James Broderick

James Joseph Broderick III was an American actor, of English and Irish descent. Broderick was born in Charlestown, New Hampshire, to James Joseph Broderick II (1895-1959) and his wife Mary Elizabeth Martindale. His father was of Irish descent, while his mother had both English and Irish ancestry. Broderick's father was a highly-decorated veteran of World War I. Broderick attended Manchester Central High School, in Manchester, New Jersey. He then attended the University of New Hampshire, where he took pre-medical courses. In 1945, the 18-year-old Broderick interrupted his studies. He joined the United States Navy during the closing months of World War II, enlisting as a pharmacist. He was discharged in 1947, during the post-World War II demobilization of the United States armed forces. In 1947, Broderick returned to his studies at the University of New Hampshire, as junior pre-med student. His life changed course when Broderick auditioned for a pat in a theatrical production of the Un