Bruce Bennett

Bruce Bennett

Acting
Born 1906-05-19 - Died 2007-02-24Tacoma, Washington, USA

Biography

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.

Movies (122)

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
8.0

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

1948Movie8.0
Mildred Pierce
7.6

Mildred Pierce

1945Movie7.6
Sudden Fear
7.2

Sudden Fear

1952Movie7.2
Riptide
6.7

Riptide

1934Movie6.7
Angels in the Outfield
7.0

Angels in the Outfield

1951Movie7.0
Mystery Street
6.8

Mystery Street

1950Movie6.8
The Man with Nine Lives
6.3

The Man with Nine Lives

1940Movie6.3
Invisible Stripes
6.2

Invisible Stripes

1939Movie6.2
Treasure Island
6.5

Treasure Island

1934Movie6.5
Three Violent People
5.9

Three Violent People

1956Movie5.9
Dark Passage
7.3

Dark Passage

1947Movie7.3
Sahara
7.2

Sahara

1943Movie7.2
Nora Prentiss
6.2

Nora Prentiss

1947Movie6.2
Love Me Tender
6.2

Love Me Tender

1956Movie6.2
Sabotage Squad
7.5

Sabotage Squad

1942Movie7.5
Before I Hang
6.3

Before I Hang

1940Movie6.3
Dutiful But Dumb
6.4

Dutiful But Dumb

1941Movie6.4
Silver River
6.2

Silver River

1948Movie6.2
There's Something About a Soldier
5.4

There's Something About a Soldier

1943Movie5.4
The More the Merrier
7.0

The More the Merrier

1943Movie7.0
A Stolen Life
6.4

A Stolen Life

1946Movie6.4
Underground Agent
9.0

Underground Agent

1942Movie9.0
Deadhead Miles
6.2

Deadhead Miles

1972Movie6.2
Three Girls About Town
6.5

Three Girls About Town

1941Movie6.5
Strategic Air Command
6.1

Strategic Air Command

1955Movie6.1
College Humor
5.6

College Humor

1933Movie5.6
Beer Barrel Polecats
6.3

Beer Barrel Polecats

1946Movie6.3
The Alligator People
5.6

The Alligator People

1959Movie5.6
To the Victor
6.5

To the Victor

1948Movie6.5
The Outsider
6.5

The Outsider

1961Movie6.5
The Last Outpost
6.1

The Last Outpost

1951Movie6.1
The Big Tip Off
7.0

The Big Tip Off

1955Movie7.0
No Census, No Feeling
6.6

No Census, No Feeling

1940Movie6.6
The Fighting Devil Dogs
6.8

The Fighting Devil Dogs

1938Movie6.8
The Man I Love
6.1

The Man I Love

1946Movie6.1
Tarzan: Lord of the Movies

Tarzan: Lord of the Movies

2017Movie
The Lone Ranger
7.0

The Lone Ranger

1938Movie7.0
Babies for Sale
6.3

Babies for Sale

1940Movie6.3
Flying Fists
6.0

Flying Fists

1937Movie6.0
The Cosmic Man
5.0

The Cosmic Man

1959Movie5.0
Discovering Treasure: The Story of 'The Treasure of the Sierra Madre'
7.4

Discovering Treasure: The Story of 'The Treasure of the Sierra Madre'

2003Movie7.4
Two Minutes to Play
5.7

Two Minutes to Play

1936Movie5.7
Cheyenne
7.0

Cheyenne

1947Movie7.0
Without Honor
4.7

Without Honor

1949Movie4.7
Island of Doomed Men
5.5

Island of Doomed Men

1940Movie5.5
Dream Wife
5.4

Dream Wife

1953Movie5.4
Danger Signal
6.0

Danger Signal

1945Movie6.0
Robbers' Roost
5.9

Robbers' Roost

1955Movie5.9
Convicted Woman
4.6

Convicted Woman

1940Movie4.6
Student Tour
6.7

Student Tour

1934Movie6.7
Honolulu Lu
5.8

Honolulu Lu

1941Movie5.8
Blondie Brings Up Baby
6.9

Blondie Brings Up Baby

1939Movie6.9
Shakedown
6.4

Shakedown

1950Movie6.4
With This Ring
6.0

With This Ring

1954Movie6.0
The Doctor and the Girl
5.9

The Doctor and the Girl

1949Movie5.9
Smart Girls Don't Talk
5.7

Smart Girls Don't Talk

1948Movie5.7
The New Adventures of Tarzan
4.9

The New Adventures of Tarzan

1935Movie4.9
Daredevils of the Red Circle
4.8

Daredevils of the Red Circle

1939Movie4.8
Danger Patrol
6.4

Danger Patrol

1937Movie6.4
The Bottom of the Bottle
5.8

The Bottom of the Bottle

1956Movie5.8
How High Is Up?
7.1

How High Is Up?

