Bruce Spence

{{Infobox person

| name = Bruce Spence

| birth_name = Bruce Robert Spence

| image = Bruce Spence Photograph.jpg

| caption = Spence in 2010

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1945|09|17|df=y}}

| birth_place = Auckland, New Zealand

| nationality = New Zealander
Australian

| occupation = Actor, voice artist

| years_active = 1970–present

| height_m =

| spouse =

| children =

}}

Bruce Robert SpenceSpence's middle name from 'Actors swear not to swear' Melbourne Age 16 January 1970 p. 2 (born 17 September 1945) is a New Zealand-born Australian actor.{{cite web | url=https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0817748/ | title=Bruce Spence(I) | work=Internet Movie Database | accessdate=5 May 2024}} Spence has amassed over 100 film and television credits and has also acted in theatre.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nfsa.gov.au/latest/oral-history-actors|title=Oral History: Actors|date=25 March 2015|website=nfsa.gov.au}}

Career

Spence won an AFI Award for Best Actor for his role in the 1971 comedy Stork.

Spence's best known film role is as the gyrocopter pilot in Mad Max 2 (1981).{{Cite web|url=https://www.nfsa.gov.au/collection/curated/bruce-spence-mad-max-2-absolute-joy|title=Bruce Spence on Mad Max 2: 'An Absolute Joy'|first=National Film and Sound Archive of|last=Australia|date=7 September 2020|website=nfsa.gov.au}} He also played the lead role in Werner Herzog's Where the Green Ants Dream (1984) and portrayed Jedediah the pilot in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985).

In the 21st century, Spence played the Mouth of Sauron in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003),{{Cite web|url=https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/lord-of-the-rings-rewind-49-things-you-didnt-know-/2900-3570/|title=Lord of the Rings Rewind: 49 Things You Didn't Know About The Return of the King|work=Gamespot.com|date=4 September 2020}} the Trainman in The Matrix Revolutions (2003),{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbr.com/powerful-characters-matrix-ranked/|title=Reloaded Weapons: The 20 Most Powerful Characters in the Matrix, Officially Ranked|date=15 November 2018|website=CBR}} and Baxter in Disney's Inspector Gadget 2 (2003),{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2003/film/reviews/inspector-gadget-2-2-1200542577/|title=Inspector Gadget 2|first1=Joe|last1=Leydon|date=25 March 2003}} and voiced the character Chum in Finding Nemo (2003).{{cite web|url=https://www.eonline.com/news/940386/15-things-you-never-knew-about-pixar-s-finding-nemo|title=15 Things You Never Knew About Pixar's Finding Nemo|publisher=E!|date=31 May 2018}} He also portrayed Tion Medon in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005){{Cite web|url=https://starwarsinterviews.com/prequel-trilogy/episode-iii-revenge-of-the-sith/bruce-spence-tion-medon/|title=Bruce Spence (Tion Medon)|date=29 December 2016}} and played Lord Rhoop in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010).

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.

File:Bruce Spence.JPG session in November 2008.]]

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.{{Cite web |last=Knox |first=David |date=2024-03-18 |title=Bruce Spence receives 2024 Equity Lifetime Achievement Award {{!}} TV Tonight |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2024/03/bruce-spence-receives-2024-equity-lifetime-achievement-award.html |access-date=2024-03-24 |website=tvtonight.com.au |language=en-AU}}

Filmography

=Film=

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role !Notes
1971 \|Stork \|Graham 'Stork' Wallace \|
rowspan="2"\| 1974 \|Moving On \|Road Worker \|
The Cars That Ate Paris \|Charlie \|
rowspan="2"\| 1975 \|The Firm Man \|Messenger \|
The Great Macarthy \|Bill Dean \|
rowspan="4"\| 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 \|
rowspan="4"\| 1983 \|Double Deal \|Doug Mitchell \|
The Return of Captain Invincible \| Midnight's Doctor \|
Midnite Spares \| Wimpy \|
Buddies \|Ted \|
rowspan="2"\| 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 \|
rowspan="2"\| 1987 \|Bullseye \|Purdy \|
The Year My Voice Broke \|Jonah \|
rowspan="2"\| 1988 \|Bachelor Girl \|Alistair Dredge Jr \| TV movie
Rikky and Pete \|Ben \|
rowspan="2"\| 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 \|
rowspan="5"\| 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 \|
rowspan="2"\| 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 \|
rowspan="2"\| 2016 \|Gods of Egypt \|Head Judge \|
Blue World Order \|Whippett \|
imdb="2"\| 2017 \|Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales \|Mayor Dix \|
rowspan="2"\| 2018 \|Winchester \|Augustine \|
Occupation \|Alien Leader \|
rowspan="3"\| 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

