Bruce Dern

Bruce MacLeish Dern (born June 4, 1936) is an American actor who has often played supporting villainous characters of unstable nature. He has received several accolades, including the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor[2] and the Silver Bear for Best Actor. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Coming Home (1978) and the Academy Award for Best Actor for Nebraska (2013).[3] He is also a BAFTA Award, two-time Genie Award, and three-time Golden Globe Award nominee.

Bruce Dern
Dern at the 2015 San Diego Comic-Con
Born
Bruce MacLeish Dern

(1936-06-04) June 4, 1936
EducationNew Trier High School[1]
Alma materUniversity of Pennsylvania
The Actors Studio
OccupationActor
Years active1960–present
Spouses
    Marie Dawn Pierce
    (m. 1957; div. 1959)
      Diane Ladd
      (m. 1960; div. 1969)
        Andrea Beckett
        (m. 1969)
        Children2, including Laura Dern
        RelativesGeorge Dern (grandfather)
        Andrew MacLeish (great-grandfather)
        Archibald MacLeish (granduncle)

        A member of The Actors Studio, he rose to prominence during the New Hollywood era, through roles in films such as They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969), The Incredible 2-Headed Transplant (1971), The Cowboys, Silent Running, and The King of Marvin Gardens (all 1972). Other notable films include The Great Gatsby (1974), Posse (1975), Family Plot (1976), Black Sunday (1977), The Driver (1978), Tattoo (1981), That Championship Season (1982), The Hateful Eight (2015), Monster (2003), The Artist's Wife (2019) and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019). He played Frank Harlow in the HBO series Big Love (2006–2011).

        Dern is the father of actress Laura Dern, with his ex-wife, actress Diane Ladd.

        Early life

        Dern was born in Chicago, the son of Jean (née MacLeish; 1908–1972) and John Dern (1903–1958), a utility chief and attorney.[4][5] He grew up in Kenilworth, Illinois.[6] His paternal grandfather, George Dern, was a Utah governor and Secretary of War (he was serving in the latter position during the time of Bruce's birth). Dern's maternal grandfather was a Vice President of the Carson, Pirie and Scott stores,[7][1] which were established by his own father, Scottish-born businessman Andrew MacLeish. Dern's maternal granduncle was poet Archibald MacLeish. His godfather was governor and two-time presidential nominee Adlai Stevenson II.[8] Dern attended New Trier High School and the University of Pennsylvania. A lifelong avid runner, he was a track star in high school and sought to qualify for the Olympic Trials in 1956.[1]

        Career

        Dern at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival

        Dern studied at The Actors Studio, alongside Elia Kazan and Lee Strasberg. He starred with Lyle Kessler in the Philadelphia premiere of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot. Dern starred with Paul Newman and Geraldine Page in the original Broadway run of Tennessee Williams' Sweet Bird of Youth. Dern began working on films and television series in the 1960s. After his film debut Wild River, he played the sailor in a few flashbacks in Marnie and a murdered lover in Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte. He played a murderous rustler in Hang 'Em High, a gunfighter in Support Your Local Sheriff!, and an impoverished farmer with a pregnant wife in the film adaptation of Horace McCoy's novel They Shoot Horses, Don't They?.

        In Mark Rydell's western film The Cowboys, he played a cattle thief who kills a rancher (John Wayne). While filming, Wayne warned Dern: "America will hate you for this," and Dern replied, "Yeah, but they'll love me in Berkeley." Dern had a leading role in the ecological science-fiction film Silent Running and co-starred with Jack Nicholson in The King of Marvin Gardens. Dern played Tom Buchanan in the film adaptation for F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby (1974). In Kirk Douglas' Revisionist Western film Posse, Dern played a train-robber who uses the wiles to turn the tables on his captor, an ambitious, politically minded US marshal (Douglas). Dern starred in the beauty pageant satire film Smile, and in Alfred Hitchcock's final film Family Plot. Dern played a detective on the trail of a getaway driver (Ryan O'Neal) in the neo-noir film The Driver. In John Frankenheimer's thriller film Black Sunday, Dern played a vengeful Vietnam War veteran and Goodyear Blimp pilot who launches a massive terrorist attack at the Super Bowl. Dern played another Vietnam veteran and the disturbed husband of a perplexed woman (Jane Fonda) in Hal Ashby's war film Coming Home, and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

