Arthur Brown (left) with son Dennis on 'Inseparable '92' at the National Arena.

ARTHUR BROWN, one of the real cultural stars of Jamaica's pre-independence period and father of the late reggae star Dennis Brown, has died after a long illness. He was 87.

Arthur provided comic relief to Jamaicans for decades as one of the island's top comedians, along with Bim and Bam and Ranny Williams. They set the tone for Jamaican 'roots' presentations which the likes of Oliver Samuels now expone.

Speaking of his father a few years before his death, Dennis Brown said: "I call him King Arthur. He was the man who inspired me and made me want to be on the stage."

In the early '90s, Arthur would appear at Dennis Brown's 'Inseperable' series of shows at the National Arena where the 'Crown Prince' would ask his father to take a bow. When Dennis died in July of last year, his father was unable to attend the funeral as he was seriously ill.

Veteran comedian Charles Hyatt told The Gleaner he had the pleasure of working with Arthur Brown.

"He was one of those who went way back," he said.

"He did a great volume of work and he continued to work for a long time, doing some stuff with the JIS later on," Charles said.

The funeral service for Arthur Brown will take place on Saturday, January 22, at the Boulevard Baptist Church, beginning 10:00 a.m.