Bruce Seton

{{for|his father, the military surgeon and historian|Bruce Gordon Seton}}

{{Infobox person

| honorific-prefix = Sir

| name = Bruce Seton

| honorific-suffix = Bt

| image = Actor_Bruce_Seton.jpg

| imagesize =

| caption =

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1909|5|29|df=y}}

| birth_place = Simla, British India

| death_date = {{death date and age|1969|9|28|1909|5|29|df=y}}

| death_place = London, England

| othername =

| years_active =

| spouse = {{plainlist|

{{marriage|Tamara Desni|1937|1940|end=divorced}}
{{marriage|Antoinette Cellier|1940}}

}}

| children = 1

| occupation = Actor

|module =

{{infobox military person

|embed = yes

|allegiance = United Kingdom

|branch = British Army

|serviceyears = 1929–1932
1939–1945

|rank = Major

|servicenumber = 44304

|unit = Black Watch
Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)

|commands =

|battles = Second World War

|battles_label =

|awards = Medal of Freedom (US)

}}

Sir Bruce Lovat Seton, 11th Baronet (29 May 1909 – 28 September 1969) was a British actor and soldier.{{cite web|url=http://explore.bfi.org.uk/4ce2b9ef8753a|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120722013149/http://explore.bfi.org.uk/4ce2b9ef8753a|url-status=dead|archive-date=22 July 2012|title=Bruce Seton|publisher=British Film Institute}} He is best remembered for his lead role in Fabian of the Yard.

Early life

Bruce Lovat Seton was born in Simla, British India, the younger of two sons of Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Bruce Gordon Seton of Abercorn (1868–1934), 9th Baronet and his wife, Elma Armstrong (died 1960).{{Cite web|url = http://www.hamishhaynes.com/ft/fam7.html|title = Family of Sir Bruce SETON of Abercorn, 9th Baronet and Elma ARMSTRONG|website = Hamish Haynes|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150924024732/http://www.hamishhaynes.com/ft/fam7.html|archive-date = 24 September 2015|url-status = dead}} He was educated at Edinburgh Academy and then trained at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.

Military career

Seton was commissioned into the Black Watch in 1929 as a second lieutenant, but resigned his commission in 1932. A brief interruption in his acting career came during the Second World War and in November 1939 he held the rank of captain in the 10th Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), ending the war as major (temporary). His service number was 44304 and he was awarded the Medal of Freedom.{{Cite web|url = https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/records/5194003/temporary-major-bruce-lovat-seton-british-army-cameronians-scottish-rifles/|title = Record Details for Bruce Lovat Seton (Cameronians (Scottish Rifles))|website = Forces War Records}}{{Cite web|url = https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/37961/supplement/2288/data.pdf|title = Supplement to the London Gazette, 23 May, 1947|website = The Gazette}}

Acting

Seton began his acting career in the chorus line at Drury Lane Theatre and starred in Ralph Ince's film Blue Smoke (1935) as Don Chinko.{{Cite web|url = http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/store/movies/cast/0,,1799056,00.html|title = Cast of Blue Smoke|website = Artist Direct}}

He played Inspector Fabian of Scotland Yard in the television series Fabian of the Yard (1954–1956). The series was based on the career of the former Scotland Yard Detective Inspector Robert Fabian, who usually appeared briefly before the final fade-out to wind up the story.{{cite web|url=http://www.allmovie.com/movie/fabian-of-the-yard-v90806|title=Fabian of the Yard (1954) – Trailers, Reviews, Synopsis, Showtimes and Cast |publisher=AllMovie|accessdate=24 March 2022}}

Seton's last role was as the voice of Beadle in The Wonderful World of Disney (1962–1963).{{cite web|url=http://www.dvdizzy.com/drsyn.html|title=Walt Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn – The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh DVD Review|work=dvdizzy.com}}

He fenced and boxed in the Army and was a founder member with other actors of the Lord's Taverners, a charity which raises funds to support participation in cricket.

Later career

In 1963, on 7 February, the death of his brother, Alexander "Sandy" Hay Seton (who had no male heirs), Bruce became the 11th Seton baronet. As Bruce also had no male heirs at the time of his death, in 1969, the title passed to his cousin, Christopher Bruce Seton (1909–1988).{{Cite web |url=http://www.hamishhaynes.com/ft/fam7.html |title=Family of Sir Bruce SETON of Abercorn, 9th Baronet and Elma ARMSTRONG |access-date=13 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924024732/http://www.hamishhaynes.com/ft/fam7.html |archive-date=24 September 2015 |url-status=dead }} His {{whose|date=April 2025}} address in the 1940s was 15 Learmonth Gardens in western Edinburgh.{{Cite web|url = http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/content/images/SetonCellier1940.jpg|title = Marriage Record Bruce Lovat Seton and Florence Antoinette Glossop Cellier|website = Scotland's People}}

Personal life

Seton met actress Tamara Desni Willhelm (1911–2008) on the set of Blue Smoke in 1935, in which both had leading roles.

He became her second husband in 1937 in London, and divorced in 1940.{{Cite web|url = http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/content/images/BNASeton2.pdf|title = Daily Record and Mail, Thursday February 15, 1940 – Married Hour After Divorce|website = Scotland's People}}{{Cite web|url = http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/culture/film/online-records-show-actor-remarried-one-hour-after-divorce-1-3989209|title = Online records show actor 'remarried one hour after divorce'|website = The Scotsman}}{{Cite web|url = http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/Content/Help/index.aspx?2368|title = Bruce Seton|website = Scotland's People| date=10 August 2016 }}

He later married actress Antoinette Cellier (born Florence Antoinette Glossop Cellier). They had a daughter, Lydia Antoinette Gordon Seton (born 14 November 1941).{{citation needed|date=May 2022}}