The First "First Avenger" Played Running Back at USC

One-time USC Trojan Reb Brown was the first actor to play Captain America.

It’s the weekend, which means millions are abuzz over the latest episode of The Falcon and Winter Soldier, Disney’s 10,000th (approximately) spin-off in the Marvel Universe.

Confession time: The MCU just isn’t my thing. I have not seen a Marvel film or TV series since Civil War, a movie I can say with my entire damn chest that I H A T E D. However, Marvel has become so entrenched in the zeitgeist, it’s near-impossible to get online without being exposed to basic plot points.

To that end, I saw where the Disney+ series introduced a new Captain America. I’ll give the MCU credit that while the content isn’t up my alley, the studio has done a remarkable job building a true cinematic universe akin to the comic serials on which it is based.

This summer marks an important milestone in that process, too, as the 10-year anniversary of Captain America: The First Avenger. While the excellent Iron Man and not-at-all-excellent Incredible Hulk preceded The First Avenger by three years, I consider the initial Captain America the real starting point of MCU films as existing outside of their own vacuum.

However, the 2011 film isn’t the first cinematic adaptation of Captain America — and no, I’m not referring to the Yugoslavian 1990 version that’s available for free on YouTube (always the hallmark of a cinematic masterpiece).

Although my initial reaction is to issue an apology to the people of the former Yugoslav nations for America’s superhero, they got their revenge and then some two decades later with A Serbian Film. But the less said about THAT, the better.

Anyway, I’m referring here to the 1979 made-for-TV Captain America — the only Captain America to feature a Cap who previously played football at USC.

Reb Brown portrayed the titular character in its first foray onto film. For the uninitiated, Brown is something of a legend in the B-cinema world. He starred in 1983’s Yor, The Hunter from the Future, a schlocky mash-up of the sword-and-sorcerer and sci-fi genres that were hot in the early ‘80s the way comic-book media is today.

He was also a frequent collaborator with Italian filmmaker Bruno Mattei. Now, I could delve into Mattei, who has one of the most insane filmographies ever, but we would be here for days.

The one-sentence factoid I can offer up that best encapsulates Bruno Mattei’s impact on film: He directed numerous unauthorized sequels of American franchises like The Terminator and frankenfilms that lifted plot elements from movies like Alien and Rambo…and mixed them in the same movie.

Going from working under the tutelage of John McKay to Bruno Mattei might be the most incredible transition a former college football player has made, but that’s the trajectory Reb Brown followed.

In 1967, Brown (under his birth name of Robert) attempted two carries for five yards as a member of the national championship-winning Trojans.

A high-school standout, Brown perhaps could have produced loftier numbers were it not for another player in the running back room.

“They recruited another running back,” Brown said in a 1979 article. “His name was O.J. Simpson. I stood around and watched this new kid run and I realized right that day that I was in the wrong business.”

O.J., of course, piled up records and won a Heisman Trophy at SC before becoming a legend in the NFL. However, Brown’s departure from the Trojans football program wasn’t the last time the two crossed paths.

In 1981, Simpson starred in the TV movie Goldie and the Boxer Go to Hollywood, which included Reb Brown in the role of Johnny Gems.

Brown starred in a follow-up to his Captain America between its release and his appearance alongside O.J., Captain America II: Death Too Soon.

However, the original push to create comic-book franchises in the 1970s were short-lived. CBS found some success with The Incredible Hulk, but the network pulled the plug on its 1977 Amazing Spider-Man after two seasons and called it quits on Captain America after the second movie.

This was hardly the last time CBS executives lacked foresight on a future, money-making property…

…but that’s a story for another time.

On the topic at hand, the first attempt to bring Captain America to life is a fun, campy watch. It’s available to rent on YouTube if you want a one-time O.J. Simpson back-up to scratch your comic-book media itch.