Bruce Dern Bruce MacLeish Dern is an American actor.
He frequently takes roles as a supporting character actor, often playing villains of
unstable nature.
He has appeared in more than 80 feature films, and received Academy Award nominations for
Best Supporting Actor for the 1978 film Coming Home and Best Actor for the 2013 film Nebraska.
Early life Dern was born in Chicago, Illinois, the son
of Jean (née MacLeish) and John Dern, a utility chief and attorney.
He grew up in Kenilworth, Illinois.
His paternal grandfather was George Henry Dern, a former 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 chairman of the Carson, Pirie, and Scott stores, his
maternal granduncle was poet Archibald MacLeish, and his maternal great-grandfather was Scottish-born
businessman Andrew MacLeish.
Dern's godfather was former Illinois governor and two-time presidential candidate Adlai
Stevenson.
His ancestry includes Dutch, English, German, and Scottish.
He attended The Choate School (now Choate Rosemary Hall) and the University of Pennsylvania.
Career Early in his career, Dern acted in the Philadelphia
premiere of Waiting for Godot opposite Lyle Kessler and first appeared on screen, for
Alfred Hitchcock in North by Northwest followed by an uncredited role, in the 1960 film Wild
River.
He then appeared, as a guest star, in several popular 1960s television shows, including
Route 66, Naked City, Sea Hunt, Surfside 6, 77 Sunset Strip, The Outer Limits, and The
Alfred Hitchcock Hour.
In the 1962-63 season, Dern had the recurring role of E.J.
Stocker in the ABC adventure/drama series about the rodeo circuit, Stoney Burke, starring
Jack Lord in the title role and with Warren Oates.
In 1964, he appeared in a major Alfred Hitchcock film, the psychological thriller Marnie, in
a short role as the sailor seen in flashbacks about Marnie's mother.
Also in 1964, he had a small but crucial film role in Hush…
Hush, Sweet Charlotte as the lover of the young Charlotte (a role played by Bette Davis).
During the next five years, Dern continued appearing in several popular television series,
with multiple appearances as different characters, including: Wagon Train (3), The Virginian
(3), Rawhide (1), 12 O'Clock High (4), The Fugitive (5), The F.B.I. (2), The Big Valley
(5), Gunsmoke (4) and Bonanza (2), among others.
During that period, he also appeared in several films, including The Wild Angels (1966), The
War Wagon, The Trip (1967), Psych-Out, Will Penny (1968), and the early Clint Eastwood
film, Hang 'Em High (1968) as a rustler/murderer.
Among Dern's first 20 film roles was a part in the Sydney Pollack picture They Shoot Horses,
Don't They?, in 1969.
That same year, he co-starred with James Garner and Walter Brennan in the classic film Support
Your Local Sheriff!
as gunfighter Joe Danby.
In 1972, he appeared in four films: as the enemy and killer of John Wayne's character
in The Cowboys notable for his character cold-bloodedly shooting Wayne in the back.
Wayne warned Dern, "America will hate you for this."
Dern wryly replied, "Yeah, but they'll love me in Berkeley."
His best-known role may be that of Freeman Lowell, the caretaker of Earth's last forests
in the dark sci-fi film Silent Running (1972).
He then starred with Jack Nicholson in The King of Marvin Gardens; and also in Thumb
Tripping, after having been seen in over 90 TV episodes or films.
Other memorable roles include Tom Buchanan in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby;
or a psychotic Goodyear Blimp pilot who launches a terrorist attack at the Super Bowl in 1977's
Black Sunday, and as Captain Bob Hyde in 1978's Coming Home, for which he received an Academy
Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
In 1976, he appeared in Alfred Hitchcock's final film Family Plot, playing the boyfriend
of a medium played by Barbara Harris; Dern told an interviewer that, due to Hitchcock's
failing health, the director often asked his assistance during the production.
During the 1980s and 1990s, Dern kept working but was unable to hit the mark as he did before:
after the films of the '70s, he often played roles in flops like Tattoo and All the Pretty
Horses.
Occasionally, he did land a few good films, including TV movies.
In 1983, he won the Silver Bear for Best Actor at the 33rd Berlin International Film Festival
for his role in That Championship Season.
His most recent efforts include the independent movies The Astronaut Farmer and Monster, a
recurring role on the HBO series Big Love, and the monster movie Swamp Devil for RHI
Films New York and the Sci Fi Channel.
On November 1, 2010, he was presented the 2,419th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
His daughter Laura Dern and his ex-wife Diane Ladd received stars on the same date.
He was honored with a Legend Award at the inaugural Gold Coast International Film Festival
on June 1, 2011.