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

!Notes

1971

|Stork

|Graham 'Stork' Wallace

rowspan="2"| 1974

|Moving On

|Road Worker

The Cars That Ate Paris

|Charlie

rowspan="2"| 1975

|The Firm Man

|Messenger

The Great Macarthy

|Bill Dean

rowspan="4"| 1976

|Let the Balloon Go

| Chief Gifford

|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

rowspan="4"| 1983

|Double Deal

|Doug Mitchell

The Return of Captain Invincible

| Midnight's Doctor

Midnite Spares

| Wimpy

Buddies

|Ted

rowspan="2"| 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

rowspan="2"| 1987

|Bullseye

|Purdy

The Year My Voice Broke

|Jonah

rowspan="2"| 1988

|Bachelor Girl

|Alistair Dredge Jr

| TV movie

Rikky and Pete

|Ben

rowspan="2"| 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

rowspan="5"| 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

rowspan="2"| 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

rowspan="2"| 2016

|Gods of Egypt

|Head Judge

Blue World Order

|Whippett

imdb="2"| 2017

|Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales

|Mayor Dix

rowspan="2"| 2018

|Winchester

|Augustine

Occupation

|Alien Leader

rowspan="3"| 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=

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! Note !Ref
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 \|
rowspan="2"\| 1989 \|{{ill\|Sugar (1989 film)\|de\|3=Zucker – Eine wirklich süße Katastrophe\|lt=Sugar}} \|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 \|
rowspan="4" \| 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 \|
rowspan="2" \|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 \|
rowspan="3" \| 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 \|George Corella \|1 episode \|{{cite web \|last=Knox \|first=David \|date=30 July 2013 \|title=Cameras roll on Rake's third season \| TV Tonight \|url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2013/07/cameras-roll-on-rakes-third-season.html \|website=TVtonight.com.au}}
2015 \|Let's Talk About \|Man in Toilet \|1 episode \|
rowspan="2" \|2016 \|The Wizards of Aus \|Regimand \|3 episodes \|{{cite web \|last=Knox \|first=David \|date=9 December 2015 \|title=Airdate: The Wizards of aus \| TV Tonight \|url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2015/12/airdate-the-wizards-of-aus.html \|website=TVTonight.com.au}}
Black Comedy \|Guest Cast \|1 episode \|
2018 \|True Story with Hamish & Andy \|The Oracle \|1 episode \|{{cite web \|last=Knox \|first=David \|date=25 September 2018 \|title=True Story with Hamish & Andy: Sept 25 \| TV Tonight \|url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2018/09/true-story-with-hamish-andy-sept-25.html \|website=TVTonight.com.au}}
2021 \|Back to the Rafters \| Charles Whiteman \|4 episodes \|
rowspan="2" \|2023 \|Ten Pound Poms \|Father \|1 episode \|
Faraway Downs \|Dr Barker \|6 episodes \|
2024 \|Nautilus \|CBIO President \|2 episodes \|

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! Note

!Ref

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

rowspan="2"| 1989

|{{ill|Sugar (1989 film)|de|3=Zucker – Eine wirklich süße Katastrophe|lt=Sugar}}

|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

rowspan="4" | 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

rowspan="2" |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

rowspan="3" | 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

|George Corella

|1 episode

|{{cite web |last=Knox |first=David |date=30 July 2013 |title=Cameras roll on Rake's third season | TV Tonight |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2013/07/cameras-roll-on-rakes-third-season.html |website=TVtonight.com.au}}

2015

|Let's Talk About

|Man in Toilet

|1 episode

rowspan="2" |2016

|The Wizards of Aus

|Regimand

|3 episodes

|{{cite web |last=Knox |first=David |date=9 December 2015 |title=Airdate: The Wizards of aus | TV Tonight |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2015/12/airdate-the-wizards-of-aus.html |website=TVTonight.com.au}}

Black Comedy

|Guest Cast

|1 episode

2018

|True Story with Hamish & Andy

|The Oracle

|1 episode

|{{cite web |last=Knox |first=David |date=25 September 2018 |title=True Story with Hamish & Andy: Sept 25 | TV Tonight |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2018/09/true-story-with-hamish-andy-sept-25.html |website=TVTonight.com.au}}

2021

|Back to the Rafters

| Charles Whiteman

|4 episodes

rowspan="2" |2023

|Ten Pound Poms

|Father

|1 episode

Faraway Downs

|Dr Barker

|6 episodes

2024

|Nautilus

|CBIO President

|2 episodes

=Video games=

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! Ref.
2003 \| Enter the Matrix \| Trainman \| {{cite video game \| title = Enter the Matrix \| developer = Shiny Entertainment \| publisher = Atari Games}}
2014 \| Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel! \| Scav Gyro, Sir Dennis, Toby Van Adobe, Tony Slows, Taunting Scav #2 \| {{cite video game \| title = Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel! \| developer = 2K Australia, Gearbox Software \| publisher = 2K Games \| scene=Closing credits, 3:39 minutes in }}
202? \|Edge of Twilight \|Horace \|

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! Ref.

2003

| Enter the Matrix

| Trainman

| {{cite video game | title = Enter the Matrix | developer = Shiny Entertainment | publisher = Atari Games}}

2014

| Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel!

| Scav Gyro, Sir Dennis, Toby Van Adobe, Tony Slows, Taunting Scav #2

| {{cite video game | title = Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel! | developer = 2K Australia, Gearbox Software | publisher = 2K Games | scene=Closing credits, 3:39 minutes in }}

202?

|Edge of Twilight

|Horace

Theatre

Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes
class="wikitable sortable"
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

External links

{{IMDb name|id=0817748|name=Bruce Spence}}

{{Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role 1972-1979}}

Category:Best Actor AACTA Award winners

Category:Living people

Category:New Zealand male film actors

Category:New Zealand male television actors

Category:New Zealand male video game actors

Category:New Zealand male voice actors

Category:People educated at Henderson High School, Auckland

Category:Australian male film actors

Category:Australian male comedians

Category:Australian male television actors

Category:Comedians from Auckland

Category:1945 births

Category:New Zealand sketch comedians

Category:21st-century New Zealand comedians