View source for X Brands

{{Short description|American actor}}
{{Infobox person
| name          = X Brands
| image         = Yancy Derringer cast 1.JPG
| imagesize     = 280px
| caption       = Brands (''left'') with [[Frances Bergen]] and<br>[[Jock Mahoney]] in ''[[Yancy Derringer]]'' (1959)
| birthname     = Jay X Brands
| birth_date    = {{birth date|1927|7|24}}
| birth_place   = [[Kansas City, Missouri]], U.S.
| death_date    = {{death date and age|2000|5|8|1927|7|24}}
| death_place   = [[Northridge, California]], U.S.
| occupation    = Actor
| years_active  = 1956–1978
| spouse        = Suzan H. Edwards<br>(m. 1946-div. ?)<br>Jean D. Merriam<br>(m. 1950-div. 1961)<br>Pamela M. McInnes<br>(m. 1971-div. 1975)
| children      = 2
}}
'''X Brands''' (July 24, 1927 – May 8, 2000), sometimes credited as "Jay X. Brands", was an American actor of German ancestry known for his roles on various [[television series]] and in some films between 1956 and the late 1970s. His best-known recurring character is ''Pahoo-Ka-Ta-Wah'' ("Wolf Who Stands In Water"), the shotgun-toting American Indian on ''[[Yancy Derringer]]'', a 1958-1959 CBS series set in post-Civil War [[New Orleans, Louisiana|New Orleans]] and starring [[Jock Mahoney]] in the title role.<ref>Hémard, Ned (2010). [http://www.neworleansbar.org/uploads/files/GallatinStreet.4-14_000.pdf "NEW ORLEANS NOSTALGIA: Remembering New Orleans History, Culture and Traditions"], "Gallatin Street", [page 3]; New Orleans Bar Association, New Orleans, Louisiana, 2010. Retrieved August 9, 2018.</ref>
==Early life==
Born in [[Kansas City, Missouri]], Jay X Brands was the youngest of three children of Pansy H. (''née'' Allen) and William G. Brands.<ref>[https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9RHR-7XL?i=13&cc=1810731 "Fifteenth Census of the United States: 1930], Kansas City, Missouri, April 8, 1930; digital copy of original census page with handwritten entries, archives of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah. [[FamilySearch]]. Retrieved August 8, 2018.</ref><ref name=1940Census>[https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9MT-DSZJ?i=13&cc=2000219 "Sixteenth Census of the United States: 1940"], Glendale, Los Angeles County, California, April 10, 1940. FamilySearch. Retrieved May 25, 2018.</ref> By 1940 Jay had relocated with his family to [[Glendale, California]], where his father worked as a [[general contractor]].<ref name=1940Census/> There the Brands lived only 11 miles (18&nbsp;km) from Hollywood, and over time "X" became interested in film work, later finding employment as a [[Stunt performer|stuntman]] as well as minor acting roles.
Brands' unusual use of a lone [[alphabet]]ic character as a name derives from his family's history. In the small town in Germany where his ancestors once resided, there were two men named Jan Brands. One of them adopted the middle initial "X" to distinguish himself from the other Jan. He became known as "X" Brands, and the name continued to be used by his descendants who immigrated to America. In keeping with family tradition, no Brands could use the initial until the previous "X" had died.<ref>Klyde, Andrew J. (2018). [http://ponderosascenery.homestead.com/index.html "Bonanza: Scenery of the Ponderosa"], episode guide, season 6; Kew Gardens Hills, New York. Retrieved August 8, 2018.</ref>
Although X Brands was of [[Europe]]an ancestry, his portrayals of Native Americans in film and television roles earned praise for their authenticity. [[Brummett Echohawk]], a [[Pawnee people|Pawnee Indian]] veteran, wrote a letter to Hollywood producers in which he commended Brands for his authentic performance and his ability at speaking the tribe's language.<ref>[http://www.tvacres.com/ethnic_native_american_LZ.htm TV ACRES: Ethnic Groups – Native American<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
==Films==
During his film career, Brands invariably served as [[supporting character]]s, often in uncredited roles, performing in at least 13 films between 1956 and 1978.<ref>[https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/158200 "X Brands"], filmography, [[American Film Institute]] (AFI), Los Angeles California. Retrieved August 8, 2018.</ref> His most noteworthy roles are as "Hook" in ''Santee'', starring [[Glenn Ford]], and as "Vallejo" in the third remake of ''[[Beau Geste (1966 film)|Beau Geste]]'' (1966).<ref>[http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/22797/Santee/ "Santee (1973)"], synopsis, [[Turner Classic Movies]] (TCM), Turner Broadcasting System, a subsidiary of Time Warner, Inc., New York, N.Y. Retrieved May 25, 2018.</ref>
