Bruce Spence
Bruce Spence | |
---|---|
Spence in 2010 | |
Born | Bruce Robert Spence (1945-09-17) 17 September 1945 (age 78) Auckland, New Zealand |
Nationality | New Zealander Australian |
Occupation(s) | Actor, voice artist |
Years active | 1970–present |
Bruce Robert Spence[1] (born 17 September 1945) is a New Zealand-born Australian actor.[2] Spence has amassed over 100 film and television credits and has also acted in theatre.[3]
Career
Spence won an AFI Award for Best Actor for his role in the 1971 comedy Stork.[3]
Spence's best known film role is as the gyrocopter pilot in Mad Max 2 (1981).[3][4] He also played the lead role in Werner Herzog's Where the Green Ants Dream (1984)[3] and portrayed Jedediah the pilot in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985).[4]
In the 21st century, Spence played the Mouth of Sauron in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003),[5] the Trainman in The Matrix Revolutions (2003),[6] and Baxter in Disney's Inspector Gadget 2 (2003),[7] and voiced the character Chum in Finding Nemo (2003).[8] He also portrayed Tion Medon in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005)[9] and played Lord Rhoop in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010).[9]
Spence portrayed the palaeontologist (Huxley) in the Australian performance of BBC's Walking with Dinosaurs: The Live Experience. In his role, Spence narrated the activities of life-sized mechanical dinosaurs operated by teams of puppeteers and drivers.
In 2008, Spence joined the television series Legend of the Seeker, which was based on the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind. He played the role of Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander, co-starring with Craig Horner and Bridget Regan. The show ran for two seasons.
In 2014, Spence played prison inmate George Corella in episode 3.1 of Rake.
In 2024, Spence was named as the recipient for the Equity Lifetime Achievement award.[10]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1971 | Stork | Graham 'Stork' Wallace | |
1974 | Moving On | Road Worker | |
The Cars That Ate Paris | Charlie | ||
1975 | The Firm Man | Messenger | |
The Great Macarthy | Bill Dean | ||
1976 | Let the Balloon Go | Chief Gifford | |
Oz | Bass player/Blondie the Surfie | ||
Mad Dog Morgan | Heriot | ||
Eliza Fraser | Bruce McIver | ||
1978 | Newsfront | Redex trial driver | |
1979 | Dimboola | Morrie McAdam | |
1981 | Mad Max 2 | The Gyro Captain | |
1983 | Double Deal | Doug Mitchell | |
The Return of Captain Invincible | Midnight's Doctor | ||
Midnite Spares | Wimpy | ||
Buddies | Ted | ||
1984 | Pallet on the Floor | Basil Beaumont-Foster | |
Where the Green Ants Dream (aka Wo die grünen Ameisen träumen) | Lance Hackett | ||
1985 | Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome | Jedediah the Pilot | |
1987 | Bullseye | Purdy | |
The Year My Voice Broke | Jonah | ||
1988 | Bachelor Girl | Alistair Dredge Jr | TV movie |
Rikky and Pete | Ben | ||
1990 | Wendy Cracked a Walnut (aka ...Almost) | Ronnie | |
The Shrimp on the Barbie | Wayne | ||
1991 | Sweet Talker | Norman Foster | |
1993 | Hercules Returns | Sprocket | |
1995 | Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls | Gahjii | |
1996 | The Munsters' Scary Little Christmas | Mr. Gateman | TV movie |
1998 | Dark City | Mr. Wall | |
2002 | Queen of the Damned | Khayman | |
2003 | Inspector Gadget 2 | Professor Baxter | |
Finding Nemo | Chum (voice) | ||
The Matrix Revolutions | Trainman | ||
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King | Mouth of Sauron (Extended edition only) | ||
Peter Pan | Cookson | ||
2005 | Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith | Tion Medon | |
2006 | Aquamarine | Leonard | |
Solo | Kennedy | ||
2008 | Australia | Dr. Barker | |
2010 | The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader | Lord Rhoop | |
2013 | Mystery Road | Jim the Coroner | |
2014 | I, Frankenstein | Molokai | |
2015 | Backtrack | Felix | |
2016 | Gods of Egypt | Head Judge | |
Blue World Order | Whippett | ||
