Al Brown Wiki, Biography
Well-known actor Al Brown passed away on January 13, 2023, at the age of 83. He was known for playing the character of Stanislaus Valchek, Police Commissioner of the Baltimore Police Department, on the HBO crime drama series The Wire. According to TMZ, Brown’s daughter said that the actor suffered from Alzheimer’s for a long time, which ultimately led to his death.
The news of his passing was revealed through a post on his official Facebook page, which read:
“My name is Michael. I manage Al’s Facebook page. I am saddened to report that the angels came for Al yesterday morning, Friday, January 13, 2023. May his memory be a blessing to his family, friends, and each other.” of you. This page will remain as a testament to Al’s hard work and love for his fans.”
Al Brown appeared as Stanislaus Valchek on The Wire
Al Brown gained recognition for his appearance as Stanislaus Valchek on the HBO crime drama series The Wire. The character was also the commander of the Polish-American Southeast District.
The character, who appeared in five seasons of the series, had good relationships with political figures and various Democratic organizations located near City Hall. He spent most of his time as Mayor in charge of the Southeast district and was later promoted to Administration Deputy due to his ties to Mayor Carcetti.
Valchek used his influence to his advantage and, despite his dislike for Prez, he always saved the latter from being punished for his misdeeds. He was backed by Andy Krawczyk, a politically-influenced developer, and was loyal to Tommy Carcetti, who helped get him promoted as Deputy Commissioner for Administration at the Baltimore City Police Department.
Stanislaus always cared more about his rank and political contacts than thinking about a strategy to fight crime. He was willing to abuse his rank and power against anyone who broke the law, which is why high-ranking officers like Commissioner Burrell and Operations Deputy Rawls disliked him.
The Wire aired for five seasons with 60 episodes from June 2, 2002 to March 9, 2008. Although the show received an average response from critics and audiences, it is considered one of the best series on television.
Al Brown has also appeared on various other television shows.
Although Al Brown was primarily known for his performance on The Wire, he was a part of several other television shows. He appeared as Commissioner Tom Sablone in an episode of the NBC crime drama series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Brown has also been on other shows like The Hustler, Maron, Commander in Chief, Rescue Me, Forensic Files, and The F.B.I. files he went on to appear in movies like Red Dragon, Liberty Heights, The Replacements, and Shot in the Heart.
He played a minor role in the 1995 science fiction film 12 Monkeys. Directed by Terry Gilliam, the film grossed $168 million at the box office and starred Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe, Brad Pitt, and Christopher Plummer in the lead roles.
Al is survived by his daughter Jenny, who confirmed the news of her father’s passing due to his battle with Alzheimer’s.