Bruce Bennett
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- May 19, 1906
- Died
- Feb 24, 2007 (aged 100)
- Place of birth
- Tacoma, Washington, USA
- Credits
- 137
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.
Known for
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
1948Movie
James Cody
Mildred Pierce
1945Movie
Albert 'Bert' Pierce
Dark Passage
1947Movie
Bob
Sahara
1943Movie
Waco Hoyt
Sudden Fear
1952Movie
Steve Kearney
Perry Mason
1957TV
Lawrence Balfour, Dan Morgan, Matt Lambert, Malone, Reve Watson
Filmography
Tarzan: Lord of the Movies
2017Movie
Tarzan (Archive Footage)
Discovering Treasure: The Story of 'The Treasure of the Sierra Madre'
2003Movie
James Cody (archive footage)
Tarzan at the Movies, Part 2: The Many Faces of Tarzan
1996Movie
Tarzan (archive footage)
Laat de dokter maar schuiven
1980Movie
John
The Clones
1973Movie
Clone Lab Assistant
Deadhead Miles
1972Movie
Johnny Mesquitero
Lassie: Well of Love
1970Movie
Bert Daniels
Torpedo of Doom
1966Movie
Lt. Frank Corley
Branded
1965TV
Kraft Suspense Theatre
1963TV
Gen. Adams
The Virginian
1962TV
Silas Graham
The Outsider
1961Movie
Gen. Bridges
Fiend of Dope Island
1960Movie
Charlie Davis
The Alligator People
1959Movie
Dr. Eric Lorimer
The Cosmic Man
1959Movie
Dr. Karl Sorenson
77 Sunset Strip
1958TV
The Texan
1958TV
Flaming Frontier
1958Movie
Capt. Jim Hewson
Perry Mason
1957TV
Lawrence Balfour, Dan Morgan, Matt Lambert, Malone, Reve Watson
Ain't No Time for Glory
1957Movie
Lt. Col. Steven Granville
Panic!
1957TV
Three Violent People
1956Movie
Commissioner Harrison
Love Me Tender
1956Movie
Maj. Kincaid
Daniel Boone, Trail Blazer
1956Movie
Daniel Boone
West Point
1956TV
The Three Outlaws
1956Movie
Charlie Trenton
The Bottom of the Bottle
1956Movie
Brand
Hidden Guns
1956Movie
Stragg
Robbers' Roost
1955Movie
'Bull' Herrick
Damon Runyon Theater
1955TV
Professor Woodhead
Strategic Air Command
1955Movie
Gen. Espy
The Big Tip Off
1955Movie
Bob Gilmore
Lassie
1954TV
Dragonfly Squadron
1954Movie
Dr. Stephen Cottrell
Stories of the Century
1954TV
William Clark Charles Quantrill
With This Ring
1954Movie
Frederick C. Miller
Letter to Loretta
1953TV
Seth Ranson
Dream Wife
1953Movie
Charlie Elkwood
Cavalcade of America
1952TV
Abe Lincoln
Sudden Fear
1952Movie
Steve Kearney
Angels in the Outfield
1951Movie
Saul Hellman
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
1951TV
Judge Paul Maston
The Last Outpost
1951Movie
Col. Jeb Britton
The Great Missouri Raid
1951Movie
Cole Younger
The Second Face
1950Movie
Paul Curtis
Lux Video Theatre
1950TV
Dr. Grant, Ben Archer
Shakedown
1950Movie
David Glover
Mystery Street
1950Movie
Dr. McAdoo
Undertow
1949Movie
Reckling
Without Honor
1949Movie
Fred Bandle
The Doctor and the Girl
1949Movie
Dr. Alfred Norton
The House Across the Street
1949Movie
Matthew J. Keever
The Younger Brothers
1949Movie
Jim Younger
To the Victor
1948Movie
Henderson
Smart Girls Don't Talk
1948Movie
Marty Fain
Silver River
1948Movie
Stanley Moore
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
1948Movie
James Cody
Dark Passage
1947Movie
Bob
Cheyenne
1947Movie
Ed Landers
Nora Prentiss
1947Movie
Dr. Joel Merriam
The Man I Love
1946Movie
San Thomas
A Stolen Life
1946Movie
Jack R. Talbot
Beer Barrel Polecats
1946Movie
Prison Guard (archive footage)
Danger Signal
1945Movie
Dr. Andrew Lang
Mildred Pierce
1945Movie
Albert 'Bert' Pierce
I'm from Arkansas
1944Movie
Bob Hamlin
U-Boat Prisoner
1944Movie
Archie Gibbs
There's Something About a Soldier
1943Movie
Frank Molloy
Sahara
1943Movie
Waco Hoyt
Frontier Fury
1943Movie
Clem Hawkins (uncredited)
The More the Merrier
1943Movie
FBI Agent Evans
Murder in Times Square
1943Movie
Supai George
Underground Agent
1942Movie
Lee Graham
Sabotage Squad
1942Movie
Lieutenant John Cronin
Atlantic Convoy
1942Movie
Capt. Morgan
Submarine Raider
1942Movie
1st Office Russell
Tramp, Tramp, Tramp!
