Al Brown, The Wire Actor, Dies at 83

Al Brown recurred in all five seasons of The Wire as Col. Stan Valchek.

HBO

Actor Al Brown, best known for his role in the hit HBO series The Wire, has sadly passed away. Brown’s daughter, Jenny, has confirmed to TMZ that her father passed away on Friday in Las Vegas after a battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was 83 years old.

In addition to his acting work, with a rise to fame as Stan Valchek in The Wire, Brown had previously served as an Air Force veteran with two tours in Vietnam. He took exceptionally well to his new profession upon getting into acting, as Jenny says her father really loved his fans. He was always “happy to stop and chat with anyone who might’ve recognized him from the show over the years,” noting that he really “loved his job.”

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“Have learned almost everything the hard way. But, have never quit or stopped trying,” Brown also wrote in his bio on LinkedIn. “Believe ‘honor’ is a way of life and should be cherished. Have always wanted to be an actor. Gave it up for family, the military, and obvious responsibilities for 30+ years. Back at it. Thank God for my TV Show The Wire!!!”

Fans of The Wire will remember Brown well as Col. Valchek, a high-ranking member of the Baltimore Police Department and proud Polish-American who sometimes made life more difficult for the main characters. Brown appeared in all five seasons as Valchek, though he was most involved in the storylines in the second season.

Related: Robert Hogan Dies, Veteran TV Actor and The Wire Star Was 87

Al Brown Loved His Fans

The actor would have roles in many other TV shows, often playing law enforcement or people in positions of power, as this was something he excelled at. His other TV credits include a recurring role in The Hustler along with roles in other shows like Homicide: Life on the Street, The F.B.I. Files, Forensic Files, Rescue Me, Commander in Chief, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Maron. He’s also appeared in TV films like The Adversaries, Shot in the Heart, and Something the Lord Made.

Brown had also appeared in several feature films. That includes some notable movies like 12 Monkeys, Liberty Heights, Red Dragon, and Lay the Favorite. The actor also provided voiceover work for the 2007 video game The Darkness, branching out into another medium as well.

Brown’s survivors include his children and extended family. Our thoughts are with them at this painful time. Rest in peace, Al Brown.

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