Brown made his acting debut in the 1982 telefilm Pilgrim, Farewell (with Christopher Lloyd) which was not seen by many, but Brown got in on the box office success of his feature film debut in the 1983 mega-hit Trading Places (with Bill Cobbs, Nicholas Guest, and Ron Taylor). Also in 1983 was another telefilm, First Affair (with Robin Curtis and Charley Lang). Brown was seen next with David Clennon and Bruce French in 1986's crime-comedy Legal Eagles.