Norman Brokenshire
Norman Ernest Brokenshire (June 10, 1898 – May 4, 1965), nicknamed "Sir Silken Speech", was a familiar radio voice in the 1940s, heard as an announcer on such programs as Theatre Guild on the Air. He was the first radio announcer to break from anonymity and use his name on the air. His autobiography This Is Norman Brokenshire: An Unvarnished Self-Portrait was published in 1954. |
Birth and Death Data: Born 1898 (Kingston), Died May 4, 1965
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1929 - 1932
Roles Represented in DAHR: speaker, vocalist
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | W152115 | 10-in. | 3/2/1932 | Dr. Brokenshire and Dr. Marvin | Norman Brokenshire ; Johnny Marvin | Male vocal duet | vocalist | |
| Columbia | W152116 | 10-in. | 3/2/1932 | Dr. Brokenshire and Dr. Marvin | Norman Brokenshire ; Johnny Marvin | Male vocal duet | vocalist | |
| Brunswick | XE30701 | 12-in. | 8/23/1929 | Bremer-Tully broadcast record no. 1 | Bremer-Tully Orchestra | Orchestra, with announcement | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE30933 | 12-in. | 9/13/1929 | Bremer-Tully Broadcast record no. 27 | Norman Brokenshire | Announcement(s) | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE30953 | 12-in. | 9/16/1929 | Brunswick brevities program G, pt. 1 | Abe Lyman’s California Orchestra | Radio transcription disc : Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE31120 | 12-in. | 10/7/1929 | Brunswick Brevities program L, part 4 | Six Jumping Jacks | Radio transcription disc : Piano solo; piano solo, clarinet solo, and trumpet solo; Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE31125 | 12-in. | Oct. 1929 | Brunswick brevities program J, part 1 | Los Castilians ; Luis Medrano | Radio transcription disc : Instrumental ensemble | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE31126 | 12-in. | Oct. 1929 | Brunswick brevities program J [part unknown] | Los Castilians | Radio transcription disc : Instrumental ensemble | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE31127 | 12-in. | Oct. 1929 | Brunswick brevities [program and part unknown] | Castilians | Radio transcription disc : Instrumental ensemble | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE31128 | 12-in. | Oct. 1929 | Brunswick Brevities program J, part 2 | Los Castilians | Radio transcription disc : Instrumental ensemble | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE31129 | 12-in. | Oct. 1929 | Brunswick Brevities program J, part 3 | Castilians | Radio transcription disc : Instrumental ensemble | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE31418 | 12-in. | 11/15/1929 | Brunswick brevities broadcast | Norman Brokenshire | Radio transcription disc : Announcement | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE31419 | 12-in. | 11/15/1929 | Brunswick brevities broadcast | Norman Brokenshire | Radio transcription disc : Announcement | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE31542 | 12-in. | 11/14/1929 | Brunswick brevities [program and part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire ; Kessinger Brothers | Radio transcription disc : Fiddle (violin) and guitar duet, with announcement | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE31543 | 12-in. | 11/14/1929 | Bremer-Tully broadcast no. 81 | Kessinger Brothers | Radio transcription disc : Fiddle (violin) and guitar duet | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE31637 | 12-in. | Dec. 1929 | Brunswick brevities program T, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire | Radio transcription disc: Announcement | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE31842 | 12-in. | Jan. 1930 | Brunswick brevities program X, pt. 6 | Brunswick Concert Orchestra | Radio transcription disc : Orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE31928 | 12-in. | 1/17/1930 | Brunswick Brevities Program Y, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire | Announcement | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE32410 | 12-in. | March 1930 | Exploitation record for “Mammy” | Norman Brokenshire | Talk | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE32411 | 12-in. | March 1930 | Exploitation record for "Mammy" | Norman Brokenshire | Radio transcription disc | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE33262 | 12-in. | July 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program A, pt. 1 | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE33263 | 12-in. | July 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program A, pt. 2 | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE33264 | 12-in. | July 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program A, pt. 3 | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE33265 | 12-in. | July 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program A, pt. 4 | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE33266 | 12-in. | July 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program A, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE33267 | 12-in. | July 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program A, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | E33364 | 10-in. | July 1930 | Exploitation record [for] Warner Brothers’ Silver Anniversary | Norman Brokenshire ; Brunswick Studio Orchestra ; Scrappy Lambert | Orchestra; male vocal solo; announcement | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE34119 | 12-in. | Aug. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program E, [part unknown] | Artists vary | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE34120 | 12-in. | Aug. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program E, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE34121 | 12-in. | Aug. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program E, part 3 | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE34122 | 12-in. | Aug. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program E, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE34123 | 12-in. | Aug. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program E, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE34124 | 12-in. | Aug. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program E, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE34275 | 12-in. | Sept. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program D, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE34276 | 12-in. | Sept. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program D, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE34277 | 12-in. | Sept. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program D, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE34278 | 12-in. | Sept. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program D, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE34279 | 12-in. | Sept. