Brautigan as dipicted on film
Ted Stevens Brautigan is a powerful psychic, also known as a Breaker, whose extraordinary powers as a facilitator are sought by the Crimson King so he can hasten the destruction of the beams and Dark Tower. Ted arrives in the Devar-Toi, the prison camp where the Breakers are held, in 1955, and with help from Roland's old friend from Mejis, Sheemie Ruiz, soon escapes the Devar-Toi and enters Harwich, Connecticut in 1960.
Low Men in Yellow Coats
Ted moves into an adjacent apartment on the floor above Bobby Garfield and his mother, who dislikes him even as Bobby takes to him. Ted spends a lot of time discussing books with Bobby and gives him a copy of Lord of the Flies, which makes a huge impression on the boy; he also speaks to Bobby as one would speak to another adult, which makes a great impression on Bobby.
Ted offers Bobby a small amount of money to read him the paper daily, claiming his eyes are not what they used to be. While Bobby reads, Ted occassionally "blanks out", and Bobby begins to understand that Ted possesses psychic abilities which he is able to pass on to others through physical contact. Ted places his hands on Bobby's shoulders one morning and later on that day, Bobby is able to win a three-card-monte game at the beach because he could read the mind of the card dealer. As the two grow closer, Ted confesses to Bobby that he is being stalked by "low men" otherwise known as Can-toi, who are evil workers for the Crimson King. The signs of these men include "lost pet" signs, and chalk drawings of stars and moons.
Ted asks Bobby to keep an eye out for their signs and to let him know when they are near, and Bobby agrees. Later, Bobby arrives at the apartment with Carol Gerber, a friend who was beaten with a baseball bat by Richie O'Meara, Willie Shearman, and Harry Doolin. Ted has to cut off Carol's blouse to reset her arm, which turns out to be dislocated but not broken; as he does, Bobby's mother, also looking badly injured, finds them and accuses Ted of trying to molest Carol.
Ted leaves the apartment, and is later picked up by the "low men" after Liz finds a lost-pet poster asking form information about a dog named Brautigan. Bobby catches up with Ted just before he is taken, and the Can-toi want to take him as well, but Ted offers to work for them if they let Bobby go. The low-men give Bobby the final choice and, faced with going with Ted, wherever that may be, or staying behind, Bobby chooses to stay.
Some time after leaving with the low-men, presumably to put his powers to use as a Breaker, Ted again escapes and mails an envelope of rose petals to Bobby by way of Carol.
The Dark Tower
Ted also spent time at Algul Siento, where he met Dinky Earnshaw. It was there that Ted crossed paths with Roland Deschain and his ka-tet, and where Ted, Earnshaw, and Sheemie Ruiz assist the ka-tet in the Battle of Algul Siento. After Roland, Jake Chambers, and Oy travel to the Maine of 1999 to prevent Stephen King from dying, Ted and his friends escort Susannah Dean to Fedic, and Ted, along with a handful of the other Breakers depart for the Callas, where they hope to first find redemption from the Calla folken and then return to America via the Doorway Cave.
Notes
Ted's full name is 19 letters long, as does the title of the story
; he is played by Anthony Hopkins in the 2001 film adaptation of "Low Men in Yellow Coats."
Ted Brautigan is mentioned as the Chief Breaker by Mr. Malshun/ Munshun/ Monday Man, the Crimson King's eye in Black House.
There is a character named Sonny Brautigan in the King original miniseries Storm of the Century.