X Brands
| X Brands | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Born |
Jay X. Brands July 24, 1927 Kansas City, Missouri, US |
| Died | May 8, 2000 (aged 72) Northridge, California |
| Occupation |
Actor; Designated Flight Examiner Pi |
| Years active | 1957–1978 |
Actor; Designated Flight Examiner
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 in television series and some films. His best-known role was that of "Pahoo-Ka-Ta-Wah" ("Wolf who stands in water"), the shotgun-toting Indian companion on the 1958 CBS western series Yancy Derringer, with Jock Mahoney in the starring role.
In 1956, Brands appeared in different roles in fifteen episodes of the syndicated western series, Judge Roy Bean, starring Edgar Buchanan, Jack Buetel, and Jackie Loughery.
Although Brands was of European ancestry, his portrayals of American Indians earned praise for their authenticity. Brummett Echohawk, a spokesman for the Pawnee Indians, wrote a letter to Hollywood producers in which he commended Brands for his authentic performance and his ability at speaking the tribe's language.
Brands's unusual first name comes from his family's history. In the small town in Germany, where Brands's ancestors had lived, there were two men named Jan Brands. One of them added the middle initial "X" to distinguish himself. He became known as "X" Brands, and the name was continued with his descendants in America. The family tradition was that no one could use the initial until the previous "X" had died.
Brands was born in Kansas City, Missouri. He moved to Hollywood and appeared in ten films between 1956 and 1978. The most noteworthy was Santee (1973), a story of a western sheriff who adopts the son of the man he had killed. Brands also worked as a stunt man.
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