        In Bob Brooks's erotic thriller film Tattoo, Dern played an increasingly-deranged tattoo artist who imprisons a fashion model (Maud Adams). The film was dogged by controversy throughout its post-production and pre-release phase - the film's release was delayed by nearly a year - and for his lead performance, Dern earned a Worst Actor Razzie nomination. However, he bounced back by winning the Silver Bear for Best Actor at the 33rd Berlin International Film Festival for his performance in Jason Miller's That Championship Season (1982).[9] Over the next few decades, Dern played a Vietnam veteran and neighborhood survivalist in Joe Dante's suburban satire The 'Burbs, a local crime boss in Michael Ritchie's Diggstown, a rival of Wild Bill Hickok in Walter Hill's Wild Bill, and George Spahn in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Dern's autobiography, Things I've Said, But Probably Shouldn't Have: An Unrepentant Memoir, was published in 2007.

        In Alexander Payne's film Nebraska, Dern played an elderly resident who believes he has won a million dollars, and undertakes a road trip from Billings, Montana to Lincoln, Nebraska to claim the prize. He won the Best Actor Award at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor.[10][11]

        In the course of his long and prolific career, Dern collaborated with film directors, including Walter Hill (The Driver, Wild Bill and Last Man Standing), Joe Dante (The 'Burbs, Small Soldiers and The Hole), and Quentin Tarantino (Django Unchained, The Hateful Eight and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood). In an interview for The A.V. Club, Dern said, "I always say that I feel like I’ve worked for six geniuses in my career... And the six directors, not in any order, would be Mr. Kazan, Mr. Hitchcock, Douglas Trumbull, Alexander Payne, Quentin Tarantino, and Francis Coppola."[12] In an interview with Josh Olson and Joe Dante for the podcast series The Movies That Made Me, and while discussing his career, Dern cited the films of David Lean (specifically, Lawrence of Arabia, Great Expectations and The Bridge on the River Kwai), as among the films that inspired him.[13]

        When asked if he has ever contemplated retirement, Dern has stated, “If you think I’m gonna retire so Jimmy fucking Caan can get another part from me, you’re dead wrong. Because I’m gonna go till I’m 100. My goal is to do stuff with older characters that people never got the chance to do, because they never lived long enough... And because I don’t have anything else I can do."[14]

        Personal life

        Dern was married to Marie Dawn Pierce from 1957 to 1959.[15] He married Diane Ladd in 1960.[16] Their first daughter, Diane Elizabeth Dern (born November 29, 1960), died at eighteen months from head injuries after falling into a swimming pool on May 18, 1962.[16] The couple's second daughter, Laura, is also an actress.[16] After his divorce from Ladd in 1969, Dern married Andrea Beckett. Dern, Ladd and Laura received adjoining stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on November 1, 2010.

