Bruce Bennett

Bruce Bennett Headshot

Actor • Olympian

Birth Date: May 19, 1906

Death Date: February 24, 2007

Birth Place: Tacoma, Washington

Prolific actor Bruce Bennett appeared in more than 140 television and film productions in a career that spanned nearly 50 years. Before he pursued the bright lights of Hollywood, he sought Olympic gold as a shot-putter in the 1928 Olympics. Bennett walked away from the games with a silver medal and moved to Los Angeles, where he befriended silver screen swashbuckler Douglas Fairbanks Jr., who arranged for Bennett's Paramount Pictures screen test. This led to Bennett being cast as Tarzan for an upcoming silent film series, but an onset accident while shooting the forgettable 1931 football drama "Touchdown" caused him to break his shoulder. This not only cost him the lead in "Tarzan," which was then given to swimming champ Johnny Weissmuller, but also prevented Bennett from returning to the 1932 Olympics.

By 1935, Bennett, who at the time went by Herman Brix, was starring in his own Tarzan production, a 12-chapter serial titled "The New Adventures of Tarzan." His eloquent portrayal of the jungle-raised man was praised, and this led to more work in action-packed serials. In the 1940s, Brix re-invented himself, changing his name to Bruce Bennett and making his way to leading man at Warner Brothers. By the 1960s, he explored a side-business in vending machines but would continue to appear in film and television until 1980 before retiring. He stayed out of the public eye until his death in 2007 from complications of a broken hip. He was 100 years old.

