Jim Brown.

Jim Brown. Jim Brown, born in 1936, American football player and motion picture actor, who led the National Football League (NFL) in rushing yards eight times during his nine-year career. He was born James Nathaniel Brown in Saint Simons Island, Georgia, and educated at Syracuse University. Brown played fullback for the Cleveland Browns of the NFL from 1957 until 1966. During this time he was named to the All-Pro team eight times and won the most valuable player award three times. Brown retired at the height of his success with a career total of 12,312 yards gained, and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1971. After his retirement, he acted in a few motion pictures, including the war movie The Dirty Dozen, with Lee Marvin and Robert Ryan, in 1967. Beginning in the late 1980s, Brown took an increasingly visible role in helping disadvantaged youths, particularly African American youths, complete their secondary education and seek higher education and employment. Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.