Himan Brown (July 21, 1910 – June 4, 2010), also known as Hi Brown, was an American producer of radio programs. Producing for the major radio networks and also for syndication, Brown worked with such actors as Helen Hayes, Boris Karloff, Peter Lorre, Gregory Peck, Frank Sinatra and Orson Welles while creating thousands of radio programs. He produced more than 30,000 radio shows over seven decades.
July 21, 1910, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, United States
Died
June 4, 2010, New York City, New York, United States
Place Of Birth
Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
Profession
Producer, Writer, Director
Education
Brooklyn College
Star Sign
Cancer
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Quote
1
I don't need 200 orchestra players doing the "Ride of the Valkyries". I don't need car chases. I don't need mayhem. All I need to do is creak the door open, and visually your head begins to go. The magic word is imagination. [From a 2003 interview]
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Fact
1
The signature squeaky door sound and organ music used on CBS Radio Mystery Theater had actually first been used on Inner Sanctum, another radio show produced by Himan Brown.
2
He had a law degree from Brooklyn Law School, which he utilized in acquiring the radio rights to fictional characters such as Dick Tracy, Bulldog Drummond, Flash Gordon, and the Thin Man.
3
In the 1950s, he bought the Players Studio at 221 West 26th Street, now Chelsea Studios, to produce his shows.
4
He lived in the same apartment on Central Park West in New York City from 1938 until his death in 2010.
5
He taught audio drama at Brooklyn College in Brooklyn, New York and the School of Visual Arts in New York City. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters in 2003 by Brooklyn College.
6
He was a member of the Radio Hall of Fame, a recipient of the American Broadcast Pioneer Award, and the Peabody Award.
7
He was a Founding Member of the Director's Guild of America; a member of AFTRA; a philanthropist; and the founder of the Radio Drama Network.
8
He attended Boy's High School with Bugsy Siegel and the Amboy Dukes in Brooklyn, New York. He attended Brooklyn College and Brooklyn Law School where he graduated as valedictorian with a law degree in 1931.
9
He was a longtime member of the community in North Stamford, Connecticut.
10
Survived by his caretaker, Zulfiya Ziyahodjaev.
11
Son of Samuel Brown and Dora Arkis Brown, immigrants from Odessa, Ukraine. Brother of Mende Brown and Nathan Brown.
12
Father of Barry Kenneth Brown of California and Hilda Joan Brown of Arizona. Grandfather of Melina Celeste Brown and Barrie Kristen Brown. Great-grandfather of William Samuel Brown, Zoe Judith Mildred Sansted, Zachary Dakota Aloysisus Sansted, and Zia Eva Dora Sansted of Connecticut. Husband of Mildred Brown and Shirley Goodman.
13
Director of NBC Radio's "Barry Craig, Confidential Investigator" (1951-1954).
14
Brown was the creator, producer and director of "Inner Sanctum Mysteries" at ABC Radio (and for a short time at CBS) (1941-1952).
15
From 1974 to 1982, he produced and directed the Peabody Award-winning CBS Radio Mystery Theater.
16
Himan Brown was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1990.
Producer
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Chevy Mystery Show
1960
TV Series producer - 2 episodes
Summer of Decision
1959
TV Movie producer
The Violators
1957
producer
That Night!
1957
producer
Homer Bell
1955
TV Series producer - 1 episode
Inner Sanctum
1954
TV Series producer - 3 episodes
Writer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Seduction: Three Tales from the 'Inner Sanctum'
1992
TV Movie radio show Inner Sanctum - segment "The Two of Us"
Inner Sanctum
1954
TV Series series concept
Director
Title
Year
Status
Character
Anyone Around My Base Is It
1966
Documentary short
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Looking at Radio
1974
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Known for movies
That Night! (1957) as Producer
Inner Sanctum (1954) as Producer
Seduction: Three Tales from the 'Inner Sanctum' (1992) as Writer
$11 Million