        Filmography

        Key
        Denotes works that have not yet been released

        Film

        Year Title Role Notes
        1960 Wild River Jack Roper Uncredited
        1962 The Crimebusters Joe Krajac
        1964 Marnie Sailor
        Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte John Mayhew
        1966 The Wild Angels Joe "Loser" Kearns
        1967 The War Wagon Hammond
        The St. Valentine's Day Massacre John May
        The Trip John
        Waterhole No. 3 Deputy Sam Tippen
        Will Penny Rafe Quint
        1968 Psych-Out Steve Davis
        Hang 'Em High Miller
        1969 Support Your Local Sheriff! Joe Danby
        Castle Keep Lt. Billy Byron Bix
        Number One Richie Fowler
        The Cycle Savages Keeg
        They Shoot Horses, Don't They? James Bates
        1970 Bloody Mama Kevin Dirkman
        The Rebel Rousers J.J. Weston
        1971 The Incredible 2-Headed Transplant Dr. Roger Girard
        Drive, He Said Coach Bullion
        1972 The Cowboys Asa Watts (Long Hair)
        Silent Running Freeman Lowell
        Thumb Tripping Smitty
        The King of Marvin Gardens Jason Staebler
        1973 Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid Deputy Uncredited
        The Laughing Policeman Leo Larsen
        1974 The Great Gatsby Tom Buchanan
        1975 Posse Jack Strawhorn
        Smile Big Bob Freelander
        1976 Family Plot George Lumley
        Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood Grayson Potchuck
        The Twist William Brandels
        1977 Black Sunday Michael Lander
        1978 Coming Home Captain Bob Hyde
        The Driver The Detective
        1980 Middle Age Crazy Bobby Lee Burnett
        1981 Tattoo Karl Kinsky
        1982 That Championship Season George Sitkowski
        Harry Tracy, Desperado Harry Tracy
        1986 On the Edge Wes Holman
        1987 The Big Town Mr. Edwards
        World Gone Wild Ethan
        1988 1969 Cliff Denny
        1989 The 'Burbs Mark Rumsfield
        1990 After Dark, My Sweet Garrett "Uncle Bud" Stoker
        1992 Diggstown John Gillon
        1995 Wild Bill Will Plummer
        1996 Down Periscope Admiral Yancy Graham
        Mulholland Falls The Chief Uncredited
        Last Man Standing Sheriff Ed Galt
        1998 Small Soldiers Link Static (Voice)
        1999 The Haunting Mr. Dudley
        If... Dog... Rabbit... McGurdy
        2000 All the Pretty Horses The Judge
        2001 The Glass House Alvin Begleiter
        2003 Masked and Anonymous Editor
        Milwaukee, Minnesota Sean McNally
        Monster Thomas
        2005 Madison Harry Volpi
        Down in the Valley Charlie
        2006 Believe in Me Ellis Brawley
        Walker Payne Chester
        The Astronaut Farmer Hal
        The Hard Easy Gene
        2007 The Cake Eaters Easy Kimbrough
        2007 The Death and Life of Bobby Z Hippy Narrator Uncredited
        2008 Swamp Devil Howard Blame
        The Golden Boys Captain Perez Ryder
        2009 American Cowslip Cliff
        The Hole 3D Creepy Carl
        The Lightkeepers Bennie
        2010 Trim Dale Banks
        2011 Choose Dr. Ronald Pendleton
        Inside Out Vic Small
        Twixt Bobby LaGrange
        2012 From Up on Poppy Hill Yoshio Onodera (voice) English dub
        Hitting the Cycle James
        Django Unchained Curtis Carrucan
        2013 Coffin Baby Vance Henrickson
        Northern Borders Austin Kittredge Sr.
        Nebraska Woody Grant
        Fighting for Freedom Christian Dobbe
        2014 Cut Bank Georgie Wits
        2015 The Hateful Eight General Sanford Smithers
        2017 American Violence Richard Morton
        Class Rank Oswald Flannigan
        The Lears Davenport Lear
        Hickok Doc Rivers O'Roark
        Our Souls at Night Dorlan Becker
        Chappaquiddick Joseph P. Kennedy Sr.
        2018 Nostalgia Ronnie Ashemore
        White Boy Rick Ray Wershe
        Freaks Alan/Mr. Snowcone
        Warning Shot Calvin
        American Dresser King
        Lez Bomb Grandpa
        2019 The Mustang Myles
        The Peanut Butter Falcon Carl
        Once Upon a Time in Hollywood George Spahn
        Remember Me Claude
        Swing Low Mallinckroft
        Inherit the Viper Clay Carter
        QT8: The First Eight Himself Documentary[17]
        The Artist's Wife[18] Richard Smythson
        Badland[19] Reginald Cooke
        2020 Emperor Levi Coffin
        Death in Texas Reynolds
        2021 Last Call Coach Finnegan
        Buck Alamo Death
        Overrun Arkadi Dubkova
        The Gateway Marcus
        Hands that Bind Hank
        Christmas vs. the Walters Cliff Walters
        Last Shoot Out Blair Callahan
        2022 The Hater Frank
        Hellblazers Bill Unger
        Mid-Century Emil Larson
        The Most Dangerous Game Whitney Tyler
        TBA Reminisce Papa Joe Post-production
        The Devil’s Trap TBA Post-production
        Fethered Rock Post-production
        Chocolate Lizards TBA Filming