On May 26, 2013 he won the Best Actor award at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival for his role
in Alexander Payne's Nebraska.
The role, which received significant critical acclaim, subsequently earned Dern Golden Globe
and Academy Award nominations for Best Actor, along with other accolades.
Filmography Wild River (1960) as Jack Roper (uncredited)
The Crimebusters (1961) as Joe Krajac The Zanti Misfits (1963) (TV) as Ben
The Hunt (1963) (TV) as Maynard Marnie (1964) as Sailor
Hush…
Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964) as John Mayhew The Wild Angels (1966) as Loser
Waterhole #3 (1967) as Deputy Sam Tippen The War Wagon (1967) as Hammond
The St. Valentine's Day Massacre (1967) as John May
The Trip (1967) as John Will Penny (1968) as Rafe Quint
Psych-Out (1968) as Steve Davis Hang 'Em High (1968) as Miller, Cooper Hanging
Party Support Your Local Sheriff!
(1969) as Joe Danby Castle Keep (1969) as Lt. Billy Byron Bix
Number One (1969) as Richie Fowler The Cycle Savages (1969) as.
Keeg They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
(1969) as James Bloody Mama (1970) as Dirkman
The Rebel Rousers (1970) as J.J.
Weston The Incredible 2-Headed Transplant (1971)
as Roger Drive, He Said (1971) as Coach Bullion
The Cowboys (1972) as Asa Watts ("Long Hair") Silent Running (1972) as Freeman Lowell
The King of Marvin Gardens (1972) as Jason Staebler
Thumb Tripping (1972) as Smitty The Laughing Policeman (1973) as Leo Larsen
The Great Gatsby (1974) as Tom Buchanan Posse (1975) as Jack Strawhorn
Smile (1975) as Big Bob Freelander Family Plot (1976) as George Lumley
Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood (1976) as Grayson Potchuck
Folies bourgeoises (1976) as William Brandels Black Sunday (1977) as Michael Lander
Coming Home (1978) as Capt.
Bob Hyde The Driver (1978) as The Detective
Middle Age Crazy (1980) as Bobby Lee Tattoo (1981) as Johnny
That Championship Season (1982) as George Sitkowski
Harry Tracy, Desperado (1982) as Harry Tracy Space (1985) (TV) as Stanley Mott
Toughlove (1986) (TV) as Rob Charters On the Edge (1986) as Wes Holman
Uncle Tom's Cabin (1987) (TV) as Augustine St. Claire
The Big Town (1987) as Mr. Edwards World Gone Wild (1988) as Ethan
1969 (1988) as Cliff The 'Burbs (1989) as Mark Rumsfield
After Dark, My Sweet (1990) as Uncle Bud Into the Badlands (1991) as T.L.
Barston Diggstown (1992) as John Gillon
Amelia Earhart: The Final Flight (1994) (TV) as George Putnam
A Mother's Prayer (1995) as Grandpa Mrs. Munck (1995) as Patrick Leary
Wild Bill (1995) as Will Plummer Mulholland Falls (1996) (uncredited) as The
Chief Down Periscope (1996) as Admiral Yancy Graham
Last Man Standing (1996) as Sheriff Ed Galt Small Soldiers (1998) (voice) as Link Static
The Haunting (1999) as Mr. Dudley Ifas Dogas Rabbitas (1999) as McGurdy
All the Pretty Horses (2000) as The Judge Madison (2001) as Harry Volpi
The Glass House (2001) as Begleiter Masked and Anonymous (2003) as The Editor
Milwaukee, Minnesota (2003) as Sean McNally Hard Ground (2003) (TV) as Nate Hutchinson
Monster (2003) as Thomas The Hard Easy (2005) as Gene
Down in the Valley (2005) as Charlie Believe in Me (2006) as Ellis Brawley
Big Love (2006–11)(TV) as Frank Walker Payne (2006) as Unknown
The Astronaut Farmer (2007) as Hal The Cake Eaters (2007) as Easy
The Golden Boys (2008) as Captain Perez Swamp Devil (2008) as Howard Blaime
American Cowslip (2009) as Cliff Choose (2009) as Dr. Ronald Pendleton
Trim (2009) as Dale Banks The Lightkeepers (2009) as Bennie
The Hole 3D (2009) as Creepy Carl Twixt (2011) as Bobby LaGrange
Inside Out (2011) as Vic Small Django Unchained (2012) as Curtis Carrucan
From Up on Poppy Hill (2012) as Tokumaru Fighting for Freedom (2013) as Christian Dobbe
Nebraska (2013) as Woody Grant Cut Bank (2014)
Awards and nominations