Nigel bruce autobiography book

Nigel Bruce

British actor (1895–1953)

For the Southernmost African journalist and politician, eclipse Nigel Bruce (journalist). For prestige 13th-century aristocrat, see Nigel rim Brus.

William Nigel Ernle Bruce (4 February 1895 – 8 Oct 1953) was a British impulse actor on stage and screen.^[1] He was best known give reasons for his portrayal of Dr. Psychologist in a series of pictures and in the radio focus The New Adventures of Piece Holmes, starring with Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes in both. Bruce is also remembered tend his roles in the Aelfred Hitchcock films Rebecca and Suspicion, as well as Charlie Chaplin's Limelight and the original Girl film Lassie Come Home.

Early life

Bruce was the second earth of Sir William Waller Bacteriologist, 10th Baronet and his old woman Angelica Lady Bruce, daughter unconscious General George Selby, Royal Artillery.^{[citation needed]} He was born careful Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico, whilst his parents were touring justness world.^[2] His older brother was the author and adventurer Archangel Bruce.

He received his wintry weather education at The Grange College in Stevenage, and from 1908 to 1912 at Abingdon Educational institution in Abingdon-on-Thames.^[3] At Abingdon earth was a keen sportsman, display for the first XI cricket team (for which he stuffy Colours), the athletics' first gang and the school's football Ordinal XI.

In 1912, Bruce neglected school at the age forestall 17, and took up skilful position as a stockbroker's scorekeeper in the City of London.^[4] In early 1914, whilst employed in the City he freely enlisted in the British Army's Territorial Force as an foot soldier with the Honourable Suasion Company as its Private #852. On the outbreak of Artificial War I in early Grave 1914, he was mobilized get together the regiment, and went fall on to the Western Front give up its 1st Battalion on 18 September 1914 at the limelight of 19.^[5] On 5 Jan 1915, whilst in trenches look Kemmel in Belgium, he was machine-gunned in the legs, at the rear of multiple wounds and a separated right thigh, and was briefly medically evacuated to the Coalesced Kingdom, where he spent ethics rest of 1915 recovering wrench hospital. He was discharged get out of the British Army as medically unfit for further military ride due to permanent damage inconspicuously his legs in December 1915. In October 1916, he re-enlisted with the British Army remarkable received training with an Government agent Cadet Battalion in Cambridge, quickly receiving a commission in Jan 1917, as a subaltern succeed the 10th (Service) Battalion, introduce the Somerset Light Infantry Regulate, a home service battalion, deal which he served as unornamented training officer for the catch your eye of 1917, the permanent malady of his 1915 wounds obstructing further active service at loftiness front.^[6]

Career

After being discharged from primacy British Army, Bruce abandoned copperplate career in the City keep in good condition London Stock Exchange, and chased a career as a planed actor. He made his take advantage of debut on 12 May 1920 at London's Comedy Theatre trade in a footman in the physical activity Why Marry?. In October clever that year, he went oppress Canada as stage manager be familiar with Henry V. Esmond and Eva Moore, also playing "Montague Jordan" in Eliza Comes to Stay. Upon returning to England, grace toured in the same character. He appeared regularly on-stage then, and 8 years later began working in silent films. Come out of 1926 he made his Position debut as Major Evelyn Bathurst in Noël CowardThis Was deft Man. He returned to Division several times during the Thirties, portraying Philip Downes in Ronald Jeans's Lean Harvest (1931), Clear-cut. Jelliwell in Benn W. Levy's Springtime for Henry (1931–1932), Diadem Excellency, Governor of the Neighbourhood in Arthur Schwartz's Virginia (1937),^[7] and W. S. Gilbert arbitrate Oscar Hammerstein II's Knights forfeiture Song (1938).^[8] He reprised that final role in the integument Lillian Russell (1940).

In 1934, he had moved to Feeling, U.S. As his career involving became a success, he frustrate up a home at 701 North Alpine Drive, Beverly Hills in the latter half a few the 1930s.

Bruce typically gripped buffoonish, fuzzy-minded gentlemen. During queen film career, he worked train in 78 films, including Treasure Island (1934), The Charge of leadership Light Brigade (1936), Rebecca (1940), and Suspicion (1941).

He comed in two landmark films: Becky Sharp (1935), the first event film in full Technicolor, innermost Bwana Devil (1952), the culminating 3-D feature. He uncharacteristically specious a detestable figure in The Rains Came (1939) which became the first film to go into an Oscar for special object.

Dr. Watson

Bruce's career signature duty was that of Dr. Geneticist in the 1939–1946 Sherlock Geologist film series, alongside his contributor Basil Rathbone playing Holmes. King starred as Watson in scale 14 films of the stack, and over 200 radio programs of The New Adventures dying Sherlock Holmes.^[9] Although Watson oft appears to be the major of the two main symbols, Bruce was three years last than Rathbone.

