Joseph Brown (August 1, 1920 – April 3, 2009), known professionally as Victor Millan, was an American actor, academic and former dean of the theatre arts department at Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, California.
Early life Brown was born on August 1, 1920 in East Los Angeles to Mexican parents who had emigrated to the United States during the Mexican Revolution. His mother was a seamstress from Durango. Brown first developed an interest in acting during junior high school. He graduated from Theodore Roosevelt High School. He served as a sergeant in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II. During the war, Brown was stationed in China, India and Burma.
He enrolled at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) following the end of World War II. Brown earned both his bachelor's degree and his master's degree in theatre arts from UCLA.
Career Brown, who adopted the stage name Victor Millan during his acting career, had over eighty separate television and film credits, in addition to his theater work. Some of his earliest roles included the 1952 film, The Ring, which was directed by Kurt Neumann, as well as Walk the Proud Land, the Orson Welles-directed Touch of Evil, and The FBI Story. He played schoolteacher Rafael Guerra in the Wanted, Dead or Alive episode (S3 E14) "Witch Woman", opposite Jeannette Nolan as superstitious La Curandera (1960). In 1968, Millan appeared as Lazaro on The Big Valley series, in the episode titled "Miranda."
Millan's later film credits included Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze in 1975, and the 1983 film, Scarface starring Al Pacino, in which Millan played Ariel Bleyer.
He was an active member of the Screen Actors Guild.
He taught theatre arts at Santa Monica College for his entire academic teaching career, serving as the Dean of the theatre arts department for over twenty-five years.
Victor Millan died at his home in Santa Monica, California, on April 3, 2009, at the age of 88.
Filmography Year Title Role Notes1952 The Ring Pablo 1952 Horizons West Mexican Soldier Uncredited1952 Thunderbirds Pvt. Joe Lastchance 1954 Elephant Walk Koru, Servant Uncredited1954 Drum Beat Indian Uncredited1955 Battle Cry Pvt. Pedro Uncredited1955 Strange Lady in Town Young Priest Uncredited1955 Apache Ambush Manuel Uncredited1956 Walk the Proud Land Santos 1956 Giant Angel Obregón Sr. 1956 The Girl He Left Behind Sgt. Storm Cloud Uncredited1957 The Ride Back Father Ignatius 1957 Escape from San Quentin Mendez Uncredited1958 Touch of Evil Manolo Sanchez 1958 Terror in a Texas Town Jose Mirada 1959 The FBI Story Mario 1963King Kong vs. GodzillaRodrigo InfantaUncredited1968 The Pink Jungle Helicopter Pilot 1975 Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze Chief Chaac 1976 W.C. Fields and Me Spanish Translator Uncredited1979 Boulevard Nights Mr. Landeros 1983 Scarface Ariel Bleyer
Television Year 1972 Title Colombo, Season 2, Ep. 6 Role Detective Flores Notes1961 Wanted Dead or AliveRafael Guerraseason 3 episode 14 (Witch woman)
References
External links
Interview at Latinopia