2017 | Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales | Mayor Dix | |
2018 | Winchester | Augustine | |
Occupation | Alien Leader | ||
2020 | Love and Monsters | Old Pete | |
Children of the Corn | Pastor Penny | ||
The Dry | Gerry Hadler | ||
2021 | The Drover's Wife | Father McGuiness | |
2023 | Cold Water | Murray | Short film |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Note |
---|---|---|---|
1972-73 | Division 4 | Various | 2 episodes |
1973 | Boney | Sawyer's Ron | 1 episode |
1973-75 | Certain Women | Julius 'Big Julie' | 19 episodes |
1974 | Ryan | Wally Scott | 1 episode |
1974-75 | Matlock Police | Johnny / Maxie | 2 episodes |
1978 | Case for the Defence | Alfred | 2 episodes |
1979 | Barnaby and Me | Tall Baddie | TV movie |
1979 | Shirl's Neighbourhood | Bruce the gardener | |
1979 | Skyways | David Howard | 1 episode |
1979 | Cop Shop | Student Counsellor | 1 episode |
1981 | And Here Comes Bucknuckle | Series | |
1982 | Deadline | Towie | TV movie |
1981-82 | Kingswood Country | Dentist / Samson | 2 episodes |
1984 | Special Squad | Professor | 1 episode |
1984 | Carson's Law | Vernon | 2 episodes |
1985 | Zoo Family | George | 1 episode |
1987 | Great Expectations: The Untold Story | Joe Gargery | TV movie |
1988 | The Dirtwater Dynasty | Lonely Logan | 5 episodes |
1988 | Australians | Cecil Cook | 1 episode |
1987-89 | Rafferty's Rules | Triggs | 2 episodes |
1989 | Sugar [de] | Robert Flemming | TV movie |
Tanamera – Lion of Singapore | Hammond | 7 episodes | |
1989–92 | Dearest Enemy | Lenny | 14 episodes |
1992 | Halfway Across the Galaxy and Turn Left | The Chief | 18 episodes |
1994–95 | Over the Hill | Tall Bob | |
1996 | After the Beep | 7 episodes | |
1997 | Return to Jupiter | Ed Unit | 13 episodes |
Bullpitt! | Darcy Kelso | 26 episodes | |
Twisted Tales | Colin | 1 episode | |
Good Guys, Bad Guys | Squirt Man | 1 episode | |
1998 | Moby Dick | Elijah | 1 episode |
Halifax f.p.: Isn't It Romantic | Eric Washburn | 1 episode | |
1999 | Chuck Finn | Heinz | 1 episode |
2000 | Tales of the South Seas | Naari | 1 episode |
2001 | Beastmaster | Annubis | 1 episode |
2002 | Farscape | Prefect Falaak | 1 episode |
2002 | Short Cuts | Mr Coxon | 5 episodes |
2001-03 | Always Greener | Rev Millburn | 3 episodes |
2004 | The Brush Off | Philip Veale | TV movie |
2005 | Grange | TV movie | |
2006 | RAN (Remote Area Nurse) | Vince | 6 episodes |
Nightmares & Dreamscapes | Hans Morris | 1 episode | |
Equal Opportunity | Death | ||
2008 | Double the Fist | Mayor McCarthy | 1 episode |
2008 | City Homicide | Maurice | 1 episode |
2008–10 | Legend of the Seeker | Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander | 44 episodes |
2009 | All Saints | Barry Goldsworthy | 1 episode |
2011 | Cloudstreet | Pig | 3 episodes |
2014 | Rake [11] | George Corella | 1 episode |
2015 | Let's Talk About | Man in Toilet | 1 episode |
2016 | The Wizards of Aus[12] | Regimand | 3 episodes |
2016 | Black Comedy | Guest Cast | 1 episode |
2018 | True Story with Hamish & Andy[13] | The Oracle | 1 episode |
2021 | Back to the Rafters | Charles Whiteman | 4 episodes |
2023 | Ten Pound Poms | Father | 1 episode |
Video games
Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
2003 | Enter the Matrix | Trainman | [14] |
2014 | Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel! | Scav Gyro, Sir Dennis, Toby Van Adobe, Tony Slows, Taunting Scav #2 | [15] |
202? | Edge of Twilight | Horace |
Theatre
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1969 | Dimboola | Morrie McAdam | La Mama Theatre |
1970 | The Coming of Stork | Graham 'Stork' Wallace | La Mama Theatre |
1985 | A Stretch of the Imagination | Nimrod Theatre Company | |
2005 | The Marvellous Boy | Victor/Bain Cipolla | WB Stables by Griffin Theatre Company |
2013 | The Secret River | Loveday | Sydney Theatre |
References
- ^ Spence's middle name from 'Actors swear not to swear' Melbourne Age 16 January 1970 p. 2
- ^ "Bruce Spence(I)". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Oral History: Actors". nfsa.gov.au. 25 March 2015.
