James Broderick

James Wilke Broderick (March 7, 1927 – November 1, 1982) was an American actor. 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). In 1947, Broderick, a junior pre-med student, auditioned for ... more

James Wilke Broderick (March 7, 1927 – November 1, 1982) was an American actor. 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). 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. "You could tell from the beginning that he was an exceptional individual," Batcheller said. "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," Batcheller added. Although Batcheller didn't often encourage the students to pursue acting as a... less