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Bruce Willis

Born: 1955

Biography

Walter Bruce Willis (born March 19, 1955) is a retired American actor. His career began on the off-Broadway stage in the 1970s. He achieved fame with a leading role on the comedy-drama series Moonlighting (1985–1989) and has since appeared in over 70 films, gaining widespread recognition as an action hero after his portrayal of John McClane in the Die Hard franchise (1988–2013) and other subsequent roles. Willis's other credits include The Last Boy Scout (1991), Pulp Fiction (1994), 12 Monkeys (1995), Last Man Standing (1996), The Fifth Element (1997), Armageddon (1998), The Sixth Sense (1999), Hart's War (2002), Tears of the Sun (2003), Hostage (2005), Lucky Number Slevin (2006), Surrogates (2009), Moonrise Kingdom (2012), Rock the Kasbah (2015) and Motherless Brooklyn (2019). As a singer, Willis released his debut album The Return of Bruno in 1987, followed by two more successful albums in 1989 and 2001. He made his Broadway debut in the stage adaptation of Misery in 2015. Willis has received numerous accolades during his career, including a Golden Globe, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and two People's Choice Awards. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2006. In March 2022, Willis announced that he was retiring from acting after being diagnosed with aphasia, which affects his ability to communicate. In February 2023, Willis' family announced that they had received a more accurate diagnosis and he had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia.
Known For Acting
Gender Male
Place of Birth Idar-Oberstein, Germany

Resources

Movies

Four Rooms

Leo (uncredited) in Four Rooms

Armageddon

Harry S. Stamper in Armageddon

Twelve Monkeys

James Cole in Twelve Monkeys

The Fifth Element

Korben Dallas in The Fifth Element

Sin City

Det. John Hartigan in Sin City

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

Hartigan in Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

Lucky Number Slevin

Mr. Goodkat in Lucky Number Slevin

Die Hard

John McClane in Die Hard

Pulp Fiction

Butch Coolidge in Pulp Fiction

The Sixth Sense

Malcolm Crowe in The Sixth Sense

Blind Date

Walter Davis in Blind Date

Die Hard: With a Vengeance

John McClane in Die Hard: With a Vengeance

Die Hard 2

John McClane in Die Hard 2

Live Free or Die Hard

John McClane in Live Free or Die Hard

Planet Terror

Lieutenant Muldoon in Planet Terror

The Whole Nine Yards

Jimmy 'Tulipán' Tudeski in The Whole Nine Yards

Hostage

Jeff Talley in Hostage

Color of Night

Capa in Color of Night

The Whole Ten Yards

Jimmy Tudeski in The Whole Ten Yards

16 Blocks

Jack Mosley in 16 Blocks

The Player

Bruce Willis in The Player

Hart's War

Col. William A. McNamara in Hart's War

Bandits

Joseph Blake in Bandits

The Kid

Russ Duritz in The Kid

The Jackal

The Jackal in The Jackal

Striking Distance

Det. Tom Hardy in Striking Distance

The Hamster Factor and Other Tales of 'Twelve Monkeys'

Self in The Hamster Factor and Other Tales of 'Twelve Monkeys'

