‘The Wire’ Actor Was 62

Bobby J. Brown, who portrayed the Baltimore cop Bobby Brown on HBO’s The Wire, has died after being caught in a barn fire in Maryland. He was 62.

Brown’s daughter told TMZ that her father died of smoke inhalation Wednesday after he was attempting to jump-start a vehicle and the barn became engulfed in flames. His wife, Arlene, reportedly was burned in what is being termed an accident.

On The Wire, created by David Simon, Brown appeared on 12 of the series’ 60 episodes over its five-season run from 2002-08. The character is said to be an homage to an actual Western District patrolman named Bob Brown.

He made his onscreen debut in 1998 on an episode of NBC’s Homicide: Life on the Street, on which Simon served as a writer and producer, and he also acted for Simon on two HBO miniseries set in Baltimore, 2000’s The Corner and 2022’s We Own This City.

Born and raised in Washington, D.C, Robert Joseph Brown boxed as a youngster and compiled an amateur record of 73-13, winning five Golden Glove championships and fighting future superstar Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker three times (winning once).

He signed with trainer Carmen Graziano and became interested in acting when Mickey Rourke was making the 1988 boxing film Homeboy in New Jersey and the movie employed fighters in Graziano’s stable. He then was accepted into the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York.

The rugged Brown showed up on Law & Order: SVU and Veep and in such films as City by the Sea (2002), My One and Only (2016), Fishbowl (2018), Miss Virginia (2019), Really Love (2020) and Off-Time (2022).

He also directed two documentaries, 2005’s Off the Chain, about American pit bull terriers, and 2016’s Tear the Roof Off: The Untold Story of Parliament Funkadelic.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of Bobby J. Brown,” his talent agent, Albert Bramante, said in a statement. “Bobby was a tremendously talented actor who approached every role with a rare level of dedication and passion. He was a true professional and a joy to have on our roster. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones. We ask that their privacy be respected as they navigate this unimaginable loss.”