W. Earl Brown comes from a long line of bootleggers and used-car dealers--the perfect lineage for becoming an actor. After receiving his MFA from DePaul, Earl began working in the Chicago theater scene. Stage roles eventually led to film roles, and Earl moved westward. He now lives in Los Angeles with his wife (who was his high school sweetheart), his daughter and his hound dog.
Attended The Theatre School of DePaul in Chicago with classmates John C. Reilly and Gillian Anderson. Graduated from Murray State University with a degree in Theater. Graduated from Calloway County High School, in Murray, Kentucky. Earl started the band "Sacred Cowboys" with Peter Spirer (the director of "Dunsmore"), Jeff Robertson, Stephen Quadros, Tony Cavazo, Ralph Stevens, and Mike "Rhinestone" Johnstone (who he met on the set of "Deadwood").