NORRISTOWN — As a young man, Montgomery County Judge Thomas C. Branca considered becoming an actor but an increased fondness and respect for law took him to a different stage – the courtroom where he was an accomplished trial lawyer and later became a judge known for his fairness and dedication.
“In the back of my head, I really wanted to be an actor. I actually entertained those thoughts about dropping everything and going to New York City and casting my fate to the winds to figure out how I could become an actor,” Branca, 75, who is retiring as a judge after 23 years on the bench, recalled during a recent interview in his chambers.
A young Branca, who was born and raised in Norristown, believed his father, Salvatore, a Norristown police officer for 20 years who retired as a sergeant, would be disappointed about his acting ambitions…