Associate Professor John Bradley was one of the original faculty members hired by the college in 1967. Although teaching Speech courses was his primary job description, at various times he also taught courses in English, Theater, Drama and Film. Bradley was an avid “movie-goer” and his knowledge of films, actors and actresses was extensive. His friends enjoyed attending his annual Academy Award party and watching the presentation of the “Oscars” on television. Both the campus and the community looked forward to attending one of his many dramatic presentations. He also found time to provide the faculty and staff with humor in his weekly articles for the campus newsletter.
Bradley excelled as a performer and was granted a year’s leave of absence to perform in “Off-Off” Broadway plays in New York City. He also organized and led tourist excursions to that city during summers and/or holidays. The number of community-wide plays in which he was either the director, co-director, or star performer was voluminous. Examples of a few of these were: “The Odd Couple,” “Carousel,” “Rainmaker,” “The Zoo Story,” “Give My Regards to Keith Street,” “My Three Angels,” “South Pacific,” “Tobacco Road,” “Picnic,” “Man of La Mancha,” and “Crimes of the Heart.”
Bradley also was active in other extra-curricular events. During his career, he served as President of the Tennessee Theater Association, Dean of the Faculty for a Statewide Collaborative Academy, moderator for the 1990 Key West Literary Seminar, recipient of the college’s 1982 Outstanding Faculty Member Award, chair and/or member of numerous college and community committees, an appointee by the State Board of Regents to the Speech and Theater Sub-Committee of the Licensure Committee and the Commencement speaker at the college’s graduation ceremony in the year 2000.