When Bruce Davison was a young actor, an experienced director advised him not to become a leading man. “Robert Aldrich, who did The Dirty Dozen and What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, said, ‘You don’t want to be a leading man. You’ll do six pictures and nobody will ever hear from you after you’re 30,’ ” Bruce tells Closer. “He said, ‘Be a character actor. Do the supporting roles, play the villains and the victims, the doctors and lawyers.’ And that’s what happened to me, basically.”
It was sound advice. Today, Bruce, 76, has more than 300 credits in a career that has spanned five decades. The Philadelphia-born performer and dad of two burst out of the gate with the 1971 horror film Willard. A little over a decade later, he won a Golden Globe Award and an Oscar nomination for his performance in the groundbreaking 1989 tearjerker Long time Companion. Bruce recently appeared in the fourth and final season of Ozark, and he can currently be seen as Arthur on the hit historical drama 1923.
Tell us about your character in 1923.
I play an English lord in the Africa sequence. I introduce the lead actress, Alexandra, when my son is engaged to her. We’re doing the wedding toast when she first meets Spencer.
Did you shoot on location?
Yes, all our stuff was shot in Africa, Malta and on the Queen Mary. In Africa, we went into the jungle in places that could stand in for 1923 Nairobi. There was so much wildlife there. Production would say things like, “Wait for the herd of elephants to get out of the shot.”
This story is from the April 03, 2024 edition of Closer US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the April 03, 2024 edition of Closer US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
DOUBLE INDEMNITY Secrets from the Set
AFTER YEARS OF PLAYING NICE, FRED MACMURRAY AND BARBARA STANWYCK SHOCKED FANS WITH THIS CLASSIC FILM NOIR THRILLER
STEVE MARTIN 5 THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT ME
THE COMIC LEGEND ON HIS EARLY YEARS, FATHERHOOD AND HOW BAD REVIEWS MADE HIM BETTER!
WHOOPI GOLDBERG - MAKING PEACE with My Past
THE VIEW CO-HOST AND OSCAR WINNER SHARES HER LOVING BUT PAINFUL FAMILY STORY IN A NEW MEMOIR
GEORGE TAKEI GO Boldly
The Star Trek alum opens up about his favorite Hollywood co-stars and his new book
Dyan Cannon - My Life BEFORE & AFTER CARY GRANT
MARRIAGE TO A HOLLYWOOD ICON WAS JUST THE START OF HER INSPIRING STORY
CATE BLANCHETT MY LIFE IN 10 Pictures
AFTER GROWING up “trying to be Nancy Drew,” Catherine Elise Blanchett wanted to investigate what was beyond her life in the suburbs of Melbourne, Australia.
PRINCE WILLIAM & KATE STAYING STRONG for Our Kids
At a celebration dinner for London’s Air Ambulance service, Prince Willia m admitted that it’s been a difficult period for his family.
RENÉE ZELLWEGER HAPPIER Than Ever
THE TWOTIME OSCAR WINNER, WHOIS SET TO RETURN AS BRIDGET JONES, IS ENJOYING THE BEST TIMES OF HER LIFE
OUR DALLAS Memories
THE CAST OF THE NIGHTTIME DRAMA, WHICH RAN FROM 1978 TO 1991, REUNITED FOR A SPECIAL CHAT
I've Led a CHARMED LIFE
The Leave It to Beaver alum shares his favorite memories with Closer