James Broughton
James Broughton (1913-1999) was an influential American poet and filmmaker known for his contributions to the avant-garde arts. Born in Modesto, California, he developed a passion for language early in life, which led him to pursue poetry and later filmmaking. After graduating from Stanford University, Broughton served in the merchant marines and later studied at the New School for Social Research. His cinematic career began in the late 1940s, producing innovative films that helped shape the American avant-garde movement, including notable works like "Mother's Day" and "The Pleasure Garden," the latter winning awards at prestigious festivals.
Broughton was actively involved in the San Francisco Renaissance poetry movement during the 1950s and returned to filmmaking later in his career, creating award-winning films such as "The Bed." In addition to his creative work, he served as a resident playwright and taught creative arts at San Francisco State University. His achievements earned him numerous accolades, including fellowships from the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Foundation and Guggenheim, as well as the Lifetime Achievement in Poetry Award from the National Poetry Association. Broughton's legacy is marked by his unique blend of poetry and film, reflecting a deep engagement with the artistic culture of his time.
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James Broughton
Writer
- Born: November 10, 1913
- Birthplace: Modesto, California
- Died: May 24, 1999
- Place of death: Modesto, California
Biography
James Broughton was born on November 10, 1913, in Modesto, California. He was the son of Irwin Broughton, a banker, and Olga (née Jungbluth) Broughton. At the age of ten, Broughton was sent to military school. His love to language prompted him to begin writing in the poetic style of the Oxford English Book of Verse. He married artist Suzanna Hart in 1962; the couple divorced in 1978. Broughton had two children, Serena and Orion.
Broughton received his B.A. from Stanford University in 1936 and joined the merchant marines, traveling with them to the Near East. When he returned to the United States, he enrolled in classes at the New School for Social Research in New York from 1943 to 1945. In the late 1940’s, Sydney Peterson, who was collaborating on a play with Broughton, suggested that they use the material to write a film instead. The resulting film, the The Potted Psalm was made in an abandoned cemetery and allowed the filmmakers to gain access into an experimental film group called Art in Cinema at the San Francisco Museum.
In 1950, Broughton made his first independent film, Mother’s Day, which was influenced by French avant garde cinema and, in turn, influenced the American avant-garde movement in film. His film The Pleasure Garden, a love-in set up in a London public park in 1953, won the Edinburgh Festival Award in 1953 and an award in Cannes in 1954. However, the film cost Broughton a great deal financially, and he returned to San Francisco with the intention of once again taking up poetry, his first love.
In the 1950’s, Broughton participated in the San Francisco Renaissance poetry movement. Some years later, he returned to his filmmaking career, producing several prize-wining films, including The Bed. This film was an homage to an object that to Broughton seemed to participate in so many of life’s major events. In the early 1960’s, Broughton was resident playwright at the Playhouse Repertory Theatre in San Francisco, and from 1964 to 1976 he taught creative arts at San Francisco State University. In 1984, he was awarded a M.F.A. degree from the San Francisco Art Institute, where he was a film instructor from 1968 to 1982. Although he never took a writing course, Broughton achieved an international reputation as a poet, playwright, and independent filmmaker. He was the recipient of a number of awards and fellowships for his plays, including a Eugene O’Neill Theatre Foundation playwright fellowship in 1969, and Guggenheim fellowships in 1970-1971 and 1973-1974. In addition to awards for individual films, Broughton also received numerous honors in cinema, including the Maya Deren Award from the American Film Institute in 1989. He received also the Lifetime Achievement in Poetry Award from the National Poetry Association in 1992.