Basil Broadhurst (1893-1975) was elected to The Lambs in 1914 as a Professional Member.
Broadhurst was born March 21, 1893, in San Francisco. He was the son of another Lamb, the playwright and producer, George Broadhurst (namesake of the Broadhurst Theatre).
In 1917 Basil Broadhurt obtained a commission in the U.S. Army as a second lieutenant at Plattsburg, New York. He was assigned to the 165th Regiment (old 69th), one of the units of the Rainbow Division. At Camp Upton, Long Island, he was made commanding officer of the camp theatre. Broadhurst was a supervisory board member working with Lamb Irving Berlin on his hit World War I show, Yip, Yip, Yaphank, at the Century Theatre.
He served in France with an infantry regiment and was discharged July 1, 1919. In December 1919, he was one of the founding members of American Legion Post 742, named for Robert Stowe Gill, an actor-director and member of both The Lambs and The Players. Captain Gill was among four Lambs killed in WWI. Broadhurst served as the post’s first treasurer.
He left acting and moved to New Hampshire. He was elected to the New Hampshire state house of representatives from Franklin 1st Ward in 1956.
Basil Broadhurst died in April 22, 1975 in Arizona. He was 82 years old. He is interred in Franklin Cemetery in Franklin, New Hampshire.
Researched and written by Shepherd Kevin C. Fitzpatrick