James Joseph Broderick III (March 7, 1927 â€" November 1, 1982) was an
American actor. He is known for his role as Doug Lawrence in the
television series Family, which ran from 1976 to 1980, and he played a
pivotal role in the 1975 film Dog Day Afternoon.Broderick was born in
Charlestown, New Hampshire, the son of Mary Elizabeth (née
Martindale) (1896â€"1986) and James Joseph Broderick II (or Jr.)
(1895â€"1959). He was raised Catholic. His father, a highly decorated
World War I combatant, was of Irish descent, and his mother was of
English and Irish ancestry.Broderick attended Manchester Central High
School and then took pre-medical courses at the University of New
Hampshire for two years. He joined the Navy in 1945, becoming a
pharmacist mate.In 1947, after having served in the armed forces in
World War II, Broderick, a junior pre-med student, auditioned for a
part in the University of New Hampshire production of George Bernard
Shaw's Arms and the Man. Faculty advisor to the student drama club,
Mask and Dagger, (and director) J. "Joe" Donald Batcheller 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."
American actor. He is known for his role as Doug Lawrence in the
television series Family, which ran from 1976 to 1980, and he played a
pivotal role in the 1975 film Dog Day Afternoon.Broderick was born in
Charlestown, New Hampshire, the son of Mary Elizabeth (née
Martindale) (1896â€"1986) and James Joseph Broderick II (or Jr.)
(1895â€"1959). He was raised Catholic. His father, a highly decorated
World War I combatant, was of Irish descent, and his mother was of
English and Irish ancestry.Broderick attended Manchester Central High
School and then took pre-medical courses at the University of New
Hampshire for two years. He joined the Navy in 1945, becoming a
pharmacist mate.In 1947, after having served in the armed forces in
World War II, Broderick, a junior pre-med student, auditioned for a
part in the University of New Hampshire production of George Bernard
Shaw's Arms and the Man. Faculty advisor to the student drama club,
Mask and Dagger, (and director) J. "Joe" Donald Batcheller 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."
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