Mortal Thoughts

James Urbanski in Mortal Thoughts

Nobody's Fool

Carl Roebuck in Nobody's Fool

Perfect Stranger

Harrison Hill in Perfect Stranger

Cop Out

Jimmy Monroe in Cop Out

Alpha Dog

Sonny Truelove in Alpha Dog

Over the Hedge

RJ (voice) in Over the Hedge

North

Narrator in North

Fast Food Nation

Harry Rydell in Fast Food Nation

Mercury Rising

Art Jeffries in Mercury Rising

What Just Happened

Himself in What Just Happened

The Story of Us

Ben Jordan in The Story of Us

Hudson Hawk

Eddie 'Hudson Hawk' Hawkins in Hudson Hawk

Last Man Standing

John Smith in Last Man Standing

The Last Boy Scout

Joe Hallenbeck in The Last Boy Scout

In Country

Emmett Smith in In Country

Death Becomes Her

Dr. Ernest Menville in Death Becomes Her

Look Who's Talking Too

Mikey (voice) in Look Who's Talking Too

Look Who's Talking

Mikey (voice) in Look Who's Talking

Tears of the Sun

Lieutenant A.K. Waters in Tears of the Sun

Billy Bathgate

Bo Weinberg in Billy Bathgate

The Bonfire of the Vanities

Peter Fallow in The Bonfire of the Vanities

Unbreakable

David Dunn in Unbreakable

The Siege

Major-General William Devereaux in The Siege

Sunset

Tom Mix in Sunset

RED

Frank Moses in RED

A Good Day to Die Hard

John McClane in A Good Day to Die Hard

Assassination of a High School President

Principal Kirkpatrick in Assassination of a High School President

Surrogates

Tom Greer in Surrogates

Setup

Biggs in Setup

Grand Champion

Mr. Blandford in Grand Champion

G.I. Joe: Retaliation

Joe Colton in G.I. Joe: Retaliation

Lay the Favorite

Dink Heimowitz in Lay the Favorite

Catch.44

Mel in Catch.44

The Expendables 2

Church in The Expendables 2

The Cold Light of Day

Martin in The Cold Light of Day

Looper

Old Joe in Looper

Moonrise Kingdom

Captain Sharp in Moonrise Kingdom

RED 2

Frank Moses in RED 2

The Return of Bruno

Bruno Radolini in The Return of Bruno

True West

Lee in True West

B.B. King: The Life of Riley

Self in B.B. King: The Life of Riley

Fire with Fire

Mike Cella in Fire with Fire

Bruce Willis: Why the Legend Never Dies

Himself in Bruce Willis: Why the Legend Never Dies

Grindhouse

Muldoon (segment "Planet Terror") in Grindhouse

The Prince

Omar in The Prince

Vice

Julian in Vice

That's Adequate

Himself in That's Adequate

Air Strike

Jack in Air Strike

Rock the Kasbah

Bombay Brian in Rock the Kasbah

Extraction

Leonard Turner in Extraction

Precious Cargo

Eddie in Precious Cargo

Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle

William Rose Bailey (uncredited) in Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle

Marauders

Hubert in Marauders

First Kill

Howell in First Kill

Death Wish

Paul Kersey in Death Wish

I'm Still Here

Self - Guest in I'm Still Here

The First Deadly Sin

Man Entering Diner as Delaney Leaves in The First Deadly Sin

Split

David Dunn (uncredited) in Split

The Hip Hop Project

Himself in The Hip Hop Project

Ein Guru kommt

Extra (uncredited) in Ein Guru kommt

Nancy Drew

Bruce (uncredited) in Nancy Drew

National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1

John McClane (uncredited) in National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1

Glass

David Dunn / The Overseer in Glass

Saturday Night Live: 15th Anniversary

Self in Saturday Night Live: 15th Anniversary

Once Upon a Time in Venice

Steve in Once Upon a Time in Venice

Acts of Violence

Detective James Avery in Acts of Violence

Tony Bennett Celebrates 90

Self in Tony Bennett Celebrates 90

Prince of the City

Extra (uncredited) in Prince of the City

Motherless Brooklyn

Frank Minna in Motherless Brooklyn

Reprisal

James in Reprisal

The Black Mamba

Mister Suave in The Black Mamba

Barbra Streisand: One Voice

Self - Audience Member (uncredited) in Barbra Streisand: One Voice

10 Minutes Gone

Rex in 10 Minutes Gone

The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part

Bruce Willis (voice) in The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part

