35 Facts About Johnny Broderick

Johnny Broderick was a New York City Police Department detective who became known in the 1920s and 1930s as one of the city's toughest officers, patrolling the Broadway Theater District and policing strikes as head of the NYPD's Industrial Squad, sometimes personally beating gangsters and suspects.

Johnny Broderick was a "celebrity detective" whose exploits were a favorite of gossip columnists and the press.

Johnny Broderick was portrayed in a comic book about police, and a film, TV series, and Broadway musical based on his life were once contemplated.

Johnny Broderick won eight medals for valor during his career, but he was dogged by accusations of excessive force.

John Joseph Johnny Broderick was born on Manhattan's East 25th Street, in the impoverished Gashouse District, the son of Margaret Kendall and Michael Johnny Broderick.

Johnny Broderick served in the US Navy in World War I and worked as a bodyguard for Samuel Gompers, the labor leader.

Johnny Broderick joined the New York City Fire Department in April 1922 but found that boring.

Johnny Broderick joined the NYPD on January 16,1923, and he became a detective third grade on April 2 of that year, obtaining in less than four months a promotion that would usually take five years.

Johnny Broderick was promoted to detective second grade in May 1925 and detective first grade in March 1926.

Johnny Broderick was put in charge of the Industrial Squad, a plainclothes unit was created in 1917 to monitor the labor movement, to keep it free from political radicals, Communists and racketeers, and to suppress violence during strikes.

Johnny Broderick "had little patience with labor militants," according to one history of the NYPD in that era, and he led the Industrial Squad in violent confrontations with the fur workers' union, which was led by Communists, and railroad workers insurgents in 1926 and 1927.

Strikes in the city's Garment District turned violent, and in August 1925 Johnny Broderick's nose was broken when he tried to disperse a crowd of striking garment workers.

Johnny Broderick faced down two armed convicts, one of them mobster Hyman Amberg, in the Tombs yard after they had already killed two prison officials.

Johnny Broderick's fists were once described as "huge lethal pistons that could beat a man senseless in half a heartbeat," and to "broderick" became Broadway slang for being knocked out by a single punch.

At the time Crowley was captured by police in May 1931, Johnny Broderick attempted to break into the apartment where he was barricaded.

Johnny Broderick was said to have demanded that hoodlums tip their hat to him, and once was said to have gone to the funeral of a member of the Hudson Dusters gang and spat in his eye.

Johnny Broderick would wrap a lead pipe in a newspaper, which allowed him to beat gangsters while it looked like he was giving them a friendly swat with a rolled-up newspaper.

Johnny Broderick's exploits were widely reported in the New York media, gaining him celebrity status.

Johnny Broderick's exploits were a mainstay of the New York newspapers.

Johnny Broderick tossed hoodlums who had been bothering women through a plate-glass window, one by one, and then arrested them for malicious destruction of property, for which they were sentenced to 30 days in jail.

Johnny Broderick disarmed a man who was robbing a crowded restaurant at Columbus Circle with two guns and a knife.

Johnny Broderick would offer himself as an informal protection service for crime victims, especially young women, and personally beat up offenders.

Johnny Broderick was often selected as a bodyguard for visiting celebrities.

President Franklin D Roosevelt requested that Broderick be his special bodyguard when he visited New York for the 1936 World Series, and he was bodyguard for Queen Marie of Romania and King Albert of Belgium.

Johnny Broderick sometimes beat up people who were totally innocent, and lawsuits and complaints of brutality were futile because of his public image, honed by favorable media coverage, and connections.

Johnny Broderick denied the charges, saying the police were acting in self-defense.

The amount that Johnny Broderick received was said to be $45,000 and $50,000.

In September 1946, Johnny Broderick was assigned to the office of Mayor William O'Dwyer in an unannounced confidential capacity, a move that many in city government found surprising.

One of the two incumbent district leaders Broderick was challenging, Gerald V Murphy, accused him of having been forced out of the department for associating with gangsters.

The charge was confirmed by Manhattan's District Attorney, Frank Hogan, who disclosed that Johnny Broderick was forced to retire by Mayor William O'Dwyer after Hogan's office learned that in November 1946 he had accompanied a gambler and ex-convict, Ben Kaye, to Hot Springs, Arkansas, where he "associated with" mobster Owney Madden.

Johnny Broderick was a devoted prizefighting fan, rarely missing a fight at Madison Square Garden.

Johnny Broderick died of heart disease on his birthday at his farmhouse outside Middletown, New York, where he raised horses and dogs.

Johnny Broderick was survived by his wife, the former Marion McShea, his daughter, Marion Farinon, three sisters and nine grandchildren.

Johnny Broderick was buried in Pine Lawn Cemetery in Massapequa, Long Island.

Johnny Broderick was cited by The New York Times in 1985 as an exemplar of the old methods of policing.