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program D, pt. 5 | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE34280 | 12-in. | Sept. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program D, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE34464 | 12-in. | Sept. 1930 | Radio Sweethearts, program K, [unknown part] | Radio Sweethearts | Radio transcription disc : Female-male vocal duet, with piano | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE34465 | 12-in. | Sept. 1930 | Radio Sweethearts, program K, pt. 2 | Radio Sweethearts | Radio transcription disc : Female-male vocal duet, with piano | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE34466 | 12-in. | Sept. 1930 | Radio Sweethearts, program K, pt. 3 | Radio Sweethearts | Radio transcription disc : Female-male vocal duet, with piano | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE34467 | 12-in. | Sept. 1930 | Radio Sweethearts, program K, [part unknown] | Radio Sweethearts | Radio transcription disc : Female-male vocal duet, with piano | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE34468 | 12-in. | Sept. 1930 | Radio Sweethearts, program K, [part unknown] | Radio Sweethearts | Radio transcription disc : Female-male vocal duet, with piano | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE34469 | 12-in. | Sept. 1930 | Radio Sweethearts, program K, [part unknown] | Radio Sweethearts | Radio transcription disc : Female-male vocal duet, with piano | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE34776 | 12-in. | Oct. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program M, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE34777 | 12-in. | Oct. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program M, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE34779 | 12-in. | Oct. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program M, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE34780 | 12-in. | Oct. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program M, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE34781 | 12-in. | Oct. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program M, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE34782 | 12-in. | Oct. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program N, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE34783 | 12-in. | Oct. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program N, [part unknown] | Artists vary | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE34784 | 12-in. | Oct. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program M, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE34784 | 12-in. | Oct. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program N, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE34785 | 12-in. | Oct. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program N, pt. 5 | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE34786 | 12-in. | Oct. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program N, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE34787 | 12-in. | Oct. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program N, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE35015 | 12-in. | Oct. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program P, pt. 1 | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE35016 | 12-in. | Oct. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program P, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE35017 | 12-in. | Oct. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program P, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE35018 | 12-in. | Oct. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program P, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE35019 | 12-in. | Oct. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program P, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE35020 | 12-in. | Oct. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program P, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE35374 | 12-in. | Nov. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program Q, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE35375 | 12-in. | Nov. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program Q, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE35376 | 12-in. | Nov. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program Q, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE35377 | 12-in. | Nov. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program Q, pt. 4 | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE35378 | 12-in. | Nov. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program Q, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE35379 | 12-in. | Nov. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program Q, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE35553 | 12-in. | Dec. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program W, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE35554 | 12-in. | Dec. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program W, pt. 3 | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy ; Charles Magnante | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra and accordion solo | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE35555 | 12-in. | Dec. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program W, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE35556 | 12-in. | Dec. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program W, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE35557 | 12-in. | Dec. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program W, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE35558 | 12-in. | Dec. 1930 | Mirth Quakers, program W, [part unknown] | Norman Brokenshire ; Jerry Macy | Radio transcription disc : Comic dialogue, with orchestra | speaker | |
| Brunswick | XE35559 | 12-in. | Dec. 1930 | Hawaiian shadows, program Z, pt. 1 | Hawaiian instrumental ensemble (unidentified; Brunswick Records) | Radio transcription disc : Instrumental ensemble (Hawaiian) | speaker |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Brokenshire, Norman," accessed October 31, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/100753.
Brokenshire, Norman. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved October 31, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/100753.
"Brokenshire, Norman." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 31 October 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Brokenshire, Norman, 1898-1965 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n2002127259
Wikidata: Norman Brokenshire - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q7052001
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/21509153
ISNI: 0000 0000 8100 3772 - http://www.isni.org/isni/0000000081003772
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