Oh look, it’s my celebrity soul brother; doesn’t everybody have one?

Way back in the summer of 1983, my friend Brenda called me one day and asked if I’d go to the movies with her that night.  There was something she wanted me to see.

(Brenda & I were around the same age, and worked together at our local Murphy’s Mart.)

Brenda explained that her & Mike (her boyfriend, who would become her husband in 3 years) had gone to see the movie Wargames the night before, and during the picture Mike said “Doesn’t this guy remind you of Doug Morris?” and Brenda said yes, she was thinking the same thing.

They were talking about Matthew Broderick, who was relatively unknown at the time.

So we went that night, and while I enjoyed the picture, told Brenda I didn’t see it… we didn’t even look alike.  She said “You’re just like him!”

Anyway—sometime later, I was at work having lunch in the Employee Lounge, when Karen Willis (a high school teacher & part-time employee) approached my table and said “Doug, you put me so much in mind of a young actor Tom & I saw the other night.  Have you seen Wargames?”

My friend Sandy laughed and told her I’d heard the same from Brenda.  Mrs. Willis said “Maybe he’s your celebrity soul brother!”   When I asked what that was, she said “The more you learn about him, the more you’ll have in common with him.”

Hmm… I’d heard of soulmates, but soul-siblings?  it sounded like something out of a tabloid or teen magazine.  Mrs. Willis was a little goofy sometimes, but then so was I.  And as time went by, I began seeing a connection… maybe she was right!

1. More than one person says you remind them of him/her.  Done & done!

2. Same age, give or take.  I turned 59 in October, Matthew turns 59 in March.

3. Share similar physical characteristics.  Well, we’re the same height, 5’8”.  We both had brown hair before it turned gray.  We’re both nearsighted, have the same stocky build and like it or not, this recent picture of Matthew on the beach is pretty much how I look in my own trunks. 

4. Share a crazy family connection. 

For this, I’ll need my fellow boomer & friend Kim’s help.  “Kim, what was our favorite tv show in the 1970s?”

“The Mary Tyler Moore Show.”

“Okay, what was our SECOND favorite tv show?”

“Oh—Family.”

“And WHO was our favorite character on the show?  And don’t say Kristy Mcnichol.”

“Sada Thompson, who played the mom.”

“Right!  And who was she married to on the show?”

“James Broderick, Matthew Broderick’s real life father.”

“RIGHT!  And what was James character’s name on the show?”

“I can’t remember, Doug.”

“IT WAS DOUG, KIM.  HIS CHARACTERS NAME WAS DOUG.”

5.  One degree of separation.   I shared this story on a Youtube video of Sarah Jessica Parker several months ago, I can’t prove it but it’s true.  Back in the spring of 1993, I was working in downtown Pittsburgh as a software developer for Allegheny County.  We were required to wear dress clothes then, and one day I tore the sole off my dress shoe.

My co-worker Sue said there was a shoe repair shop in the alley behind the William Penn Hotel, so at lunchtime I hoofed it down there.  When I got to the alley, I saw a young woman, very petite, wearing a ski jacket and standing in a doorway smoking a cigarette.  I asked her if she knew where the shoe repair shop was, she said she was new in town and didn’t, sorry.  As I turned to go, I said “Waitaminute… aren’t you Sarah Jessica Parker?  The girl from Square Pegs?”

(This was before she became famous with Sex & The City, or married Matthew Broderick.)

She said she was, and was staying at the Penn while filming a movie with Bruce Willis (I would later learn it was Striking Distance).  We chatted a little, I can’t recall what about, but I do remember thinking wow, she’s nice.  She asked if I knew of any good salad or sandwich places nearby, and I excitedly told her about Zorba’s on Sixth & Smithfield.  After saying goodbye, I found the repair shop, got my shoe fixed and went back and told everyone in the office who I met and our conversation. 

My coworker Sue said “Doug you dummy!  Why didn’t you offer to take her to Zorba’s yourself?”   Ugh!!  What the heck’s wrong with me?!

6.  And finally… AMAZING BUT TRUE

I learned recently that Matthew Broderick was a “mostly lefty”—he can write with his right hand, but does everything with his left.  Wow.  As my family knows, I’m a mostly lefty too.  (It’s not a choice.)

Armed with that ‘Amazing but True’ factoid, I decided it was time to share the secret of my celebrity soul brother.  As I began writing this post, my friend Danielle emailed me and asked what I was up to.

I told her I was working on a new blog about my celebrity soul brother.  When she asked what the heck was I talking about, I told her it was someone famous you share some physical characteristics with, and some strange things in common too. 

She asked who mine was, I told her she’d find out along with everyone else after I posted it to my blog.  I told her not to bother guessing, she’d never get it in a hundred years.

Several minutes passed, another email popped up from Danielle.  When I opened it, it said “Matthew Broderick?”   What the—how did she guess that??

Yeah, I know Matthew—it’s amazing but true!