1940Movie7.1
Undertow
6.1

Undertow

1949Movie6.1
Amateur Crook
5.0

Amateur Crook

1937Movie5.0
Million Dollar Legs
6.8

Million Dollar Legs

1932Movie6.8
U-Boat Prisoner
7.3

U-Boat Prisoner

1944Movie7.3
I'm from Arkansas
6.0

I'm from Arkansas

1944Movie6.0
Hi-Yo Silver
7.0

Hi-Yo Silver

1940Movie7.0
The Man from Tumbleweeds
5.0

The Man from Tumbleweeds

1940Movie5.0
Murder in Times Square
4.7

Murder in Times Square

1943Movie4.7
Silks and Saddles
8.0

Silks and Saddles

1936Movie8.0
Two Latins from Manhattan
6.0

Two Latins from Manhattan

1941Movie6.0
West of Abilene
10.0

West of Abilene

1940Movie10.0
Movie Crazy
6.4

Movie Crazy

1932Movie6.4
Meet the Baron
5.3

Meet the Baron

1933Movie5.3
Dragonfly Squadron
6.5

Dragonfly Squadron

1954Movie6.5
The Phantom Submarine
6.3

The Phantom Submarine

1940Movie6.3
Tramp, Tramp, Tramp!
5.3

Tramp, Tramp, Tramp!

1942Movie5.3
The Clones
4.6

The Clones

1973Movie4.6
The New Adventures of Tarzan
5.2

The New Adventures of Tarzan

1935Movie5.2
The Lone Wolf Keeps a Date
6.2

The Lone Wolf Keeps a Date

1940Movie6.2
Five Little Peppers at Home
7.0

Five Little Peppers at Home

1940Movie7.0
My Son Is Guilty
7.5

My Son Is Guilty

1939Movie7.5
Glamour for Sale
5.0

Glamour for Sale

1940Movie5.0
Boobs in the Woods
7.5

Boobs in the Woods

1940Movie7.5
Escape to Glory
7.5

Escape to Glory

1940Movie7.5
Tarzan and the Green Goddess
4.9

Tarzan and the Green Goddess

1938Movie4.9
Torpedo of Doom
10.0

Torpedo of Doom

1966Movie10.0
Daniel Boone, Trail Blazer
4.5

Daniel Boone, Trail Blazer

1956Movie4.5
The House Across the Street
4.8

The House Across the Street

1949Movie4.8
The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady
6.4

The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady

1940Movie6.4
Cafe Hostess
5.4

Cafe Hostess

1940Movie5.4
Death on the Diamond
7.3

Death on the Diamond

1934Movie7.3
So Long Mr. Chumps
6.5

So Long Mr. Chumps

1941Movie6.5
Hidden Guns
5.7

Hidden Guns

1956Movie5.7
Shadow of Chinatown
5.2

Shadow of Chinatown

1936Movie5.2
The Great Missouri Raid
6.8

The Great Missouri Raid

1951Movie6.8
The Secret Seven
10.0

The Secret Seven

1940Movie10.0
Ain't No Time for Glory

Ain't No Time for Glory

1957Movie
Five Little Peppers And How They Grew
7.0

Five Little Peppers And How They Grew

1939Movie7.0
The Three Outlaws
6.0

The Three Outlaws

1956Movie6.0
The Younger Brothers
7.5

The Younger Brothers

1949Movie7.5
Million Dollar Racket
6.5

Million Dollar Racket

1937Movie6.5
Lassie: Well of Love
6.4

Lassie: Well of Love

1970Movie6.4
Sky Racket
3.9

Sky Racket

1937Movie3.9
Submarine Raider
5.7

Submarine Raider

1942Movie5.7
The Second Face
7.0

The Second Face

1950Movie7.0
Atlantic Convoy
6.3

Atlantic Convoy

1942Movie6.3
The Heckler
7.0

The Heckler

1940Movie7.0
The Officer and the Lady
8.0

The Officer and the Lady

1941Movie8.0
Flaming Frontier
7.0

Flaming Frontier

1958Movie7.0
Hawk of the Wilderness
7.0

Hawk of the Wilderness

1938Movie7.0
Shadow of Chinatown
4.0

Shadow of Chinatown

1936Movie4.0
Blazing Six Shooters
8.0

Blazing Six Shooters

1940Movie8.0
A Million to One
5.0

A Million to One

1936Movie5.0
Girls of the Road
5.4

Girls of the Road

1940Movie5.4
Land of Fighting Men
7.0

Land of Fighting Men

1938Movie7.0
Fiend of Dope Island
4.1

Fiend of Dope Island

1960Movie4.1
Tarzan at the Movies, Part 2: The Many Faces of Tarzan

Tarzan at the Movies, Part 2: The Many Faces of Tarzan

1996Movie
The Taming of the Snood
6.0

The Taming of the Snood

1940Movie6.0
Frontier Fury
7.0

Frontier Fury

1943Movie7.0
The Spook Speaks
6.0

The Spook Speaks

1940Movie6.0
Laat de dokter maar schuiven
9.0

Laat de dokter maar schuiven

1980Movie9.0

TV Shows (15)

Perry Mason
7.7

Perry Mason

1957Series7.7
Lassie
6.3

Lassie

1954Series6.3
The Virginian
6.5

The Virginian

1962Series6.5
77 Sunset Strip
7.2

77 Sunset Strip

1958Series7.2
Kraft Suspense Theatre
6.5

Kraft Suspense Theatre

1963Series6.5
The Texan
6.0

The Texan

1958Series6.0
Branded
6.8

Branded

1965Series6.8
Cavalcade of America
4.6

Cavalcade of America

1952Series4.6
West Point
7.5

West Point

1956Series7.5
Lux Video Theatre
6.7

Lux Video Theatre

1950Series6.7
Panic!
8.0

Panic!

1957Series8.0
Stories of the Century
7.2

Stories of the Century

1954Series7.2
Letter to Loretta
6.6

Letter to Loretta

1953Series6.6
Damon Runyon Theater
8.0

Damon Runyon Theater

1955Series8.0
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
7.2

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

1951Series7.2