Cecil Broadhurst
Encyclopedia
Cecil Arthur Broadhurst was a Canadian artist, songwriter, actor and playwright, who had a passionate interest in and love for all things Western. At age 15 he began his lifelong commitment to painting, studying under LeMoine Fitzgerald
and Frank Franz Johnston A.R.C.A. members of Canada's renowned Group of Seven (artists)
. In 1932 he launched out on his own, but the Great Depression in the 30s led him to other fields: among them flying as a Bush pilot, radio and theatre, followed by college and a year at the Detroit Art Academy. A Canadian producer asked him to paint a stage set for him, which prompted Broadhurst, a relative of George Broadhurst, New York theatrical producer and founder of New York's famed Broadhurst Theatre
, to focus his talents on the theatre and his gift for songwriting. He subsequently wrote over a hundred cowboy songs, including "There'll be a New World Beginning from Tonight" which became an annual fixture as the rousing finale of the hugely popular Christmas concerts of Malcolm Sargent
at London's Royal Albert Hall
. In 1940 He appeared singing one of his cowboy songs in the movie Susan and God starring Joan Crawford
.
He put his creative talents at the service of the Moral Re-Armament
movement (MRA) (now known as 'Initiatives of Change http://www.iofc.org). In 1951 he wrote and co-starred in the Broadway Production of his musical Jotham Valley (http://www.ibdb.com/production.asp?ID=391960). The work was filmed in 1952 in England with at least one member of the Broadway cast. Another of his plays, A Cowboys Christmas was produced in many countries, often as part of MRA campaigns. He returned to painting full time in the 1960s and quickly established a reputation as one of the West's finest artists at his studio in Arivaca, Arizona. His paintings are in galleries and private collections coast to coast as well as Europe and South America.
He said: "Some say the Cowboy is a vanishing species, but in my book he'll be around as long as the paint stays on the canvas".
LeMoine Fitzgerald
Lionel LeMoine Fitzgerald was a Winnipeg-based Canadian painter, and member of the Group of Seven.-Life and work:...
and Frank Franz Johnston A.R.C.A. members of Canada's renowned Group of Seven (artists)
Group of Seven (artists)
The Group of Seven, sometimes known as the Algonquin school, were a group of Canadian landscape painters from 1920-1933, originally consisting of Franklin Carmichael , Lawren Harris , A. Y. Jackson , Franz Johnston , Arthur Lismer , J. E. H. MacDonald , and Frederick Varley...
. In 1932 he launched out on his own, but the Great Depression in the 30s led him to other fields: among them flying as a Bush pilot, radio and theatre, followed by college and a year at the Detroit Art Academy. A Canadian producer asked him to paint a stage set for him, which prompted Broadhurst, a relative of George Broadhurst, New York theatrical producer and founder of New York's famed Broadhurst Theatre
Broadhurst Theatre
The Broadhurst Theatre is a legitimate Broadway theatre located at 235 West 44th Street in midtown Manhattan.It was designed by architect Herbert J. Krapp, a well-known theatre designer who had been working directly with the Shubert brothers; the Broadhurst opened 27 September 1917...
, to focus his talents on the theatre and his gift for songwriting. He subsequently wrote over a hundred cowboy songs, including "There'll be a New World Beginning from Tonight" which became an annual fixture as the rousing finale of the hugely popular Christmas concerts of Malcolm Sargent
Malcolm Sargent
Sir Harold Malcolm Watts Sargent was an English conductor, organist and composer widely regarded as Britain's leading conductor of choral works...
at London's Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
. In 1940 He appeared singing one of his cowboy songs in the movie Susan and God starring Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford , born Lucille Fay LeSueur, was an American actress in film, television and theatre....
.
He put his creative talents at the service of the Moral Re-Armament
Moral Re-Armament
Moral Re-Armament was an international Christian moral and spiritual movement that, in 1938, developed from the American minister Frank Buchman's Oxford Group. Buchman, a Lutheran, headed MRA for 23 years, from 1938 until his death in 1961...
movement (MRA) (now known as 'Initiatives of Change http://www.iofc.org). In 1951 he wrote and co-starred in the Broadway Production of his musical Jotham Valley (http://www.ibdb.com/production.asp?ID=391960). The work was filmed in 1952 in England with at least one member of the Broadway cast. Another of his plays, A Cowboys Christmas was produced in many countries, often as part of MRA campaigns. He returned to painting full time in the 1960s and quickly established a reputation as one of the West's finest artists at his studio in Arivaca, Arizona. His paintings are in galleries and private collections coast to coast as well as Europe and South America.
He said: "Some say the Cowboy is a vanishing species, but in my book he'll be around as long as the paint stays on the canvas".