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Bruce Bennett

Acting 100 (deceased) years old Tacoma, Washington, USA ★ 0.6
Born: May 19, 1906
Died: February 24, 2007

Biography

Bruce Bennett (born Harold Herman Brix) was an American actor and Olympic silver medalist shot putter. His first career was as an athlete. At the University of Washington, where he majored in economics, he played football (tackle) in the 1926 Rose Bowl and was a track-and-field star. Two years later, he won the Silver medal for the shot put in the 1928 Olympic Games. Brix moved to Los Angeles in 1929 after being invited to compete for the Los Angeles Athletic Club and befriended actor Douglas Fairbanks Jr., who arranged a screen test for him at Paramount.

In 1931, MGM, adapting author Edgar Rice Burroughs's popular Tarzan adventures for the screen, selected Brix to play the title character. Brix, however, broke his shoulder filming the 1931 football film Touchdown, so swimming champion Johnny Weissmuller replaced Brix and became a major star. After Ashton Dearholt convinced Burroughs to allow him to form Burroughs-Tarzan Enterprises, Inc., and make a Tarzan serial film, Dearholt cast Brix in the lead. Pressbook copy has it that Burroughs made the choice himself, but, in fact, in his biography, Brix confirmed that Burroughs never even saw him until after the contract was signed, and then only briefly. The film was begun on location in Guatemala, under rugged conditions (jungle diseases and cash shortages were frequent). Brix did his own stunts, including a fall to rocky cliffs below. The Washington Post quoted Gabe Essoe's passage from his book Tarzan of the Movies: "Brix's portrayal was the only time between the silents and the 1960s that Tarzan was accurately depicted in films. He was mannered, cultured, soft-spoken, a well educated English lord who spoke several languages, and didn't grunt."[4]

Brix shown in the opening credits of the serial The New Adventures of Tarzan (1935). Due to financial mismanagement, Dearholt had to complete filming of much of the serial back in Hollywood, and Brix, although his travel and daily living expenses in Guatemala were covered throughout the shoot, never received his contracted salary, along with the rest of the cast. The finished film, The New Adventures of Tarzan, was released in 1935 by Burroughs-Tarzan, and offered to theatres as a 12-chapter serial or a seven-reel feature. A second feature, Tarzan and the Green Goddess, was culled from the footage in 1938.

Filmography

Acting Credits (142)