==Television==
===Best-known role===
The television series ''Yancy Derringer'' stars Jock Mahoney and consists of 34 episodes, which originally aired weekly from October 1958 through June 1959. The series' storyline is set in [[New Orleans, Louisiana|New Orleans]] just after the end of the [[American Civil War|Civil War]] in 1865. X Brands plays Pahoo-Ka-Ta-Wah, ("Wolf Who Stands in Water"), a [[Pawnee people|Pawnee]] Indian who carries a double-barrel shotgun and throwing knife and is Derringer's (Mahoney's) constant companion and protector. Pahoo's loyalty and overriding concern for Derringer's welfare began after he saved Yancy's life. In the series' [[Television pilot|pilot]] episode, "Return to New Orleans", Yancy recounts that act, explaining that by saving his life, Pahoo believes "he went against [[fate]]" and "therefore he's responsible for my life from now on."<ref name=Yancy>Information and quoted dialog are from a full digital copy of "Return to New Orleans" (S01E01) of [https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Rlmlx1Y2i30 "Yancy Derringer (1958) Season 1 Episode 1"], originally televised by [[CBS]] on October 2, 1958. Posted October 29, 2016, by Constance Easley on [[YouTube]], a subsidiary of [[Google]], Mountain View, California. Retrieved September 19, 2018.</ref> Also, throughout the series, Brands' Pawnee character is silent, never uttering a word. Whenever Yancy does speak to him, Pahoo uses only [[Plains Indian Sign Language|sign language]]—hand gestures—to communicate.<ref>The Pawnee, who linguistically speak a form of the [[Caddoan language]], are one of the subgroups of native people in North America who also used a sign language common to various nations of the [[Great Plains]].</ref>
===Other notable roles===
In 1956, two years before he began work on ''Yancy Derringer'', Brands appeared in different roles in 15 episodes of the [[Television syndication|syndicated]] [[Western (genre)|Western]] series<br />''[[Judge Roy Bean (TV series)|Judge Roy Bean]]'', featuring [[Edgar Buchanan]], [[Jack Buetel]], and [[Jackie Loughery]].<ref>Rowan, Terry, ''Character-Based Film Series, Part 3'', page 125, Lulu Books, 2016</ref> His other TV guest star appearances include series such as ''[[Crossroads (1955 TV series)|Crossroads]]'', ''[[Cheyenne (TV series)|Cheyenne]]'', ''[[Annie Oakley (TV series)|Annie Oakley]]'', ''[[Gunsmoke]]'' (1975 as a Chief in “The Squaw”), ''[[The Tall Man (TV series)|The Tall Man]]'', ''[[Daniel Boone (1964 TV series)|Daniel Boone]]'', ''[[Mission: Impossible (1966 TV series)|Mission: Impossible]]'', ''[[The High Chaparral]]'', ''[[Laredo (TV series)|Laredo]]'', ''[[Alias Smith and Jones]]'', ''[[Bonanza]]'', ''[[Wagon Train]]'', ''[[The Rifleman]]'', ''[[Rawhide (TV series)|Rawhide]]'', and ''[[Broken Arrow (TV series)|Broken Arrow]]''.
Although most of his roles were of that [[genre]], he did not always appear as Indians in Westerns. For instance, he appeared in the speaking role of "Yancey" in an episode of ''[[Challenge of the Yukon|Sergeant Preston of the Yukon]]'', a popular late '50s adventure series. Later, on the [[NBC]] espionage series, ''[[The Man from U.N.C.L.E.]]'', he portrayed, yet again, a Native American in a 1966 episode titled "The Indian Affairs Affair".{{Citation needed |date=May 2021}}
Brands can also be seen in a rare talking role as trail boss Jeb Mitchell in a 1960 episode of [[NBC]]'s ''[[Bat Masterson (TV series)|Bat Masterson]]''. He has another speaking role in the [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]/[[Warner Brothers]] series, ''[[Cheyenne (1955 TV series)|Cheyenne]]'', in the episode, "Massacre At Gunsight Pass", portraying the Indian leader, "Powderface". He plays rogue Indian "Sharp Tongue" in a speaking role on the season six episode of ''Bonanza'', "A Far, Far Better Thing". He has a speaking role as well in a 1970 episode of NBC's police series, ''[[Adam-12]]'', in which he plays Officer Sanchez.
