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Dave Broadfoot: A character in his own riteWhether you think of him as Big Bobby Clobber, Sergeant-Major Renfrew, the Member for Kicking Horse Pass or any of the other zany characters this comedic chameleon created, you just gotta love Dave Broadfoot. DOROTHEA HELMS |
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 [ 2002-06-05 ] |
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Canadian comedian, Dave Broadfoot.
For 50 years he's made a living poking fun at the government -- which ironically speaks to what a great country we live in!
The well-loved Royal Canadian Air Farce alumni holds the distinction of Officer of the Order of Canada, won a Juno for comedy recording, received 14 radio and TV comedy awards, is a Member of both the Canadian Comedy and Professional Speakers Halls of Fame, was presented with the Queen Elizabeth Silver Jubilee Medal, is an Honorary Sergeant-Major in the RCMP, and holds two honorary doctorates.
"Imagine that," he says, "me -- the incorrigible student who only got to grade nine!"
Certainly in the story of Canadian-boy-follows-his-dream-and-makes-good, Broadfoot suits the starring role perfectly -- but the dream didn't start as early as you might think.
"I wasn't the class clown in school," he says. "I came from a religious background, and I was really serious. I knew nothing about theatre until I saw a neighbourhood guy, Jack Cairns, do a monologue from 'Richard III' in a Kiwanis-sponsored amateur talent contest. He had the audience totally captivated. I couldn't get over it."
In those days Broadfoot and Cairns travelled back and forth to work in Vancouver on the North Van ferry. Broadfoot sold men's clothing in Woodwards Department Store.
Cairns talked Broadfoot into joining an amateur theatre group, and he found himself on stage showing off his gift for comedic timing in a play called The Truth About Clementine. He was dumbfounded at the laughs he got.
"In that play I had to kiss a girl from the next farm and say the line 'Pretty good suction, eh?' The audience howled. I felt as though I'd come home. For the first time in my life, I didn't feel like a misfit."
From there, Broadfoot performed with numerous amateur companies and started working on solo material. His first professional gig was in 1952 at The Sirrocco nightclub in Victoria.
"That night I set out to become the best English-speaking comedian in the country," he says, "although it's up to the public to decide whether I made it."
Broadfoot left a promising career at Woodwards and moved to Toronto, where within two days he bagged a TV appearance. When Mavor Moore saw Broadfoot in his first on-camera audition, the famous playwright cast him in the annual Spring Thaw stage revue that contained a lot of political satire. From there, his career soared with his hilarious pronouncements on everything from hockey to health care.
To people thinking of becoming professional comedians, Broadfoot suggests a four-fold plan: work hard, take chances, prepare and persevere.
"It may look like I'm ad libbing on stage," he says, "but in fact I rehearse a lot."
The Humber School of Comedy Summer Workshop has called on Broadfoot to dispense advice to students. "The best thing to do is get in front of audiences in comedy clubs."
Broadfoot has been busy this past year on his "First Farewell Tour," an act that leaves audiences in awe of his high on-stage energy. Where does it come from?
"I don't know. I don't take all that good care of myself," he admits. "I intend to go out for walks, but fortunately something always comes up so I can't."
You can invite this outrageous orator into your living room any time through the two popular videos he has out: Old Dog, New Tricks and Old Enough to Say What I Want. This fall, watch for his First Farewell Tour video and his book entitled Old Enough to Say What I Want.
The American Society of Travel writers rates Broadfoot as a "Canadian Tourist Attraction." He may not be sure about whether he's reached his goal of being the best English-speaking comedian in the country, but we are.
Do you, or does someone you know have a dream job? Contact us with your dreamy stories at career.connections@tor.sunpub.com.
(Dorothea Helms is an internationally published freelance writer who co-owns a communications firm with her husband, and can be reached at writer@wsws.ca.)
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