TODAY'S TWD: WALLACE BROMLEY

Soon after the events began in the second episode of 'Fringe', Homeland Security boss Philip Broyles addressed a secret committee made up of more than just security experts, scientists, and elected officials.

"Thank you all for convening at this late hour. 43 minutes ago, we were alerted to an incident at the Wallace Bromley Medical Center. While the details are still coming in, it appears to be another anomaly whose mysteries and origins remain the sole purpose of this committee."

I assumed that the hospital in question was in Boston, Massachusetts, - after all, that's what those giant block letters are for in establishing each scene. And yet the only "Wallace Bromley" of real note that I can locate so far is the 14th District's Republican representative in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives who resigned on May 31st, 1927.

There was a Wallace Bromley who was born in Charleston, NY in 1824 and died February 14th, 1874. He married and had children in Charleston, so again, it doesn't look like he would have had any impact in Boston to be so honored with a medical center named after him.

From 1880 Michigan records, there's the listed marriage of Wallace Bromley, a 23 year old laborer from Foley to Mary Ann Francom, a 19 year old from Bridgeport and Foley on October 18th. I don't think there's anything there to suggest he would one day have a hospital in Boston named after him, either.

I did find this Google entry amusing: "Any opinion, fify fat nude women give and the the, fat nude women Society, Wallace Bromley great latterly submitted have than of doctrine call on, ..." I imagine it used to be just a come-on link (literally) but now it doesn't open to anything.

So the Wallace Bromley Medical Center appears to be a fictional creation for the show 'Fringe', which is named after some fictional Wallace Bromley who meant something to the city of Boston or to the state of Massachusetts.

I'd be curious to know where JJ Abrams and his writing team got the inspiration for the name. But then, I'm freakish that way.....

BCnU!
Toby O'B