- ^ a b Australia, National Film and Sound Archive of (7 September 2020). "Bruce Spence on Mad Max 2: 'An Absolute Joy'". nfsa.gov.au.
- ^ "Lord of the Rings Rewind: 49 Things You Didn't Know About The Return of the King". Gamespot.com. 4 September 2020.
- ^ "Reloaded Weapons: The 20 Most Powerful Characters in the Matrix, Officially Ranked". CBR. 15 November 2018.
- ^ Leydon, Joe (25 March 2003). "Inspector Gadget 2".
- ^ "15 Things You Never Knew About Pixar's Finding Nemo". E!. 31 May 2018.
- ^ a b "Bruce Spence (Tion Medon)". 29 December 2016.
- ^ Knox, David (18 March 2024). "Bruce Spence receives 2024 Equity Lifetime Achievement Award | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
- ^ "Cameras roll on Rake's third season | TV Tonight". 30 July 2013.
- ^ "Airdate: The Wizards of aus | TV Tonight". 9 December 2015.
- ^ "True Story with Hamish & Andy: Sept 25 | TV Tonight". 25 September 2018.
- ^ Shiny Entertainment. Enter the Matrix. Atari Games.
- ^ 2K Australia, Gearbox Software. Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel!. 2K Games. Scene: Closing credits, 3:39 minutes in.
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External links
- Bruce Spence at IMDb
- v
- t
- e
- Bruce Spence (1972)
- Robert McDarra (1973)
- Jack Thompson (1974)
- Martin Vaughan (1975)
- Simon Burke and Nick Tate (1976)
- John Meillon (1977)
- Bill Hunter (1978)
- Mel Gibson (1979)
- Jack Thompson (1980)
- Mel Gibson (1981)
- Ray Barrett (1982)
- Norman Kaye (1983)
- John Hargreaves (1984)
- Chris Haywood (1985)
- Colin Friels (1986)
- Leo McKern (1987)
- John Waters (1988)
- Sam Neill (1989)
- Max von Sydow (1990)
- Hugo Weaving (1991)
- Russell Crowe (1992)
- Harvey Keitel (1993)
- Nicholas Hope (1994)
- John Lynch (1995)
- Geoffrey Rush (1996)
- Richard Roxburgh (1997)
- Hugo Weaving (1998)
- Russell Dykstra (1999)
- Eric Bana (2000)
- Anthony LaPaglia (2001)
- David Gulpilil (2002)
- David Wenham (2003)
- Sam Worthington (2004)
- Hugo Weaving (2005)
- Shane Jacobson (2006)
- Eric Bana (2007)
- William McInnes (2008)
- Anthony LaPaglia (2009)
- Ben Mendelsohn (2010)
- Daniel Henshall (2011)
- Chris O'Dowd (2012)
- Leonardo DiCaprio (2013)
- David Gulpilil (2014)
- Michael Caton (2015)
- Andrew Garfield (2016)
- Sunny Pawar (2017)
- Hamilton Morris (2018)
- Damon Herriman (2019)
- Toby Wallace (2020)
- Caleb Landry Jones (2021)
- Austin Butler (2022)
- Aswan Reid (2023)