Legendary '70s Captain America Actor and Sci-Fi Movie Star Turns 78
Long before superheromovies started dominating Hollywood's box office, and years before the Marvel Cinematic Universe reshaped pop culture, one actor took an early, unconventional swing at bringing a comic book favorite to life on screen.
In the late 1970s, actor Reb Brown took on the now iconic role as Captain America in two made-for-TV movies, Captain America and Captain America II: Death Too Soon, and now, he's celebrating a special birthday as he turns 78 on April 29, 2026.
When Brown played Captain America, Hollywood was only starting to experiment with comic book adaptations, and it certainly wasn't a guaranteed success like one might be today. The development deal that led to his role was the same that developed the popular TV series The Incredible Hulk starring Lou Ferrigno.
Before Brown, there was only one other actor who played Captain America on screen, and that was Dick Purcell in the 1944 serial film. After the 1979 films, it would be about a decade before another attempt was made, when the 1990 movie Captain America starring Matt Salinger.
In the years since, Brown has attended many fan conventions representing the films, with plenty of people cheering on the cult-classic actor.
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Along with the Captain America movies, Brown is also well-known for other projects, particularly sci-fi films from the 1980s. This includes Yor, the Hunter from the Future, Space Mutiny, and Robowar. Other notable roles included various action and war films like Uncommon Valor, Strike Commando, and White Ghost.
Space Mutiny was also featured on the cult-classic show Mystery Science Theater 3000, a comedy series focusing on a human stuck on a spacecraft by mad scientists who force them to watch bad B-movies. The main character is joined by sentient robots, and together they riff about whatever cheesy movie they're watching that episode. The episode featuring Brown's sci-fi film became a fan favorite.
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This story was originally published April 29, 2026 at 7:02 AM.