Tarzan: Lord of the Movies
Tarzan: Lord of the Movies Tarzan (Archive Footage) 2017
Discovering Treasure: The Story of 'The Treasure of the Sierra Madre'
Discovering Treasure: The Story of 'The Treasure of the Sierra Madre' James Cody (archive footage) 2003
Tarzan at the Movies, Part 2: The Many Faces of Tarzan
Tarzan at the Movies, Part 2: The Many Faces of Tarzan Tarzan (archive footage) 1996
Laat de dokter maar schuiven
Laat de dokter maar schuiven John 1980
The Clones
The Clones Clone Lab Assistant 1973
Deadhead Miles
Deadhead Miles Johnny Mesquitero 1972
Lassie: Well of Love
Lassie: Well of Love Bert Daniels 1970
Torpedo of Doom
Torpedo of Doom Lt. Frank Corley 1966
Branded
Branded 1965
Kraft Suspense Theatre
Kraft Suspense Theatre Gen. Adams 1963
The Virginian
The Virginian Silas Graham 1962
The Outsider
The Outsider Gen. Bridges 1961
Fiend of Dope Island
Fiend of Dope Island Charlie Davis 1960
The Alligator People
The Alligator People Dr. Eric Lorimer 1959
The Cosmic Man
The Cosmic Man Dr. Karl Sorenson 1959
77 Sunset Strip
77 Sunset Strip 1958
The Texan
The Texan 1958
Flaming Frontier
Flaming Frontier Capt. Jim Hewson 1958
Perry Mason
Perry Mason Lawrence Balfour 1957
Perry Mason
Perry Mason Dan Morgan 1957
Perry Mason
Perry Mason Matt Lambert 1957
Perry Mason
Perry Mason Malone 1957
Perry Mason
Perry Mason Reve Watson 1957
Ain't No Time for Glory
Ain't No Time for Glory Lt. Col. Steven Granville 1957
Panic!
Panic! 1957
Three Violent People
Three Violent People Commissioner Harrison 1956
Love Me Tender
Love Me Tender Maj. Kincaid 1956
Daniel Boone, Trail Blazer
Daniel Boone, Trail Blazer Daniel Boone 1956
West Point
West Point 1956
The Three Outlaws
The Three Outlaws Charlie Trenton 1956
The Bottom of the Bottle
The Bottom of the Bottle Brand 1956
Hidden Guns
Hidden Guns Stragg 1956
Robbers' Roost
Robbers' Roost 'Bull' Herrick 1955
Damon Runyon Theater
Damon Runyon Theater Professor Woodhead 1955
Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command Gen. Espy 1955
The Big Tip Off
The Big Tip Off Bob Gilmore 1955
Lassie
Lassie 1954
Dragonfly Squadron
Dragonfly Squadron Dr. Stephen Cottrell 1954
Stories of the Century
Stories of the Century William Clark Charles Quantrill 1954
With This Ring
With This Ring Frederick C. Miller 1954
Letter to Loretta
Letter to Loretta Seth Ranson 1953
Dream Wife
Dream Wife Charlie Elkwood 1953
Cavalcade of America
Cavalcade of America Abe Lincoln 1952
Sudden Fear
Sudden Fear Steve Kearney 1952
Angels in the Outfield
Angels in the Outfield Saul Hellman 1951
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars Judge Paul Maston 1951
The Last Outpost
The Last Outpost Col. Jeb Britton 1951
The Great Missouri Raid
The Great Missouri Raid Cole Younger 1951
The Second Face
The Second Face Paul Curtis 1950
Lux Video Theatre
Lux Video Theatre Dr. Grant 1950
Lux Video Theatre
Lux Video Theatre Ben Archer 1950
Shakedown
Shakedown David Glover 1950
Mystery Street
Mystery Street Dr. McAdoo 1950
Undertow
Undertow Reckling 1949
Without Honor
Without Honor Fred Bandle 1949
The Doctor and the Girl
The Doctor and the Girl Dr. Alfred Norton 1949
The House Across the Street
The House Across the Street Matthew J. Keever 1949
The Younger Brothers
The Younger Brothers Jim Younger 1949
To the Victor
To the Victor Henderson 1948
Smart Girls Don't Talk
Smart Girls Don't Talk Marty Fain 1948
Silver River
Silver River Stanley Moore 1948
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre James Cody 1948
Dark Passage
Dark Passage Bob 1947
Cheyenne
Cheyenne Ed Landers 1947
Nora Prentiss
Nora Prentiss Dr. Joel Merriam 1947
The Man I Love
The Man I Love San Thomas 1946
A Stolen Life
A Stolen Life Jack R. Talbot 1946
Beer Barrel Polecats
Beer Barrel Polecats Prison Guard (archive footage) 1946
Danger Signal
Danger Signal Dr. Andrew Lang 1945
Mildred Pierce
Mildred Pierce Albert 'Bert' Pierce 1945
I'm from Arkansas
I'm from Arkansas Bob Hamlin 1944
U-Boat Prisoner
U-Boat Prisoner Archie Gibbs 1944
There's Something About a Soldier
There's Something About a Soldier Frank Molloy 1943
Sahara
Sahara Waco Hoyt 1943
Frontier Fury
Frontier Fury Clem Hawkins (uncredited) 1943
The More the Merrier
The More the Merrier FBI Agent Evans 1943
