James Broderick
| James Broderick | |
|---|---|
| Born | James Joseph Broderick III March 7, 1927 Charlestown, New Hampshire, U.S. |
| Died | November 1, 1982 (aged 55) New Haven, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1950–1982 |
| Spouse | Patricia Broderick |
James Joseph Broderick III (March 7, 1927 – November 1, 1982) was an American actor.
Contents |
[edit] Life and career
Broderick was born in Charlestown, New Hampshire, the son of Mary Elizabeth (née Martindale) and James Joseph Broderick, Jr.[1]
In 1947 Broderick, a junior pre-med student, auditioned for a part in the UNH production of George Bernard Shaw's Arms and the Man. Theater director Joe Batcheller was impressed and gave him the role of Bluntchili, an anti-romantic Swiss soldier. Batcheller said, "You could tell from the beginning that he was an exceptional individual. He displayed an unusual ability to get along with people. He was kind, sensitive, imaginative, and had a good sense of humor. He also had an Irish mug if I ever saw one."
Although Batcheller didn't often encourage the students to pursue acting as a career, he was so sure of Broderick's talent that he suggested a trip to New York to meet Batcheller's friend Arthur Kennedy, who was well known in the acting field. Broderick took his advice and Kennedy subsequently directed him to the Neighborhood Playhouse, where he gained the necessary experience and training for a successful acting career in both movies and TV.
He played the father on the television show Family from 1976 to 1980, receiving an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 1978.
His notable film roles include the father figure of a New England commune in Alice's Restaurant (1969), and an FBI agent in Dog Day Afternoon (1975).
[edit] Death
He died from cancer in 1982. James Broderick's son, actor Matthew Broderick,[2] named his first child after his late father.[3]
[edit] References
- ^ "4". Who Do You Think You Are?. NBC. 2010-03-26. No. 4, season 1.
- ^ "Matthew Broderick". Genealogy.com. 2008. http://www.genealogy.com/famousfolks/brodrick/index.html. Retrieved 2008-05-19.
- ^ UNH Electronic Newsletter, Issue 421, Date Sept 19, 2008