==Personal life and death==
X Brands was married three times. On October 3, 1946, while serving as an [[electrician's mate]] in the United States Navy, he wed 16-year-old California native Suzan Harriet Edwards in Los Angeles.<ref>[https://www.familysearch.org/search/search/record/results?count=20&localeSubcountryName=California&query=%2Bgivenname%3A%22jay%20x%22~%20%2Bsurname%3Abrands~%20%2Bbirth_place%3AMissouri~%20%2Bbirth_year%3A1927-1928~%20%2Bmarriage_place%3ACalifornia~%20%2Bmarriage_year%3A1945-1975~%20%2Brecord_country%3A%22United%20States%22%20%2Brecord_subcountry%3A "California, County Marriages, 1850-1952"], Los Angeles County Courthouse, California. FamilySearch. Retrieved May 25, 2018.</ref> Though the duration of their union is undetermined, it appears to have been brief; in 1950 he married Jean Dorothy Merriam of [[Fort Worth, Texas]]. He and Merriam had two daughters, Kathleen Jean (1951-2001) and Karen Juliet (1956- ), before their marriage ended in 1961.{{Citation needed |date=May 2021}} In Los Angeles, ten years later, on August 28, 1971, Brands was married to 23-year-old Pamela M. McInnes. Los Angeles County records document that they were divorced in October 1975.<ref>[https://www.familysearch.org/search/search/record/results?count=20&localeSubcountryName=California&query=%2Bgivenname%3A%22jay%20x%22~%20%2Bsurname%3Abrands~%20%2Bbirth_place%3AMissouri~%20%2Bbirth_year%3A1927-1928~%20%2Bmarriage_place%3ACalifornia~%20%2Bmarriage_year%3A1945-1975~%20%2Brecord_country%3A%22United%20States%22%20%2Brecord_subcountry%3A "California Marriage Index, 1960-1985"], Center of Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services, Sacramento, California. FamilySearch. Retrieved May 25, 2018.</ref><ref>"California Divorce Index, Los Angeles, California", California Department of Health Services, Sacramento, California. FamilySearch. Retrieved May 25, 2018.</ref>
Brands died at age 72 in [[Northridge, California]], on May 8, 2000. According to Brands' daughter Karen Juliet (Brands) Dougherty, her father's death certificate attributed his demise to [[sepsis]], pneumonia and [[congestive heart failure]] and not to cancer as cited by some biographical references.{{Citation needed |date=May 2021}} Jay was an avid aviator and FAA Certified Instructor and Examiner.
== Filmography ==
=== Film ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Director
!Notes
|-
|1954
|''[[Overland Pacific]]''
|Railroad Worker
|[[Fred F. Sears]]
|Uncredited
|-
|1955
|''[[Apache Woman (1955 film)|Apache Woman]]''
|Townsman
|[[Roger Corman]]
|Uncredited
|-
|1956
|''[[Fury at Gunsight Pass]]''
|Townsman
|[[Fred F. Sears]]
|Uncredited
|-
|1956
|''[[Frontier Gambler]]''
|Gregg
|[[Sam Newfield]]
|Uncredited
|-
|1956
|''[[Naked Gun (1956 film)|Naked Gun]]''
|Lang
|Edward Drew
|
|-
|1957
|''[[She Devil (1957 film)|She Devil]]''
|First Doctor
|[[Kurt Neumann (director)|Kurt Neumann]]
|
|-
|1957
|''[[Band of Angels]]''
|Officer
|[[Raoul Walsh]]
|Uncredited
|-
|1957
|''[[Young and Dangerous (1957 film)|Young and Dangerous]]''
|Motorcycle Cop
|[[William F. Claxton]]
|Uncredited
|-
|1958
|''[[Revolt in the Big House]]''
|Guard
|[[R. G. Springsteen|R.G. Springsteen]]
|Uncredited
|-
|1959
|''[[Escort West]]''
|Tago
|[[Francis D. Lyon]]
|
|-
|1959
|''[[Gunmen from Laredo]]''
|Delgados
|[[Wallace MacDonald]]
|Uncredited
|-
|1960
|''[[Oklahoma Territory (film)|Oklahoma Territory]]''
|Running Cloud
|[[Edward L. Cahn]]
|
|-
|1966
|''[[Beau Geste (1966 film)|Beau Geste]]''
|Vallejo
|[[Douglas Heyes]]
|
|-
|1968
|''[[Three Guns for Texas]]''
|Randoe
|[[Earl Bellamy]], [[David Lowell Rich]], and [[Paul Stanley (director)|Paul Stanley]]
|Uncredited
|-
|1971
|''[[Captain Apache]]''
|
|[[Alexander Singer]]
|
|-
|1973
|''[[Santee (film)|Santee]]''
|Hook
|[[Gary Nelson (director)|Gary Nelson]]
|
|-
|1978
|''[[Avalanche (1978 film)|Avalanche]]''
|Marty Brenner
|[[Corey Allen]]
|Final role
|}
=== Television ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Notes
|-
|1952–1953
|''[[Cowboy G-Men]]''
|Henchman / Lieutenant Jennings / Lew Danning / Townsman / Man Loading Silver / Gypsy / Hotel Clerk / Various Henchman / Registrar / Jury Member / Gives Signal / Ranch Hand
|11 episodes; uncredited in 7 episodes, credited as Jay X. Brands in 1 episode.