Murder in Times Square
Murder in Times Square Supai George 1943
Underground Agent
Underground Agent Lee Graham 1942
Sabotage Squad
Sabotage Squad Lieutenant John Cronin 1942
Atlantic Convoy
Atlantic Convoy Capt. Morgan 1942
Submarine Raider
Submarine Raider 1st Office Russell 1942
Tramp, Tramp, Tramp!
Tramp, Tramp, Tramp! Tommy Lydel 1942
Honolulu Lu
Honolulu Lu Skelly 1941
Three Girls About Town
Three Girls About Town Reporter 1941
The Officer and the Lady
The Officer and the Lady Bob Conlon 1941
Two Latins from Manhattan
Two Latins from Manhattan Federal Agent 1941
Dutiful But Dumb
Dutiful But Dumb Vulgarian Soldier in General's Office (uncredited) 1941
So Long Mr. Chumps
So Long Mr. Chumps Prison Guard / Truck Driver (uncredited) 1941
The Phantom Submarine
The Phantom Submarine Paul Sinclair 1940
The Lone Wolf Keeps a Date
The Lone Wolf Keeps a Date Scotty 1940
West of Abilene
West of Abilene Frank Garfield 1940
No Census, No Feeling
No Census, No Feeling Football Player #20 (uncredited) 1940
Glamour for Sale
Glamour for Sale Cop (uncredited) 1940
The Spook Speaks
The Spook Speaks Mordini's former assistant 1940
Before I Hang
Before I Hang Dr. Paul Ames 1940
The Secret Seven
The Secret Seven Patrick Norris 1940
How High Is Up?
How High Is Up? Workman with Leaky Lunchpail (uncredited) 1940
Girls of the Road
Girls of the Road Officer Sullavan 1940
The Taming of the Snood
The Taming of the Snood Detective 1940
Babies for Sale
Babies for Sale Policeman 1940
Boobs in the Woods
Boobs in the Woods Park Ranger (uncredited) 1940
The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady
The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady McManus 1940
Island of Doomed Men
Island of Doomed Men Hazen - Guard (uncredited) 1940
Escape to Glory
Escape to Glory Ship's gunnery officer 1940
The Man from Tumbleweeds
The Man from Tumbleweeds Prison Warden 1940
The Man with Nine Lives
The Man with Nine Lives State Trooper (uncredited) 1940
Hi-Yo Silver
Hi-Yo Silver Bert Rogers 1940
Blazing Six Shooters
Blazing Six Shooters Geologist Winthrop 1940
The Heckler
The Heckler Ole Margarine 1940
Five Little Peppers at Home
Five Little Peppers at Home Jim - King's Chauffeur 1940
Convicted Woman
Convicted Woman Reporter (uncredited) 1940
Cafe Hostess
Cafe Hostess Budge 1940
Invisible Stripes
Invisible Stripes Rich Man (uncredited) 1939
My Son Is Guilty
My Son Is Guilty Lefty 1939
Blondie Brings Up Baby
Blondie Brings Up Baby Mason's Chauffeur (uncredited) 1939
Five Little Peppers And How They Grew
Five Little Peppers And How They Grew Tom - King's Chauffeur 1939
Daredevils of the Red Circle
Daredevils of the Red Circle Tiny Dawson 1939
Hawk of the Wilderness
Hawk of the Wilderness Lincoln Rand Jr / Kioga 1938
Land of Fighting Men
Land of Fighting Men Fred Mitchell 1938
The Fighting Devil Dogs
The Fighting Devil Dogs Lieutenant Frank Corby 1938
Tarzan and the Green Goddess
Tarzan and the Green Goddess Tarzan 1938
The Lone Ranger
The Lone Ranger Bert Rogers 1938
Amateur Crook
Amateur Crook Jimmy Baxter 1937
Danger Patrol
Danger Patrol Joe 1937
Sky Racket
Sky Racket Eric Lane - Agent 17 1937
Million Dollar Racket
Million Dollar Racket Larry Duane 1937
Flying Fists
Flying Fists Hal "Chopper' Donovan, aka Hal Smith 1937
A Million to One
A Million to One Johnny Kent 1936
Silks and Saddles
Silks and Saddles Jimmy Shay 1936
Two Minutes to Play
Two Minutes to Play Martin Granville 1936
Shadow of Chinatown
Shadow of Chinatown Martin Andrews 1936
Shadow of Chinatown
Shadow of Chinatown Martin Andrews 1936
The New Adventures of Tarzan
The New Adventures of Tarzan Tarzan 1935
The New Adventures of Tarzan
The New Adventures of Tarzan Tarzan 1935
Student Tour
Student Tour Hercules 1934
Death on the Diamond
Death on the Diamond Man on Ticket Line (uncredited) 1934
Treasure Island
Treasure Island Man at Tavern (uncredited) 1934
Riptide
Riptide Man at Cannes Bar (uncredited) 1934
Meet the Baron
Meet the Baron Train Passenger (uncredited) 1933
College Humor
College Humor Student 1933
Movie Crazy
Movie Crazy Dinner Guest (Uncredited) 1932
Million Dollar Legs
Million Dollar Legs Klopstokian Athlete (uncredited) 1932

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