2/12/2008 - Kirk Browning 1921-2008
AFS is sad to report that Kirk Browning, the longtime director of Live From Lincoln Center and an AFS WWII Driver died on February 10, 2008 in New York City.
Born in New York, Browning has been studying piano since a very young age and was invited at 13 to play concerto with the New York Philharmonic. Browning attended Cornell University, but left to write music and play jazz piano. Browning was 21 years old when he volunteered with the American Field Service in August of 1942. His older brother, William H. Browning II also served with the American Field Service. Browning was sent overseas with AFS Unit ME 32 in November 1942 and traveled to the Middle East aboard the S/S “El Nil”. The Unit’s shipboard publication -”El News” includes Browning’s sketch by Pierre Bourdelle. Browning contributed to the “El News”publication as one of the typists.
Browning arrived in Port Teufik, Egypt in February of 1943 and served as an ambulance driver attached to the Eighth British Army. He was transferred to Italy with AFS 567 COY. He was instrumental in evacuating two seriously wounded New Zealand soldiers over the flooded Sangro river in December of 1943. He was awarded “Mentioned in Despatches” for the service in the Italian campaign and received the awards of the Africa Star, 1939-45 Star and Italy Star. He was released and repatriated to the U.S. in September of 1944.
Browning rejoined the AFS for second tour of duty in March of 1945 and served with an AFS section attached to the First French Army until the VE Day.
Browning was one of America’s leading cultural TV directors. His directing career stretches back to the start of network television. He has directed televised staging of concerts, live opera and dance, including Dance in America, the Arturo Toscanini concerts, Amahl and the Night Visitors, Live From Lincoln Center, and the Young People’s Concerts with Leonard Bernstein. He has directed Live From Lincoln Center from 1976 until his death. His interviews appeared in Jack Kuney’s “Take One Television Directors on Directing” (Greenwood Press, 1990) and Brian Rose’s “Televising the Performing Arts Interviews with Merrill Brockway, Kirk Browning, and Roger Englander” (Greenwood Press, 2000).
Mr. Browning’s television directing credits include Frank Sinatra’s first TV show and Arthur Miller’s “Death of A Salesman”. He has directed for WNET’s “Live from the Met” and “Great Performances”; Hallmark Hall of Fame music and drama specials; Philadelphia Orchestra telecasts and Broadway specials, Pavarotti at Madison Square Garden, and White House specials. Mr. Browning has been the recipient of nine Emmy Awards, two Christopher Awards, a CITA Award, a George Foster Peabody Award, and many Emmy nominations.
Browning was a supporter of AFS and he participated in the AFS Legacy Project in 2004.
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