James Broderick

James Joseph Broderick III (March 7, 1927 – 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.

Life and career

Broderick was born in Charlestown, New Hampshire, the son of Mary Elizabeth (née Martindale) (b. 1896) and James Joseph Broderick II (or Jr.) (1895-1959). He was raised Catholic. His father, a highly decorated World War I combat medic, was of Irish descent, and his mother was of English and Irish ancestry. 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 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."