Cecil
Broadhurst was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
He studied with Franz Johnston, a founding member of the Group of
Seven (1920) and Principal of the Winnipeg School of Art (1920-7).
In 1952 he joined the ASCAP and was active in the movie industry as
a composer, performer, songwriter, writer, lyricist, and actor.
For
example, Cecil wrote the well-known The Cowboy Carol, which was
first performed in 1944 in a play for strikers in a war materials plant.
His other song compositions include Somewhere In the Heart of Man, When
I Point My Finger, and Sweet Potato Pie.
His material is known for its wonderful imagery.
He produced and was involved on many levels with the original
Broadway musical production of Jotham Valley (1951).
Cecil edited The Crowning Experience (1960), which was
loosely based on the life of Mary McLeod Bethune, the black American
educator.
Broadhurst
later settled in Arizona and returned to painting. He is known for his desert landscapes.
