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Jess Lee Brooks

Actor · Born June 10, 1894 (132) · Jefferson, Texas, USA

Jess Lee Brooks a.k.a Jesse Brooks was an exceptional actor. He appeared in many of the top Black Cinema movies of the time, always playing the role of the caring policemen trying to warn the gangsters before it's too late, a father who would die for his kids. Whatever he played he was always a guardian angel over ones he cared for, the only time he would do wrong was if you wronged him or a loved one. Movie audiences felt as though they knew him when seeing him off-screen because on-screen his natural, love, kind word for all and protective persona reminded them of their father. Even in Hollywood films, he often outshone many of the white leading stars with his strong presence like in Sullivan's Travels where he gave an emotional performance that no one will ever forget after seeing it. Brooks died in 1944 and got respectful obituaries written about him. He was a man who wasn't afraid of being emotional or loving but was the definition of a man.

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Biography from IMDb.

Born
June 10, 1894 (132)
From
Jefferson, Texas, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
12 on MovieCove · 18 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28Down 41% in 30 days

What are Jess Lee Brooks' films like?

Across their 6 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Morality.

Genres

Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 16th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 16th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
44%
Morality
33%
Power
19%
Bonds
4%
Ambition4 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeGreed2 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception2 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 6 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 4 · Serious 1 · Dark 1

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 6 · Stylized 0 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 2 · Charged 3 · Intense 1

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 4 · Shifting 2 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 3 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 2 · Even-paced 3 · Relentless 1

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 5 · Engaged 1 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 5 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

2 analyzed roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
4
Hopeful
2
Thrilling
2
Joyful
2
Melancholic
2
Other
3

How their films linger

Feel-good4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet1
  • Tragic2
  • Cyclical1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Jess Lee Brooks' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 9 of their 12 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (8).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Jess Lee Brooks' titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

18 credits, 12 with a MovieCove page.

  • The Lost Weekend(1945)

    as (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Son of Dracula(1943)

    as Stephen (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Thank Your Lucky Stars(1943)

    as Justice in "Ice Cold Katie" Number (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Jungle Siren (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Chief Selangi

  • Lucky Ghost(1942)

    as Door Man

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Sullivan's Travels(1941)

    as Church Preacher Showing Movie (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Love Thy Neighbor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Master of Ceremonies - Costume Party

  • Santa Fe Trail(1940)

    as Doorman at Washington Party (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Mystery Sea Raider (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Second Fisherman

  • Mystery in Swing(1940)

    as John Carroll

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Gang War(1940)

    as Lt. Holmes

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Broken Strings (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Dr. Matson

  • The Sun Never Sets(1939)

    as Angry Heavyset Chief

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Midnight Shadow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Sgt. Ramsey

  • Two-Gun Man from Harlem(1938)

    as Sheriff

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Life Goes On (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Officer James

  • Spirit of Youth(1938)

    as Jeff Thomas

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Dark Manhattan(1937)

    as Police Lt. Ballot

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

Career shape

Star power in the 68th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 18 titles from 1937 to 1945.

Most popular right now

Lucky Ghost (1942)

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting18 of 18: 18 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score37th

By decade

1930s6 · acting1940s12 · acting

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Jess Lee Brooks' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 37th percentile, the median of all 12; across their 6 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 25th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

25thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Approval · how many liked their films

18thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Reach · how many have seen their films

9thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Midcredits score across 12 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up2
  • 50th to 74th1
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

7 of their 12 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Crowd Pleaser2
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · actor

Spirit of Youth (1938)

59th percentile spread · 21% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Lost Weekend (1945)

Midcredits 97th · 85% liked

Reviewers score the acting 48/100 in their films, across 6 reviewed titles; fans 63, detractors 33. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Jess Lee Brooks work with?

People who share at least 2 of Jess Lee Brooks' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Mantan Moreland shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers