contents with page numbers of chapters listed:
INTRODUCTION - 9
THE EARLY YEARS - 10
BROWN AT ALABAMA - 14
HOLLYWOOD BECKONS - 26
THE HOLLYWOOD MANSION - 33
GARBO, CRAWFORD & MAE WEST - 37
A TURN FOR THE WORSE - 40
JOHNNY RIDES THE RANGE - 44
THEY WORKED WITH JOHNNY - 62
FANS MEET JOHNNY - 66
RAYMON HATTON - 70
FUZZY KNIGHT - 77
MAX TERHUNE - 79
JOHNNY'S WESTERNS - A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE - 82
THEY'RE WRITING ABOUT JOHNNY - 97
THE FANS SPEAK - 101
POSTHUMOUS AWARDS - 107
REVERIES FROM CYNTHIA - 111
JOHNNY IN THE POLLS - 114
JOHNNY IN THE COMICS - 115
JOHNNY MACK BROWN TIME LINE - 117
JOHNNY'S CHILDREN & GRANDCHILDREN - 119
FILMOGRAPHY - 120
ESSENTIAL VIEWING OF JOHNNY'S WESTERNS - 131
PHOTO GALLERY - 141
ABOUT THE AUTHOR - 153

Find myself in full agreement with author Bobby Copeland and Boyd Magers (publisher of Western Clippings) with their picks in alphabetical order...this is only a partial list...there are other Westerns that did not make this list and were simply outstanding:

ARIZONA CYCLONE (1941 Universal)
BADMAN FROM RED BUTTE (1940 Universal)
BETWEEN MEN (1935 Supreme)
BORN TO THE WEST (re-released as HELL TOWN - with John Wayne) (1937 Paramount)
BRANDED A COWARD (1935 Supreme)
CANYON AMBUSH (1952 Monogram)
CHEYENNE ROUNDUP (1943 Universal)
CHIP OF THE FLYING U (1939 Universal)
CROOKED TRAIL,THE (1936 Supreme)
DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS (1942 Universal)
FLAME OF THE WEST (1945 Monogram)
FRONTIER AGENT (1948 Monogram)
GAMBLING TERROR (1937 Supreme)
HAUNTED MINE (1946 Monogram)
HIDDEN DANGER (1948 Monogram)
LAND OF THE LAWLESS (1947 Monogram)
LAW AND ORDER (1940 Universal)
LAW OF THE PANHANDLE (1950 Monogram)
LONE STAR TRAIL (1943 Universal)
OVERLAND TRAILS (1948 Monogram)
RAIDERS OF SAN JOAQUIN (1943 Universal)
RIDERS OF PASCO BASIN (1940 Universal)
SHERIFF OF MEDICINE BOW (1948 Monogram)
SILVER BULLET,THE (1942 Universal)
SIX GUN GOSPEL (1943 Monogram)
TEXAS KID,THE (1943 Monogram)
TRAILING DANGER (1947 Monogram)
TRIGGERMAN (1948 Monogram)
VALLEY OF FEAR (1947 Monogram)
VALLEY OF THE LAWLESS (1936 Supreme)
WEST OF CARSON CITY (1940 Universal)
WHISTLING HILLS (1951 Monogram)

Copeland has composed each section in his book to perfection noting Johnny Mack ranked a close No. 2 behind good friend Charles Starrett (Durango Kid)...in the amount B-Westerns filmed Starrett made 131 and Johnny Mack made 110, just five more than B-actioner Bob Steele, No. 3...Johnny Mack was always in the Top 10 Western Box Office Attractions for Motion Picture Herald Poll and Box Office Poll from 1940 through 1950...this book is unlike any on Johnny Mack as you will have greater appreciation after reading about his film career, football and real-life experiences...covers Johnny from birth on September 1, 1904 (Dothan, Alabama) until his 2004 Golden Boot Award...written with the assistance of the Brown Family...complete filmography...extensive quotes by Johnny, his family and his peers...thoroughly researched through over 70 years of documents..Johnny was handsome, perfect physical specimen, a capable rider and with his exploits on the football field had provided plenty of publicity with which he would savor for the rest of his life and career.

I found myself being transported back in time, Mr. Copeland's book has opened my eyes to what a wonderful unselfish person Johnny Mack Brown was...only wish I could have met him, he was one of a kind...we lost Johnny Mack November 14, 1974 (Woodland Hills, CA.)...Copeland takes the reader into the off screen events that each and every "B-Western-film-buff" lives for...knowing that Johnny was one of the nicest people, well liked and highly respected by directors, producers and cast is another plus. Pictures galore and great interviews by his co-workers make this a collectors dream come true...one of my favorite character actors was Johnny Mack's sidekick Raymond Hatton (1887-1971) as Marshall Sandy Hopkins who appeared from 1943 and made 45 films for Monogram Pictures...Don't miss this one...now appearing on Amazon or Empire Publishing ...Don't hesitate...rush out and pick up your copy today. Great reading in the days and weeks to come...I guarantee it!

Total Pages: 156 ~ Empire Publishing ISBN 0-944019-45-5 ~ (6/15/2005)

5.0 out of 5 stars Johnny Mack Brown Up Close and Personal, August 27, 2009

By 

Judith A. Brett (crookwell nsw australia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Johnny Mack Brown: Up Close and Personal (Paperback)

I really loved this book as it gave a good insight into this stars character and life