{{Short description|Dutch-born American composer}}{{Infobox musical artist | image = H01-25 conducting-radioShow.tif | birth_date = {{Circa|1900|1903}} | birth_place = Leiden, Kingdom of the Netherlands | death_date = {{Death date|1958|4|1}} (aged 55 or 58) | death_place = Fifth Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, US | genre = Traditional pop | occupation = Composer, violinist, score composer }}
'''David Broekman''' ({{Circa|1900|1903}} – April 1, 1958) was a Dutch-born American composer, violinist and film scorer.
== Biography == Broekman was born {{Circa|1900|1903}}, in Leiden, Kingdom of the Netherlands. While living in the Netherlands, he orchestrated the Royal Opera House while living there. In 1924, he immigrated to the United States and joined the New York Philharmonic. He produced film soundtracks for studios such as Warner Bros., Columbia Pictures, and Universal Pictures, with him being musical director of the latter two in 1929 to 1931 and from 1932 to 1935, respectively. He later joined CBS.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=1958-04-02 |title=DAVID BROEKMAN, A COMPOSER, 55; Conductor and Violinist Is Dead -- Concert Leader Did Radio, TV, Film Work (Published 1958) |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1958/04/02/archives/david-broekman-a-composer-55-conductor-and-violinist-is-dead.html |access-date=2025-09-01 |language=en}}</ref>
During World War II, Broekman served as musical director for the United States Department of the Treasury. As which, he appeared in and recorded music for war bond projects.<ref name=":0" /> Following the war, he rejoined the New York Philharmonic, with him leading traditional pop concerts at Carnegie Hall with them. It was around this time he began scoring, with most of his early scoring being for films about the Cold War.<ref name=":0" /> He also served as the first musical director of Altec Lansing.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sanjek |first=the late Russell |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/American_Popular_Music_and_Its_Business/EzVesnkLEtUC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=david+broekman&pg=PA48&printsec=frontcover |title=American Popular Music and Its Business: The First Four Hundred Years, Volume III: From 1900-1984 |date=1988-07-28 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-802127-8 |pages=48 |language=en}}</ref>
Broekman was a television scorer, having produced the soundtracks to shows such as ''Wide Wide World''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1957-11-10 |title=TV Record Shelf |url=https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83045462/1957-11-10/ed-1/?q=david+broekman |access-date=2025-09-02 |work=Evening star |pages=236 |language=english |issn=2331-9968 |oclc=2260929}}</ref> He was nominated in 8th Primetime Emmy Awards, in the category "Best Musical Contribution".<ref>{{Cite web |title=David Broekman |url=https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/david-broekman/bio/3000876993/ |access-date=2025-09-02 |website=TVGuide.com |language=en}}</ref> He also frequently appeared on the 1949 game show ''Think Fast'', as a judge.
Broekman wrote an autobiography titled ''The Shoestring Symphony'' in 1948, which received a positive review from a reviewer of ''The New York Times''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1948-05-02 |title=Handbook Of 'Fine Arts'; THE SHOESTRING SYMPHONY. By David Broekman. 247 pp. New York: Simon & Schuster. $9.75. (Published 1948) |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1948/05/02/archives/handbook-of-fine-arts-the-shoestring-symphony-by-david-broekman-247.html |access-date=2025-09-02 |language=en}}</ref> He composed the operas ''Barbara Allen'', ''Manhattan Fairy Tale Suite'', ''The Stranger'', and ''The Toledo War''.<ref name=":0" />
Broekman died on April 1, 1958, aged 55 or 58, in his home in Fifth Avenue, of a heart attack.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=1958-04-02 |title=David Broekman |url=https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83045462/1958-04-02/ed-1/?q=barney+pressman |access-date=2025-09-02 |work=Evening star |pages=26 |language=english |issn=2331-9968 |oclc=2260929}}</ref>
== Film and television credits == Adopted from TV Guide.<ref>{{Cite web |title=David Broekman |url=https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/david-broekman/credits/3000876993/ |access-date=2025-09-02 |website=TVGuide.com |language=en}}</ref>
* ''Submarine'' (1928) * ''The Mississippi Gambler'' (1929) * ''Skinner Steps Out'' (1929) * ''Tonight at Twelve'' (1929) * ''Outside the Law'' (1930) * ''Roaring Ranch'' (1930) * ''Platinum Blonde'' (1931) * ''Scandal for Sale'' (1932) * ''Tomorrow at Seven'' (1933) * ''The Law of the Wild'' (1934) * ''The Cheyenne Tornado'' (1935) * ''Danger'' (1950–1955) * ''The Best of Broadway'' (1954–1955) * ''Wide Wide World'' (1955–1958) * ''Crowded Paradise'' (1956)
== References == {{Reflist}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Broekman, David}} Category:1900s births Category:1958 deaths Category:Musicians from Leiden Category:20th-century Dutch composers Category:20th-century Dutch male composers Category:Composers from New York City Category:20th-century American composers Category:20th-century American male composers Category:20th-century American violinists Category:Dutch violinists Category:Traditional pop musicians Category:New York Philharmonic