Between Two Ferns: The Movie

Bruce Willis (archive footage) in Between Two Ferns: The Movie

Trauma Center

Lt. Det. Wakes in Trauma Center

Cosmic Sin

James Ford in Cosmic Sin

Survive the Night

Frank in Survive the Night

Midnight in the Switchgrass

Karl Helter in Midnight in the Switchgrass

The Pointer Sisters: Up All Nite

Self in The Pointer Sisters: Up All Nite

Deadlock

Ron Whitlock in Deadlock

Breach

Clay Young in Breach

Hard Kill

Chalmers in Hard Kill

The Astronaut Farmer

Doug Masterson (uncredited) in The Astronaut Farmer

Apex

Thomas Malone in Apex

American Siege

Ben Watts in American Siege

Out of Death

Jack Harris in Out of Death

Survive the Game

David in Survive the Game

Fortress

Robert in Fortress

Paradise City

Ian Swan in Paradise City

John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood

Self - Actor (archive footage) in John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood

White Elephant

Arnold Soloman in White Elephant

QT8: The First Eight

Self (archive footage) in QT8: The First Eight

Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy

Self (archive footage) in Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy

A Day to Die

Alston in A Day to Die

Corrective Measures

Julius 'The Lobe' Loeb in Corrective Measures

Fortress: Sniper's Eye

Robert in Fortress: Sniper's Eye

Vendetta

Donnie Fetter in Vendetta

The Verdict

Courtroom Observer (uncredited) in The Verdict

Gasoline Alley

Detective Freeman in Gasoline Alley

Wrong Place

Frank in Wrong Place

Assassin

Valmora in Assassin

Wire Room

Shane Mueller in Wire Room

The Expendables

Mr. Church (uncredited) in The Expendables

Detective Knight: Rogue

Det. James Knight in Detective Knight: Rogue

Detective Knight: Redemption

Det. James Knight in Detective Knight: Redemption

Detective Knight: Independence

Det. James Knight in Detective Knight: Independence

Final Cut: Ladies and Gentlemen

(archive footage) in Final Cut: Ladies and Gentlemen

Ocean's Twelve

Bruce Willis (uncredited) in Ocean's Twelve

Bruce Willis, l'indestructible

in Bruce Willis, l'indestructible

Exploring the Set of 'Moonrise Kingdom'

Self / Cap Sharp in Exploring the Set of 'Moonrise Kingdom'

A Night to Die For

Himself in A Night to Die For

Seriously... Phil Collins

Self in Seriously... Phil Collins

Beavis and Butt-Head Do America

Muddy Grimes (voice) in Beavis and Butt-Head Do America

Inferno: The Making of 'The Expendables'

Self in Inferno: The Making of 'The Expendables'

Sly

Self (archive footage) (uncredited) in Sly

The Randall Scandal: Love, Loathing, and Vanderpump

Self (archive footage) in The Randall Scandal: Love, Loathing, and Vanderpump

Close Up

Self (archive footage) in Close Up

Bruno the Kid: The Animated Movie

Bruno the Kid (voice) (archive footage) in Bruno the Kid: The Animated Movie

Breakfast of Champions

Dwayne Hoover in Breakfast of Champions

The Art of Action: Martial Arts in the Movies

Self - Interviewee (uncredited) in The Art of Action: Martial Arts in the Movies

Rugrats Go Wild

Spike (voice) in Rugrats Go Wild

Genius. A Night for Ray Charles

Self in Genius. A Night for Ray Charles

My Date with Drew

Self (archive footage) (uncredited) in My Date with Drew

Tarantino's Mind

Butch Coolidge (archive footage) in Tarantino's Mind

Hammy's Boomerang Adventure

RJ (voice) in Hammy's Boomerang Adventure

Tony Bennett: An American Classic

Self - Speaker in Tony Bennett: An American Classic

Shine a Light

Self - Concert Audience (uncredited) in Shine a Light

His Way

Self in His Way

Warren Ellis: Captured Ghosts

Self in Warren Ellis: Captured Ghosts

Altman

Self in Altman

Comedy Central Roast of Bruce Willis

Self in Comedy Central Roast of Bruce Willis

TV Shows