The half-brother of Louis Esson, Frank Brown was the only son of Mary Jane Brown (nee Paterson) and 'gentleman farmer' George Brown. According to John Senczuk, in his introduction to Louis Esson, Plays: I Terra Australis, Brown had 'a remarkably adventurous and varied career' (p23). After leaving Scotch College, where as a student he excelled in athletics, Brown travelled extensively around Australia and throughout the United States of America, where he became a rough rider, circus promoter and confidant of and business partner with Tom Mix. The pair originated the Calgary Stampede, then recognised as the greatest rodeo in the world. Brown later travelled to Europe, and in 1911 represented Australia at the Empire Games.
After serving with the Australian Imperial Forces in World War One he returned to Australia and worked for Stadiums Ltd (Melbourne) as a boxing and wrestling match-organiser. He was sent overseas in 1925 to sign up world class fighters for the company's Australian circuit. Around the same period he began writing as a sports journalist for the Herald (Melbourne) and the Sporting Globe, and is said to have been a popular raconteur, particularly with the London Press Club. At the time of his death in 1928 Brown was still writing for the Herald and employed as the athletics editor for the Globe.
Brown provided original storylines for at least three plays, which have been attributed to both him and his half-brother (Mates, Andeganora and The Drovers). Senczuk's introduction includes a quotation from Allan Ashbolt which suggests that The Drovers may have had much more input by Brown than Esson (p12). Brown is also believed to have collaborated with Esson on the final draft of Mates as performed by the Pioneer Players.
