(July 28, 1891 – July 6, 1973)

Joseph Evans Brown was a popular actor and comedian. In 1902 at the
age of nine, he joined a troupe of circus tumblers known as the Five
Marvelous Ashtons which toured the country on both the circus and
vaudeville circuits. Later he became a professional baseball player. After
three seasons he returned to the circus, then went into Vaudeville and
finally starred on Broadway. He gradually added comedy into his act and
transformed himself into a comedian. He moved to Broadway in the 1920s
first appearing in the musical comedy Jim Jam Jems.