|-
|1954
|''[[Studio 57]]''
|Cafe Brawler
|Episode: "No Great Hero"
|-
|1954–1955
|''[[The Adventures of Kit Carson]]''
|Henchman / Messenger / The Ambush Outlaw / Deputy / Trooper / Army Orderly
|8 episodes; uncredited in 3 episodes. credited as Jay X. Brands in 2 episodes.
|-
|1955
|''[[Soldiers of Fortune (TV series)|Soldiers of Fortune]]''
|Prison Guard / Sniper
|2 episodes; uncredited
|-
|1955–1956
|''[[Judge Roy Bean (TV series)|Judge Roy Bean]]''
|Henchman Buck / Stage Driver / Dallas / Stage Driver Jonas / Danning / George Hackett / Grad Grover / Hickey / Jim Brown / Ben Logan / Klondike / Tyler / Henchman Curly / Daniels / Reverend Walter Cable / Dan Wiler
|16 episodes; uncredited in 1 episode, credited as Jay X. Brands in 4 episodes.
|-
|1956
|''[[Buffalo Bill, Jr.]]''
|Henchman / Kansas / Dave Gates
|4 episodes
|-
|1956
|''[[Crossroads (1955 TV series)|Crossroads]]''
|Ball Player
|Episode: "The Comeback"
|-
|1956
|''[[Annie Oakley (TV series)|Annie Oakley]]''
|Peter Maher / Tenanda / Randy
|3 episodes
|-
|1956–1958
|''[[The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin]]''
|Cochise / Brave Bow / Angry Fox
|4 episodes
|-
|1957
|''[[26 Men]]''
|Ranger Joe Pierce
|Episode: "Violent Land"; credited as X Brand
|-
|1957
|''[[Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers]]''
|
|Episode: "Ten Thousand Rupees"
|-
|1957
|''The Silent Service''
|Helmsman
|Episode: "The End of the Line"
|-
|1957
|''[[Circus Boy]]''
|Henchman / Jake
|2 episodes; uncredited
|-
|1957
|''[[Tales of the Texas Rangers]]''
|Johnnie Tyce
|Episode: "Whirlwind Raiders"
|-
|1957
|''[[Casey Jones (TV series)|Casey Jones]]''
|Louis Lacero
|Episode: "A Badge for Casey"
|-
|1957
|''[[Death Valley Days]]''
|Jack Donovan
|Episode: "Fifty Years a Mystery"
|-
|1957
|''[[The Adventures of Jim Bowie]]''
|Newt
|Episode: "The Pearls of Talimerco"; credited as X. Brand
|-
|1957–1958
|''[[Sergeant Preston of the Yukon (TV series)|Sergeant Preston of the Yukon]]''
|Yancey / Metka Joe
|2 episodes
|-
|1957–1961
|''[[The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp]]''
|Deputy Ted / 1st Apache / Deputy / Cowboy Warning Doc
|7 episodes; uncredited in 6 episodes
|-
|1957–1961
|''[[Tales of Wells Fargo]]''
|Brock / Spotted Tail / Finnley
|3 episodes; credited as X Brand in 1 episode
|-
|1958
|''[[Broken Arrow (TV series)|Broken Arrow]]''
|Nicaro
|Episode: "The Duel"
|-
|1958
|''[[Zorro (1957 TV series)|Zorro]]''
|Courier
|Episode: "The Eagle's Brood"; uncredited
|-
|1958
|''[[Maverick (TV series)|Maverick]]''
|First Sioux Indian / Indian
|2 episodes; uncredited
|-
|1958–1959
|''[[Yancy Derringer]]''
|Pahoo-Ka-Ta-Wah
|34 episodes
|-
|1958–1961
|''[[Cheyenne (TV series)|Cheyenne]]''
|Indian Messenger / Powder Face / Apache Brave
|3 episodes; uncredited in 1 episode
|-
|1958–1962
|''[[Wagon Train]]''
|Tulo / 1st Indian Brave / Indian Renegade Leader / Broken Finger / Little Horse
|5 episodes
|-
|1959
|''[[Special Agent 7]]''
|Parisi
|Episode: "The Inside Man"
|-
|1959
|''[[Northwest Passage (TV series)|Northwest Passage]]''
|Indian
|Episode: "Trial by Fire"
|-
|1960
|''[[Bat Masterson (TV series)|Bat Masterson]]''