Credits

Sex and Broadcasting

Self
Movie
2014

Prison BreakStream

Guest Star
Series
2005
61%

A Forked World

Actor
Barry
Movie
2004

The Clones

Actor
Clone Lab Assistant
Movie
1974

Deadhead Miles

Actor
Johnny Mesquitero
Movie
1971

Lassie: Well of Love

Actor
Bert Daniels
Movie
1970

DaktariStream

Guest Star
Series
1966

Lassie the Voyager

Actor
Bert Daniels
Movie
1966

Lost Island of Kioga

Actor
Lincoln Rand Jr./Kioga
Movie
1966

Branded-1965

Guest Star
Series
1965

Lassie Collection

Actor
Bert Daniels
Show
1963

Fiend of Dope Island

Actor
Charlie Davis
Movie
1961

Fiend of Dope Island

Writer
Movie
1961

The Outsider

Actor
Gen. Bridges
Movie
1961

LaramieStream

Actor
Tom Creighton
Series
1959

The Cosmic Man

Actor
Dr. Karl Sorenson
Movie
1959

The Alligator People

Actor
Dr. Eric Lorimer
Movie
1959

77 Sunset Strip

Guest Star
Arnold Santly
Series
1958

Flaming Frontier

Actor
Capt. Jim Hewson
Movie
1958

Perry MasonStream

Guest Star
Lawrence Balfour
Series
1957

Tales of Wells FargoStream

Guest Star
Clyde Bender
Series
1957

Daniel Boone, Trail Blazer

Actor
Daniel Boone
Movie
1957

The Three Outlaws

Actor
Charlie Trenton
Movie
1956

The Bottom of the Bottle

Actor
Brand
Movie
1956

Hidden Guns

Actor
Stragg
Movie
1956

Love Me TenderStream

Actor
Maj. Kincaid
Movie
1956
58%

Three Violent People

Actor
Commissioner Harrison
Movie
1956

Damon Runyon Theater

Actor
Show
1955

Strategic Air Command

Actor
Gen. Espy
Movie
1955

Robbers' Roost

Actor
"Bull" Herrick
Movie
1955

The Big Tip Off

Actor
Bob Gilmore
Movie
1955

Lassie

Guest Star
Brett
Series
1954

Stories of the CenturyStream

Guest Star
William Clarke Charles Quantrill
Series
1954

Dragonfly Squadron

Actor
Dr. Stephen Cottrell
Movie
1954

Dream WifeStream

Actor
Charlie Elkwood
Movie
1953

Sudden FearStream

Actor
Steve Kearney
Movie
1952
92%

Angels in the OutfieldStream

Actor
Saul Hellman
Movie
1951
83%

The Last OutpostStream

Actor
Col. Jeb Britton
Movie
1951

The Great Missouri RaidStream

Actor
Cole Younger
Movie
1950

The Second Face

Actor
Paul Curtis
Movie
1950

Shakedown

Actor
David Glover
Movie
1950

Mystery Street

Actor
Dr. McAdoo
Movie
1950

The Doctor and the Girl

Actor
Dr. Alfred Norton
Movie
1950

Fireside Theater

Actor
Bill Stewart
Show
1949

Task Force

Actor
McCluskey
Movie
1949

The Younger Brothers

Actor
Jim Younger
Movie
1949

Undertow

Actor
Det. Charles Reckling
Movie
1949

The House Across the Street

Actor
Matthew J. Keever
Movie
1949

Without Honor

Actor
Fred Bandle
Movie
1949

Silver River

Actor
Stanley Moore
Movie
1948

The Treasure of the Sierra MadreStream

Actor
James Cody
Movie
1948
100%

Smart Girls Don't Talk

Actor
Marty Fain
Movie
1948

The Wyoming KidStream

Actor
Ed Landers
Movie
1947

Dark PassageStream

Actor
Bob
Movie
1947
91%

Nora Prentiss

Actor
Dr. Joel Merriam
Movie
1947

A Stolen LifeStream

Actor
Jack R. Talbot
Movie
1946

The Man I LoveStream

Actor
San Thomas
Movie
1946
80%

Mildred PierceStream

Actor
Bert Pierce
Movie
1945

Almas en Suplicio

Actor
Movie
1945

Danger Signal

Actor
Dr. Andrew Lang
Movie
1945

I'm From Arkansas

Actor
Bob Hamline
Movie
1944

U-Boat Prisoner

Actor
Archie Gibbs
Movie
1944

The More the MerrierStream

Actor
Evans
Movie
1943
100%

There's Something About a Soldier

Actor
Frank Molloy
Movie
1943

Sahara

Actor
Waco Hoyt
Movie
1943

Atlantic Convoy

Actor
Capt. Morgan
Movie
1942

Sabotage Squad

Actor
Sabotage Squad
Movie
1942

Underground Agent

Actor
Lee Graham
Movie
1942

Submarine Raider

Actor
First Officer Russell
Movie
1942

Honolulu Lu

Actor
Skelly
Movie
1941

The Officer and the Lady

Actor
Bob Conlon
Movie
1941

Hi-Yo Silver

Actor
Bert Rogers
Movie
1940

The Spook Speaks

Actor
Movie
1940

Before I Hang

Actor
Dr. Paul Ames
Movie
1940

Lone Wolf Keeps a Date

Actor
Scotty
Movie
1940

Girls of the Road

Actor
Officer Sullavan
Movie
1940

The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady

Actor
McManus
Movie
1940

The Phantom Submarine

Actor
Paul Sinclair
Movie
1940

The Secret Seven

Actor
Pat Norris
Movie
1940

Daredevils of the Red Circle

Actor
Tiny Dawson
Movie
1939

My Son Is Guilty

Actor
Lefty
Movie
1939

The Lone Ranger

Actor
Show
1938

Flying Fists

Actor
Hal "Chopper" Donovan, aka Hal Smith
Movie
1938

The Lone Ranger

Actor
Bert Rogers
Movie
1938

Tarzan and the Green Goddess

Actor
Tarzan
Movie
1938

The Torpedo of Doom

Actor
Lieutenant Frank Corby
Movie
1938

Fighting Devil Dogs

Actor
Lieutenant Frank Corby
Movie
1938

$1,000,000 Racket

Actor
Lawrence "Larry" Duane
Movie
1937

A Million to One

Actor
Johnny Kent
Movie
1937

Two Minutes to Play

Actor
Martin Granville
Movie
1937

Sky Racket

Actor
Eric Lane
Movie
1937

Amateur Crook

Actor
Jimmy Baxter
Movie
1937

Shadow of Chinatown

Actor
Martin Andrews
Show
1936

Silks and Saddles

Actor
Jimmy Shay
Movie
1936

Hawk of the Wilderness

Actor
Lincoln Rand Jr./Kioga
Movie
1936

Shadow of Chinatown

Actor
Martin Andrews
Movie
1936

The New Adventures of Tarzan

Actor
Tarzan
Show
1935

The New Adventures of TarzanStream

Actor
Tarzan
Movie
1935

Student Tour

Actor
Hercules (uncredited)
Movie
1934