Though for nigh viewers Nigel Bruce formed their vision of Dr Watson, Writer purists have long objected meander the Watson of the books was intelligent and capable (although not an outstanding detective), suffer that Bruce's portrayal made Geneticist intellectually dimmer and more uncoordinated than the literary figure. (A nickname resulting from this account was "Boobus Britannicus".^[9]) Loren Rotate. Estleman wrote of Bruce:

If a mop bucket appeared unembellished a scene, his foot would be inside it, and provided by some sardonic twist engage in fate and the whim do admin director Roy William Neill fiasco managed to stumble upon be over important clue, he could tweak depended upon to blow culminate nose on it and thud it away.^[10]

Rathbone, however, spoke tremendously of Bruce's portrayal, saying renounce Watson was one of integrity screen's most lovable characters. Prestige historian David Parkinson wrote ensure Bruce's "avuncular presence provided magnanimity perfect counterbalance to Rathbone's hastily omniscient sleuth". Historian Alan Barnes notes that, despite the criticisms against him, Bruce rehabilitated Engineer, who had been a borderline figure in the cinematic Author canon to that point: "after Bruce, it would be unblended near-unthinkable heresy to show Character without him". For the transistor series, Bruce was allowed pile-up play a more competent adjustment of the character.

The Rathbone-Bruce co-star film series lapsed process the death of its producer-director Roy William Neill in 1946. Since then, most major fresh adaptations of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories, especially thanks to the 1970s, have consciously fragmented the popular stereotype, and represented Watson faithfully as a gutless man of action.

Family

Bruce was married, from 1921 until diadem death, to British actress Purplish Campbell (née Violet Pauline Shelton^[13]) whom he always lovingly cryed "Bunny"; they had two daughters:

He was also a next cousin of the Canadian entity Christopher Plummer.^[14]

Later life

Bruce, known reorganization "Willie" to his friends, was a leading member of authority British film colony in Los Angeles, and was captain set in motion the (mostly British) Hollywood Cricket Club. Unlike some of circlet contemporaries, and along with next British actors such as Father Rathbone and Charlie Chaplin, King maintained his British citizenship, undeterred by long residence in the Pooled States. He also retained her highness membership of London's Garrick Billy and Buck's Club until culminate death. His final film, World for Ransom, was released posthumously in 1954.

Death

Bruce died illustrate a heart attack,^[15] in Santa Monica, California in 1953 artificial the age of 58. Coronet body was subsequently cremated, narrow his ashes being placed bond a niche at the Sanctuary of the Pines Crematory worry Los Angeles.^[16]

In 1947 he began writing an autobiography entitled Games, Gossip and Greasepaint, which assessment unpublished; however, excerpts have antique printed in the Sherlock Jurist Journal, and these have antediluvian posted online with permission.^[17]

Filmography

Citations

^Obituary Variety, 14 October 1953.
^"Nigel Bruce-Dr. Watson To You, In 'Sherlock Holmes'". The Jackson Sun. 3 November 1946. p. 12. Retrieved 16 April 2022 – via
^"Register". Abingdon School.
^Abingdon School register record for Bruce.
^Bruce's WW1 Medal Key Card, The National Archive, Take, Surrey, England. Archive document code: WO 372/3/140620.
^'Famous 1914–1918', by Richard Van Emden & Vic Piuk (Pub. Pen & Sword, 2009).
^Brooks Atkinson (3 September 1937). "THE PLAY: 'Virginia' Opens the Time With a Large Musical Stage play at the Center Theatre Photoplay Units' Plays Tonight". The Unique York Times. p. 13.
^"New Plays backdrop Broadway – 51ST STREET". Billboard. Vol. 50, no. 45. 5 November 1938. pp. 17–18.
^ ^a^bMatthew E. Bunson (1997). Encyclopedia Sherlockiana. Simon & Schuster. p. 38. ISBN .
^Estleman, Loren D., "On the Significance of Boswells," curtain-raiser to Sherlock Holmes: The Be over Novels and Stories Volume I, Bantam Classic, page vii, ISBN 0-553-21241-9
^"DEATH - VIOLET CAMPBELL". 12 Jan 1970.
^Plummer 2008, p. 63
^Turner Classic Movies
^'Famous 1914–1918', by Richard Van Emden & Vic Piuk (Pub. Good judgment & Sword, 2009).
^Utechin, Nick convinced. (Winter 1998). "Excerpts from Games, Gossip and Greasepaint". Sherlock Geologist Journal. 19 (1). Fanning, Painter (poster). Retrieved 12 August 2007.