        Television

        Year Title Role Notes
        1960 Route 66 Albert Episode: "The Man on the Monkey Board"
        1961 Naked City Hollis / Nicky Uncredited
        2 episodes
        1961 Sea Hunt FBI Agent John Furillo Episode: "Crime at Sea"
        1961 Surfside 6 Johnny Page Episode: "Daphne, Girl Detective"
        1961 Thriller Johnny Norton Episode: "The Remarkable Mrs. Hawk"
        1961 Ben Casey Billy Harris Episode: "A Dark Night for Billy Harris"
        1961 The Detectives Jud Treadwell Episode: "Act of God"
        1961–1962 Cain's Hundred Eddie Light / Joe Krajac 2 episodes
        1962–1963 Stoney Burke E.J. Stocker 17 episodes
        1962–1963 The Dick Powell Show Deering 2 episodes
        1963 Kraft Suspense Theatre Maynard Episode: "The Hunt"
        1963 The Outer Limits Ben Garth Episode: "The Zanti Misfits"
        1963–1965 Wagon Train Wilkins / Jud Fisher / Seth Bancroft 3 episodes
        1963–1966 The Fugitive Deputy Martin / Charley / Hutch / Hank / Cody 5 episodes
        1964–1965 The Virginian Bert Kramer / Lee Darrow / Pell 3 episodes
        1964 77 Sunset Strip Ralph Wheeler Episode: "Lovers' Lane"
        1964 The Greatest Show on Earth Vernon Episode: "The Last of the Strongmen"
        1964 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Jesse / Roy Bullock 2 episodes
        1964–1965 Twelve O'Clock High TSgt. Frank Jones / Lieutenant Michaels / Lieutenant Danton 4 episodes
        1965 Rawhide Ed Rankin Episode: "Walk into Terror"
        1965 Laredo Joe Durkee Episode: "Rendezvous at Arillo"
        1965 A Man Called Shenandoah Bobby Ballantine Episode: "The Verdict"
        1965, 1968 The F.B.I. Virgil Roy Phipps / PFC Byron Landy 2 episodes
        1965–1966
        1969
        Gunsmoke Guerin / Lou Stone / Judd Print / Doyle Phleger 4 episodes
        1966 Branded Les Episode: "The Wolfers"
        1966 The Loner Merrick Episode: "To Hang a Dead Man"
        1966 Disneyland Turk Episode: "Gallegher Goes West: Crusading Reporter"
        1966–1967 Run for Your Life Alex Ryder 3 episodes
        1966–1968 The Big Valley Jack Follet / Harry Dixon / Clovis / Gabe Skeels / John Weaver 5 episodes
        1968–1969 Lancer Tom Nevill / Lucas Thatcher 2 episodes
        1968, 1970 Bonanza Bayliss / Cully Maco 2 episodes
        1969 Then Came Bronson Bucky O'Neill Episode: "Amid Splinters of the Thunderbolt"
        1970 Land of the Giants Thorg Episode: "Wild Journey"
        1970 The High Chaparral Wade Episode: "Only the Bad Come to Sonora"
        1970 The Immortal Luther Seacombe Episode: "To the Gods Alone"
        1985 Space Stanley Mott 5 episodes
        1985 Toughlove Rob Charters Television film
        1987 Roses Are for the Rich Douglas Osborne Television film
        1987 Uncle Tom's Cabin Augustine St. Claire Television film
        1989 Trenchcoat in Paradise John Hollander Television film
        1990 The Court-Martial of Jackie Robinson Scout Ed Higgins Television film
        1991 Into the Badlands T.L. Barston Television film
        1991 Carolina Skeletons Junior Stoker Television film
        1993 It's Nothing Personal Billy Archer Television film
        1994 Dead Man's Revenge Payton McCay Television film
        1994 Amelia Earhart: The Final Flight George Putnam Television film
        1995 A Mother's Prayer John Walker Television film
        1995 Mrs. Munck Patrick Leary Television film
        1999 Hard Time: The Premonition Winston Television film
        2003 King of the Hill Randy Strickland (voice) Episode: "Boxing Luanne"
        2003 Hard Ground Nate Hutchinson Television film
        2006–2011 Big Love Frank Harlow 29 episodes
        2007 CSI: NY Vet Episode: "Boo"
        2013 Pete's Christmas Grandpa Television film
        2016 The Cowboy Himself Television series documentary, 2 episodes
        2019 Black Monday Rod "The Jammer" Jaminski 2 episodes
        2019 Mr. Mercedes John Rothstein 8 episodes
        2021 Goliath Frank Zax 8 episodes

