Greenleaf Musings: George Dunn, Hollywood Actor 1914-1982

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Written by Freda Day – Ollen George Dunn was born in Brownwood in 1914. He began his career in New York City as a vaudeville performer. His performances brought to mind Will Rogers, often including not only rope tricks, but homespun humor and satire of American life and politics, delivered with a Texas drawl.

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He moved on to Hollywood, appearing in twenty five movies. He had roles in Operation Petticoat with Tony Curtis and Gavin MacLeod, Giant, Inherit the Wind, The Long Hot Summer, The Kettles on Old MacDonald’s Farm, and Shenandoah. John Wayne’s final film, The Shootist, was also Dunn’s final film.

During the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, Dunn appeared in over a hundred television programs, including The Andy Griffith Show, Bonanza, The Beverly Hillbillies, My Favorite Martian, and Starsky and Hutch.

Although George Dunn’s name never became well-known, he had a long, busy acting career. Ollen George Dunn died in 1982, from an undisclosed cause, and was buried in Greenleaf Cemetery.

The Greenleaf Cemetery was established in 1868. Greenleaf Fisk gave five acres to the town for a burial place, and two and one half acres each the Pecan Valley IOOF Lodge No. 236, October 26, 1883, and to the Brownwood Masonic Lodge No. 141 AF and AM, December 3, 1883, making a total of ten acres for burial purposes. There has been four additions to the cemetery since then and now has over 18,000 burials. A section was set aside in 1958 for members of the Catholic denomination. The cemetery was named Round Mountain and later renamed Greenleaf. The Brownwood Garden Club built the present entrance. During 1918 they averaged about four burials a day due to the flu epidemic. At this time they had four crews digging day and night.

The Greenleaf Cemetery Association was incorporated April 10, 1923 The Greenleaf Cemetery is a non-profit perpetual care cemetery. Its governing body consists of five board members, elected by members of the Greenleaf Cemetery Association. The cemetery is located off Highway 377 South (Brady Highway) across the railroad tracks within the city limits of Brownwood.

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Freda Day works as the Office Manager for the historic Greenleaf Cemetery. She moved to the Brownwood area in her teens, after traveling with her family as an “Air Force Brat.” Now in her 60’s, most of the generations of her family that came before her have passed. She says “Everyday is like a family reunion coming to work.”

If you would like to help Greenleaf Cemetery with a financial donation, please make a check payable to Keep Brownwood Beautiful and write “Greenleaf Project” on the memo line. Mail your check to:

Donations by credit card are also accepted by calling the cemetery office at (325) 646-6919.