James Joseph Broderick III (March 7, 1927November 1, 1982) was an American actor. He is known for his role as Doug Lawrence in the television series ''
Family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
'', which ran from 1976 to 1980, and he played a pivotal role in the 1975 film ''
Dog Day Afternoon
''Dog Day Afternoon'' is a 1975 American biographical crime drama film directed by Sidney Lumet and produced by Martin Bregman and Martin Elfand. The film stars Al Pacino, John Cazale, James Broderick, and Charles Durning. The screenplay is wr ...
''.
Life and career
Broderick was born in
Charlestown, New Hampshire
Charlestown is a town in Sullivan County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 4,806 at the 2020 census, down from 5,114 at the 2010 census. The town is home to Hubbard State Forest and the headquarters of the Student Conservation A ...
, the son of Mary Elizabeth (née Martindale) (1896–1986) and James Joseph Broderick II (or Jr.) (1895–1959). He was raised Catholic. His father, a highly decorated
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
combatant, was of Irish descent, and his mother was of English and Irish ancestry.
Broderick attended
Manchester Central High School
Manchester High School Central is the oldest public high school in the state of New Hampshire. Located in the heart of Manchester, New Hampshire, approximately 1,200 students attend from communities such as Hooksett and Manchester, and it for ...
and then took
pre-medical
Pre-medical (often referred to as pre-med) is an educational track that undergraduate students in the United States pursue prior to becoming medical students. It involves activities that prepare a student for medical school, such as pre-med course ...
courses at the
University of New Hampshire
The University of New Hampshire (UNH) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Durham, New Hampshire. It was founded and incorporated in 1866 as a land grant college in Hanover in connection with Dartmouth College, mo ...
for two years. He joined the Navy in 1945, becoming a
pharmacist mate
A hospital corpsman (HM r corpsman is an enlisted medical specialist of the United States Navy, who may also serve in a U.S. Marine Corps unit. The corresponding rating within the United States Coast Guard is health services technician (HS ...
.
[ ]
In 1947, Broderick returned to his studies. He auditioned for a part in the University production of
George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence simply as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from ...
's ''
Arms and the Man
''Arms and the Man'' is a comedy by George Bernard Shaw, whose title comes from the opening words of Virgil's ''Aeneid'', in Latin:
''Arma virumque cano'' ("Of arms and the man I sing").
The play was first produced on 21 April 1894 at the Aven ...
''. Director J. Donald Batcheller, faculty advisor to the student drama club (Mask and Dagger), was impressed and gave him the role of Bluntschli, 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 did not 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. Broderick took his advice and Kennedy subsequently directed him to the
Neighborhood Playhouse
A neighbourhood (British English, Irish English, Australian English and Canadian English) or neighborhood (American English; see spelling differences) is a geographically localised community within a larger city, town, suburb or rural area, ...
, where he gained the necessary experience and training for a successful acting career in both films and television.
Broderick's
Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
credits include ''
The Time of Your Life
''The Time of Your Life'' is a 1939 five-act play by American playwright William Saroyan. The play is the first drama to win both the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award. The play opened on Broadway theatre, Broa ...
'' (1969) and ''
Johnny No-Trump
''Johnny No-Trump'' is a play written by Mary Mercier which ran for one performance on Broadway.
Productions
''Johnny No-Trump'' opened at the Cort Theatre on October 8, 1967 and ran for 5 previews and one regular performance. Directed by Joseph ...
'' (1967).
Broderick co-starred in the CBS television series ''
Brenner'', portraying Officer Ernie Brenner.
He played Doug Lawrence on the television show ''
Family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
'' from 1976 to 1980. Broderick also served as a director for the series. He received an
Emmy Award
The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
nomination for
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 1978. Other notable television appearances included the ''
Twilight Zone'' episode "
On Thursday We Leave for Home
"On Thursday We Leave for Home" is an episode of the American television anthology series ''The Twilight Zone''. In this episode, a struggling colony on a distant planet awaits the arrival of a ship that will take them back to Earth. The story cen ...
" and the Public Television productions of
Jean Shepherd
Jean Parker 'Shep' Shepherd Jr. (~July 21, 1921 – October 16, 1999) was an American storyteller, humorist, radio and TV personality, writer, and actor. With a career that spanned decades, Shepherd is known for the film '' A Christmas Story'' ...
's ''The Phantom of the Open Hearth'' and ''The Great American Fourth of July and Other Disasters'', in which he played Ralph Parker's father, "the Old Man". The role later was played by
Darren McGavin
Darren is a masculine given name of uncertain etymological origins. Some theories state that it originated from an Anglicisation of the Irish first name Darragh or Dáire, meaning "Oak Tree". According to other sources, it is thought to come from ...
in ''
A Christmas Story''. Broderick also appeared in the “My Sister’s Keeper" episode of ''
Gunsmoke
''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central character ...
'' in 1963 as a widower unable to deal with loss, and in the 1964 episode "Doctor's Wife" as a doctor saddled with an overbearing wife.
His notable film roles include Ray Brock, the complex father figure of a New England commune in ''
Alice's Restaurant
"Alice's Restaurant Massacree", commonly known as "Alice's Restaurant", is a satirical talking blues song by singer-songwriter Arlo Guthrie, released as the title track to his 1967 debut album ''Alice's Restaurant''. The song is a deadpan protest ...
'' (1969), the subway motorman in ''
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three'' (1974), FBI agent Sheldon in ''
Dog Day Afternoon
''Dog Day Afternoon'' is a 1975 American biographical crime drama film directed by Sidney Lumet and produced by Martin Bregman and Martin Elfand. The film stars Al Pacino, John Cazale, James Broderick, and Charles Durning. The screenplay is wr ...
'' (1975), and Joe in ''
The Shadow Box
''The Shadow Box'' is a play written by actor Michael Cristofer. The play made its Broadway debut on March 31, 1977. It is the winner of the 1977 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Tony Award for Best Play. The play was made into a telefilm, directed ...
'' (1980) directed by
Paul Newman
Paul Leonard Newman (January 26, 1925 – September 26, 2008) was an American actor, film director, race car driver, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. He was the recipient of numerous awards, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, three ...
.
Personal life
Broderick was married until his death to playwright and painter
Patricia Broderick. The couple had one son, actor
Matthew Broderick
Matthew Broderick (born March 21, 1962) is an American actor. His roles include the Golden Globe-nominated portrayal of the title character in ''Ferris Bueller's Day Off'' (1986), the voice of adult Simba in Disney's ''The Lion King'' (1994), ...
, and two daughters.
Death
Broderick died of thyroid cancer on November 1, 1982, in
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134,02 ...
at the age of 55.
Selected filmography
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Broderick, James
1927 births
1982 deaths
20th-century American male actors
American male film actors
American male television actors
American people of English descent
American people of Irish descent
Biow family
Deaths from cancer in Connecticut
Male actors from New Hampshire
Manchester Central High School alumni
Military personnel from New Hampshire
People from Charlestown, New Hampshire
United States Navy corpsmen
University of New Hampshire alumni