James Brown (May 3, 1933 - December 25, 2006) was an American singer and songwriter, eventually referred to as "The Godfather of Soul"(GFOS). Brown started singing in gospel groups and worked his way on up. He has been recognized as one of the most iconic figures in the 20th century popular music and was renowned for his vocals and feverish dancing. He was also called "the hardest-working man in show business". Brown began his professional music career in 1956 and rose to fame during the late 1950s and early 1960s on the strength of his thrilling live performances and string of smash hits. In spite of various personal problems and setbacks he continued to score hits in every decade through the 1980s. In addition to his acclaim in music, Brown was also a presence in American political affairs during the 1960s and 1970s.

Filmography

• 2026The Godfather of Soul — Self (archive footage), Compositor
• 2020The AGFA Mystery Mixtape Vault — (archive footage)
• 2016Andy Warhol, Fluorescent — (archive footage)
• 2014Get On Up — Songs
• Madam Secretary — James Brown
• 2014The Story of Funk: One Nation Under a Groove
• The Millers — James Brown
• 2007James Brown: Living in America
• 2007The Midnight Special Legendary Performances: More 1977
• Web Junk 20
• 2005Robots — Diesel (archive footage) (uncredited)
• 2003James Brown - Live at Chastain Park Atlanta 1980
• 2003Paper Chasers
• 2002Beat the Devil — Mr. James Brown
• 2002The Tuxedo — James Brown
• 2001The UB40: Story of Reggae — Drummer
• 1998Blues Brothers 2000 — Cleophus James
• 1998Holy Man — James Brown
• Duckman — Hostage Negotiator (voice)
• 1992Black Women, Sexual Politics and the Revolution — Songs
• 1991James Brown Live in Berlin
• 1991The Lost James Brown Tapes — Vocals
• 1990Jacob's Ladder — Songs
• The Word
• 1989Legends of Rock 'n' Roll — James Brown
• The Simpsons — James Brown (voice)
• Amen
• Throb
• 1985Motown Returns to the Apollo
• 1985Rocky IV — The Godfather of Soul
• Miami Vice — Lou De Long
• 1983Doctor Detroit — Bandleader
• 1981Walk Out — Music
• 1980The Blues Brothers — Cleophus James
• 1978James Brown Soul Brother No. 1
• 1973Black Caesar — Original Music Composer
• 1973Slaughter's Big Rip-Off — Original Music Composer
• 1970The Phynx — James Brown
• Playboy After Dark
• The Music Scene
• Future Shock — Creator

Appearances as themselves (72)

• 2025Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music — Self (archive footage)
• James Brown: Say It Loud — Self (archive footage)
• Death by Fame — Self (archive footage)
• 2023Sunday Best: The Untold Story of Ed Sullivan — Self (archive footage)
• 2022Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues — Self (archive footage)
• 1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything — Self (archive footage)
• 2021Best of the 60s: The Story of Ready, Steady, Go! — Self (archive footage)
• 2021Nueva York: A Musical History of Latin New York — Self (archive footage)
• 2021Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, and Rage — Self (archive footage)
• 70 Years of Youth Revolt — Self (archive footage)
• 2019Africa Rising — Self - Musician (archive footage)
• 2019Nice Girls Don't Stay for Breakfast — Self - Singer (archive footage)
• 2019The Apollo — Self (archive footage)
• 20181968: A Year of War, Turmoil and Beyond — Self (archive footage)
• 2016A Tale of James Brown — Self (archive footage)
• Les Fous du Funk — Self
• 2014Finding the Funk — Self
• 2014James Brown - The Man, The Music & The Message — Self
• 2014Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown — Self (archive footage)
• 2013Fathers and Songs: Music for Father's Day — Self (archive footage)
• 2012Yo! The Story of ‘Yo! MTV Raps’ — Self (archive footage)
• 2011The Real Rocky — Self (archive footage)
• 2009Sex in '69: The Sexual Revolution in America — Self
• 2009Soul Power — Self (archive footage)
• 2008James Brown - The Night James Brown Saved Boston — Self (archive footage)
• 2008James Brown Live At The Apollo '68 — Self
• 2008James Brown Live At The Boston Garden - April 5, 1968 — Self
• 2008Pavarotti The Duets — Self
• 2006Frankie Laine: An American Dreamer — Self (archive footage)
• 2006Full Length & Fabulous: The Beckhams' World Cup Party — Self
• 2006George Clinton: Tales of Dr Funkenstein — Self (archive footage)
• 2005Live 8 — Self
• 2005Rock 'N' Roll Forever: Ed Sullivan's Greatest Hits — Self (archive)
• Soul Deep: The Story of Black Popular Music — Self
• 2004Casey Kasem's Rock 'n' Roll Goldmine: The Soul Years — Self (archive footage)
• 2004James Brown: Body Heat — Self
• 2004James Brown: Live — Self
• 2004TV in Black: The First Fifty Years — Self (archive footage)
• 2003James Brown: Soul Survivor — Self
• 2003The Giants of Black Music — Self
• 2002It's Black Entertainment — Self (archive footage)
• 2002Undercover Brother — Self
• 2001Rhythm and Blues 40: A Soul Spectacular — Self
• The Hire — Self
• 1999James Brown: Live From The House Of Blues — Self
• Where Are They Now? — Self
• 1997Soulmates — Self
• The View — Self
• TFI Friday — Self
• 1996When We Were Kings — Self
• 1995Cincinnati's Rock 'N Roll Legends — Self
• New York Undercover — Self
• 1993RapLine — Self
• 1991A Party For Richard Pryor — Self
• Yo! MTV Raps — Self
• 1987James Brown & Friends: A Night of Super Soul — Self
• 1985James Brown - Live At Chastain Park — Himself
• 1983When the Music's Over — Self
• 1981James Brown: Live at Montreux — Self
• The Kennedy Center Honors — Self
• 1974James Brown: Soul Train 1973-1974 — Self
• 1974The Midnight Special Legendary Performances 1974 — Self
• 1971James Brown: Love Power Peace — Self
• The Flip Wilson Show — Self
• 1965Ski Party — Self
• Shindig! — Self
• The Hollywood Palace — Self
• 1964The T.A.M.I. Show — Self
• The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson — Self
• The Mike Douglas Show — Self - Co-Host
• The Ed Sullivan Show — Self
• Say Hello to Our Good Friend Paul Shaffer — Self (archive footage)