Biography

Son of a rope, raffia and canvas importer-exporter, Antony Brown began his drama career during the war as a stage manager with the Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA). He then became a scriptwriter for the BBC and wrote a number of radio and television plays. In 1955 he was offered a two-week job as holiday relief to read the news for the newly-formed Independent Television News. Such was his popularity as a newscaster that the two-week job lasted for nine years. His most historic news announcement came in 1963 when he just happened to be on duty at the time of President Kennedy's assassination. During this period, also, he occasionally did cameo acting roles playing himself as newscaster in films such as The Square Mile Murder (1961).

Brown married two actresses, the first being Joan Mundy in Bridgwater in 1948. By co-incidence, he met his second wife while divorcing the first. His neighbour, 28-year-old Sheila McCormack was divorcing her first husband, radio actor Roger Braban, in the same court hearing that Antony was divorcing Joan. Antony and Sheila married in Folkestone in 1958 and their son Ben Brown came along in 1960. Ben too is a leading news reporter, but with the BBC.

After leaving ITN in 1965, Antony fronted political debating programme "Challenge" for Tyne-Tees Television. His most memorable show was the sensational "black book" interview with Leeds footballer Jack Charlton who revealed that he kept a blacklist of rough players from whom he intended to exact revenge. Antony also wrote books, including the popular "Captain Justice" series (1981 to 1984) which he co-authored with Norman McKenzie using the joint pseudonym "Anthony Forrest." Also, he wrote a nativity play "David and the Donkey" (1966) which was televised by ITV. Antony Brown died at his Battersea home on 21 January 2001 and was survived by Sheila, his wife for over 42 years.

- IMDb mini biography by: Jim Marshall