When Jim Brown announced his early retirement from the NFL at the peak of his career, the football legend decided to go down the route of acting and featured in a number of big titles, including Tim Burton’s Mars Attacks!
The former NFL icon passed away aged 87 at his home in California on Thursday, May 19. His wife, Monique, who Jim shares two kids with, posted the sad news on Instagram.
Throughout his life, Jim wore multiple hats as a sports star, social activist, and loving family member. Of all, his on-screen journey will continue to be discussed for years to come after his death, as he always chose roles that suited him best, making each feature count.
Who did Jim Brown play in Mars Attacks!?
Jim played the role of former boxing champion Byron Williams in the 1996 film. His character was shown to be employed at the Las Vegas casino.
The NFL star’s character features alongside a number of famous names, including Tom Jones, Natalie Portman, Sarah Jessica Parker and Michael J. Fox among others.
The iconic role played by Jim sees him flex his boxing skills to fight the Martians when they try to take over the Earth. He’s seen as a doting father and husband, who is revealed to be alive after playing dead, only to desperately reunite with his family.
Tim’s directorial is available on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+ to rent or buy in 2023 if you wish you relive some of Jim’s iconic moments after his passing.
He appeared in several popular movies and shows
Jim’s feature in The Dirty Dozen was followed by notable roles in several films and TV shows., including CHiPs, I Escaped from Devil’s Island, Knight Rider, Highway to Heaven, The Running Man, The Divine Enforcer, and more.
He has also appeared as himself in The Journey of the African-American Athlete, Run Ricky Run, I Am Ali, and Glickman among others.
He went on to make history by appearing with Raquel Welch for Hollywood’s first interracial romantic scene in the 1969 film, 100 Rifles, reports USA Today.
As well as his reputation as a talented actor, Jim was also known for social activism. He founded Amer-I-Can in 1988, to assist former prison inmates with the development of life skills and transitioning to outside life after serving a sentence.
Apparently, he also worked towards reducing violence among gangs in Los Angeles by getting personally involved in creating a truce.
NFL legend gave up football to focus on his purpose in life
On the day after announcing his NFL retirement, Jim explained to Swimsuit Illustrated his decision to focus on life decisions that could provide him more “mental stimulation” and do something about the “struggles” of people in his country.
Jim said: “I could have played longer. I wanted to play this year, but it was impossible. We’re running behind schedule shooting here, for one thing. I want more mental stimulation than I would have playing football.”
“I want to have a hand in the struggle that is taking place in our country, and I have the opportunity to do that now. I might not a year from now,” he explained further.
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