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Jim Brown was a celebrated NFL player.
He also had a successful career in Hollywood.
Jim was married twice during his life and welcomed 5 children across the two marriages.
The NFL legend passed away on May 18, 2023.
During his life, Jim Brown was frequently called the greatest football player in NFL history. The Cleveland Browns’ fullback was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1971, was a four-time NFL MVP, and led his team to an NFL championship in 1964. He also excelled in Lacrosse and is known as the league’s all-time leading rusher. Jim retired in 1966, but his career as a public figure was nowhere near over. He was known for being a social activist throughout his life, and two years before he retired from the NFL, he began a prominent career as a Hollywood actor.
Jim married Monique Brown in 1997. (Debby Wong/Shutterstock)
He appeared in films including Rio Conchos, The Dirty Dozen, The Split, The Running Man, Mars Attacks!, Riot, and opposite screen goddess Raquel Welch and Burt Reynolds in 100 Rifles. He was also seen in the small screen in shows including Knight Rider, The A-Team, and CHiPs, among others. He became an author in 1989 with his autobiography, Out of Bounds.
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Behind the scenes, Jim was married twice and fathered five children across the two marriages, before passing away at age 87 on May 18, 2023. Here’s everything to know about Jim’s first and second marriages.
Sue Jones Brown
Jim married the former Sue Jones in September of 1959. They welcomed twins, Kim and Kevin, just a year later in 1960, and another child, son James Jr., was born in 1962. The entire marriage lasted almost ten years before Sue filed for divorce in 1968, citing “gross neglect.” It wasn’t finalized until 1972, and Sue was awarded 100 per month in child support for their three children, plus $2,500 per month in alimony.
During his marriage to Sue, in 1965, an 18-year-old woman accused him of assault and battery for an alleged incident in a hotel room, resulting in an arrest. He was later acquitted, but more trouble was on the horizon — in 1968, the same year Sue filed for divorce, he was charged with assault and intent to commit murder when model Eva Bohn-Chin was allegedly found beneath a balcony off his apartment, apparently thrown off. She refused to cooperate with prosecutors in the investigation, however, and the charges were dismissed.
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In his autobiography, later stated that the conflict with Eva was over an affair he was having with fellow activist and feminist icon Gloria Steinem.
Monique Brown
Monique and Jim welcomed two children during their marriage. (EI/Shutterstock)
Jim would be engaged twice more before finally settling down again. He became engaged to 18-year-old Diane Stanley in 1973, but they broke it off the following year in 1974. Years later he again became engaged, this time to Debra Clark, but he was arrested in 1986 for allegedly assaulting her. She refused to press charges and he was released, the matter dropped.
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Jim Brown: 5 Things To Know About NFL Legend & Hollywood Actor Dead At 87
Jim married model Monique Brown in 1997, and together they welcomed two children, Aris and Kimberly. But again, trouble loomed — in 1999, he was charged with allegedly making terroristic threats against Monique. He was also charged with vandalism for allegedly shattering a window in her Jaguar with a shovel, per USA Today. He was sentenced to community service, domestic violence counseling, and probation, but ignored the terms and ultimately was sentenced to jail for six months. In 2002, he was released after serving three months in jail, also per USA Today.
On May 19, Monique took to Instagram with a formal statement about Jim’s death at age 87. “It is with profound sadness that I announce the passing of my husband, Jim Brown,” she wrote alongside of herself kissing Jim on the forehead. “He passed peacefully last night at our LA home. To the world he was an activist, actor, and football star. To our family, he was a loving and wonderful husband, father, and grandfather. Our hearts are broken…”
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