        Video games

        Year Title Role
        2020 Shadow Stalkers The Director[20]
        2020 MegaRace: DeathMatch Rabies[21]

        Awards and nominations

        Year Title Award
        1972 Drive, He Said National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor
        1973 The Cowboys Bronze Wrangler for Best Theatrical Motion Picture
        1975 The Great Gatsby Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture
        1979 Coming Home Nominated – Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
        Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture
        1983 That Championship Season Silver Bear for Best Actor
        2009 Swamp Devil Philadelphia Film Festival Jury Prize
        2014 Nebraska AARP Annual Movies for Grownups Award for Best Actor
        Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Cast
        Cannes Film Festival Best Actor Award
        Dublin Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor
        Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor
        National Board of Review Award for Best Actor
        Nominated – Academy Award for Best Actor
        Nominated – Alliance of Women Film Journalists Award for Best Actor
        Nominated – Alliance of Women Film Journalists Award for Best Ensemble Cast
        Nominated – American Comedy Award for Comedy Actor – Film
        Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role
        Nominated – Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor
        Nominated – Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Cast
        Nominated – Central Ohio Film Critics Association Award for Best Ensemble
        Nominated – Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor
        Nominated – Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor
        Nominated – Gold Derby Award for Best Actor
        Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
        Nominated – Guardian Film Award for Best Actor
        Nominated – Houston Film Critics Society Award for Best Actor
        Nominated – Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead
        Nominated – London Film Critics Circle Award for Actor of the Year
        Nominated – San Francisco Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor
        Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
        Nominated – St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor
        Nominated – Satellite Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture
        2019 Freaks Best Actor at Horrorant International Film Festival[22]

        References

        1. Borrelli, Christopher (November 11, 2013). "Bruce Dern's long run to 'Nebraska'". Chicago Tribune.
        2. "AWARDS - Best Actor Award". Festival De Cannes. Archived from the original on September 8, 2021.
        3. "Actor Bruce Dern | Interviews | Tavis Smiley". PBS. January 15, 2014. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
        4. "Bruce Dern Biography (1936-)". www.filmreference.com.
        5. "John Dern, 54, Utility Chief, Attorney, Dies".
        6. "Bruce Dern accepts Career Achievement Award at the Chicago Intern - Time Out Chicago". Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved November 30, 2013.
        7. "New Again: Bruce Dern – Page". Interview Magazine. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
        8. "Bruce Dern shows a dangerous streak in 'Big Love'". Los Angeles Times. January 13, 2010.
        9. "Berlinale: 1983 Prize Winners". berlinale.de. Retrieved November 20, 2010.
        10. "Cannes Film Festival: Awards 2013". Cannes. May 26, 2013. Retrieved May 26, 2013.
        11. "Cannes: Lesbian Drama 'Blue Is the Warmest Color' Wins Palme d'Or". The Wrap. Retrieved May 26, 2013.
        12. "Bruce Dern traces his career progression from "fifth cowboy from the right" to American icon". The A.V. Club. Retrieved May 1, 2021.
        13. "The Movies That Made Me season 4 episode 11: Bruce Dern". Trailers from Hell. Retrieved May 1, 2021.
        14. "Bruce Dern on meeting 'fragile' Marilyn Monroe and why he won't retire". New York Post. Retrieved May 1, 2021.
        15. Gordon, Roger L. (2018). Supporting Actors in Motion Pictures. Vol. 2. Dorrance Publishing. p. 160. ISBN 978-1480958418. Retrieved February 10, 2020.
        16. "Diane Ladd". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 10, 2020. Diane died at just 18 months after she sustained a head injury from falling into a swimming pool.
        17. McNary, Dave (February 13, 2019). "Director Reclaims Rights to Documentary '21 Years: Quentin Tarantino' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
        18. "The Artist's Wife - Celsius Entertainment - London - Film Sales".
        19. Leydon, Joe (October 31, 2019). ""Badland" review". Variety. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
        20. "Shadow Stalkers (Video Game 2020)". IMDb.
        21. "MegaRace: DeathMatch (Video Game 2020)". IMDb.
        22. "Horrorant 2019: Daniel Robbins' PLEDGE Takes Home Top Prize". May 18, 2019.
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