By Patrice Aylward
Actor Clancy Brown, a native of Urbana in Champaign County, has built a long, successful career by pairing his deep voice with a commanding on-screen presence. Known for powerful antagonists and authoritative roles across film, television and animation, he remains proud of his Ohio upbringing.
Clancy’s family has deep ties to the state: his grandfather and father – Congressmen Clarence J. Brown and Bud Brown – represented Ohio’s 7th Congressional District from 1938 to 1983. He still has family in Ohio and continues to root for the Cincinnati Reds.
“Growing up in Urbana, the Gloria Theatre had weekend double features for kids,” he recalled. “Seeing what was on the marquee transported me.” After attending Northwestern University, he decided to pursue performance. “It was a lot of fun and a good way to make a living.”
While raising his children, Clancy gravitated toward voiceover work, including Mr. Krabs in “SpongeBob SquarePants,” because it kept him in town (he lives in California now). Though proud of many roles, he’s most often recognized for “The Shawshank Redemption,” filmed at the Mansfield Reformatory.
Event poster with Mr. Krabs on left.
“From the score to the set design to the writing, it was well done,” he said. “You walked onto the set, and it was right there in your nostrils and on your skin. My fellow Ohioan, David Lester (cameraman), gets a lot of credit for how good that movie is.” Clancy recently returned for an anniversary event with his daughter, a filmmaker. “The ghosts are still there.”
Clancy says he feels an instant bond when he meets someone on set from Cleveland, Dayton, Akron or anywhere in Ohio. He returns often – his siblings live in Cincinnati and Springfield – and he recently purchased his family’s home in Urbana. “My kids went to summer camp here, and I come back for the Champaign County Fair. I still feel very connected to Ohio.”
More to the Story – Did You Know…
- While filming “The Shawshank Redemption,” Clancy Brown took his fiancée (now wife), Jeanne Johnson, to Malabar Farms (the historic site famous for the 1945 Humphrey Bogart-Lauren Bacall wedding) for a romantic visit.
- He attended the 2025 L.A. Dodgers/Cincinnati Reds playoffs wearing full Reds fan gear at Dodger Stadium.
- His daughter, Rose Beth Johnson Brown, is a filmmaker working in New York City.
- Clancy just finished filming the psychological thriller “Nightwatching” based on Tracy Sierra’s debut novel, starring Mila Kunis.