|Jeb Mitchell
|Episode: "Masterson's Arcadia Club"
|-
|1960–1961
|''[[Rawhide (TV series)|Rawhide]]''
|1st Indian Brave / Indian Leader / Kah-Wah
|3 episodes
|-
|1961
|''[[The Tall Man (TV series)|The Tall Man]]''
|Dave Rudabaugh
|Episode: "Rovin' Gambler"
|-
|1961
|''[[The Rifleman]]''
|Pretty Man Longden
|Episode: "The Clarence Bibs Story"
|-
|1961|| ''[[Rawhide (TV series)|Rawhide]]'' || 1st Indian Brave || S3:E22, "Incident in the Middle of Nowhere"
|-
|1962
|''[[Laramie (TV series)|Laramie]]''
|Skenya
|Episode: "Day of the Savage"
|-
|1964–1968
|''[[The Virginian (TV series)|The Virginian]]''
|Commanche Lookout / The 3rd Gunman / Raven Wing
|3 episodes
|-
|1965
|''[[Bonanza]]''
|Sharp Tongue
|Episode: "The Far, Far Better Thing"
|-
|1965
|''[[Branded (TV series)|Branded]]''
|Red Arm
|Episode: "One Way Out"
|-
|1965–1966
|''[[Laredo (TV series)|Laredo]]''
|First Indian Chief / Randoe / Blue Dog
|3 episodes; uncredited in 1 episode
|-
|1966
|''[[The Man from U.N.C.L.E.]]''
|Indian
|Episode: "The Indian Affairs Affair"
|-
|1966
|''[[Shane (American TV series)|Shane]]''
|Young Brave
|Episode: "High Road to Viator"
|-
|1966–1968
|''[[Daniel Boone (1964 TV series)|Daniel Boone]]''
|Spokesman / Tall Deer
|2 episodes
|-
|1967
|''[[Iron Horse (TV series)|Iron Horse]]''
|Juanito
|Episode: "The Bridge at Forty Mile"
|-
|1967
|''[[The Monroes (1966 TV series)|The Monroes]]''
|Two Pipes
|Episode: "Ghosts of Paradox"
|-
|1967
|''[[Custer (TV series)|Custer]]''
|Red Wolf
|Episode: "Desperate Mission"
|-
|1967
|''[[Hondo (TV series)|Hondo]]''
|Coro / Indian Tracker
|2 episodes; uncredited in 1 episode
|-
|1967–1970
|''[[The High Chaparral]]''
|Tularosa / Nock-Ay-Del
|4 episodes
|-
|1968–1975
|''[[Gunsmoke]]''
|Renegade #1 / Red Willow / Chief / Renegade Indian / Singleton
|7 episodes
|-
|1969
|''[[Here Come the Brides]]''
|Johnny Wolf
|Episode: "The Deadly Trade"
|-
|1970
|''[[Here's Lucy]]''
|Lefty Logan
|Episode: "Lucy and Wally Cox"
|-
|1970
|''[[Adam-12]]''
|Officer Sanchez
|Episode: "Log 74: Light Duty"
|-
|1971
|''[[Bearcats!]]''
|Mantano
|Episode: "Blood Knot"
|-
|1972
|''[[Mission: Impossible (1966 TV series)|Mission: Impossible]]''
|Barsi
|Episode: "Trapped"
|-
|1972
|''[[Alias Smith and Jones]]''
|Roberts / Poker Player
|2 episodes
|-
|1973
|''[[Emergency!]]''
|Captain-Engine Co. 81
|Episode: "Alley Cat"
|-
|1973
|''[[Cannon (TV series)|Cannon]]''
|Louie Grey Wolf
|Episode: "Valley of the Damned"
|-
|1976
|''[[Bridge (1976 film)|Bridger]]''
|Crow Chief
|TV movie
|-
|1979
|''[[Beach Patrol (film)|Beach Patrol]]''
|1st Officer
|TV movie
|}
==Reference and notes==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
*{{tcmdb person|21240|X Brands}}
*{{IMDb name|0104830}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brands, X}}
[[Category:1927 births]]
[[Category:2000 deaths]]
[[Category:American male film actors]]
[[Category:American male television actors]]
[[Category:Male actors from Kansas City, Missouri]]
[[Category:Male actors from Los Angeles]]
[[Category:American people of German descent]]
[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]
[[Category:Western (genre) television actors]]