1942Movie
Tommy Lydel
Honolulu Lu
1941Movie
Skelly
Three Girls About Town
1941Movie
Reporter
The Officer and the Lady
1941Movie
Bob Conlon
Two Latins from Manhattan
1941Movie
Federal Agent
Dutiful But Dumb
1941Movie
Vulgarian Soldier in General's Office (uncredited)
So Long Mr. Chumps
1941Movie
Prison Guard / Truck Driver (uncredited)
The Phantom Submarine
1940Movie
Paul Sinclair
The Lone Wolf Keeps a Date
1940Movie
Scotty
West of Abilene
1940Movie
Frank Garfield
No Census, No Feeling
1940Movie
Football Player #20 (uncredited)
Glamour for Sale
1940Movie
Cop (uncredited)
The Spook Speaks
1940Movie
Mordini's former assistant
Before I Hang
1940Movie
Dr. Paul Ames
The Secret Seven
1940Movie
Patrick Norris
How High Is Up?
1940Movie
Workman with Leaky Lunchpail (uncredited)
Girls of the Road
1940Movie
Officer Sullavan
The Taming of the Snood
1940Movie
Detective
Babies for Sale
1940Movie
Policeman
Boobs in the Woods
1940Movie
Park Ranger (uncredited)
The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady
1940Movie
McManus
Island of Doomed Men
1940Movie
Hazen - Guard (uncredited)
Escape to Glory
1940Movie
Ship's gunnery officer
The Man from Tumbleweeds
1940Movie
Prison Warden
The Man with Nine Lives
1940Movie
State Trooper (uncredited)
Hi-Yo Silver
1940Movie
Bert Rogers
Blazing Six Shooters
1940Movie
Geologist Winthrop
The Heckler
1940Movie
Ole Margarine
Five Little Peppers at Home
1940Movie
Jim - King's Chauffeur
Convicted Woman
1940Movie
Reporter (uncredited)
Cafe Hostess
1940Movie
Budge
Invisible Stripes
1939Movie
Rich Man (uncredited)
My Son Is Guilty
1939Movie
Lefty
Blondie Brings Up Baby
1939Movie
Mason's Chauffeur (uncredited)
Five Little Peppers And How They Grew
1939Movie
Tom - King's Chauffeur
Daredevils of the Red Circle
1939Movie
Tiny Dawson
Hawk of the Wilderness
1938Movie
Lincoln Rand Jr / Kioga
Land of Fighting Men
1938Movie
Fred Mitchell
The Fighting Devil Dogs
1938Movie
Lieutenant Frank Corby
Tarzan and the Green Goddess
1938Movie
Tarzan
The Lone Ranger
1938Movie
Bert Rogers
Amateur Crook
1937Movie
Jimmy Baxter
Danger Patrol
1937Movie
Joe
Sky Racket
1937Movie
Eric Lane - Agent 17
Million Dollar Racket
1937Movie
Larry Duane
Flying Fists
1937Movie
Hal "Chopper' Donovan, aka Hal Smith
A Million to One
1936Movie
Johnny Kent
Silks and Saddles
1936Movie
Jimmy Shay
Two Minutes to Play
1936Movie
Martin Granville
Shadow of Chinatown
1936Movie
Martin Andrews
Shadow of Chinatown
1936Movie
Martin Andrews
The New Adventures of Tarzan
1935Movie
Tarzan
The New Adventures of Tarzan
1935Movie
Tarzan
Student Tour
1934Movie
Hercules
Death on the Diamond
1934Movie
Man on Ticket Line (uncredited)
Treasure Island
1934Movie
Man at Tavern (uncredited)
Riptide
1934Movie
Man at Cannes Bar (uncredited)
Meet the Baron
1933Movie
Train Passenger (uncredited)
College Humor
1933Movie
Student
Movie Crazy
1932Movie
Dinner Guest (Uncredited)
Million Dollar Legs
1932Movie
Klopstokian Athlete (uncredited)