Nigel Bruce

William Nigel Ernle Bruce (4 February 1895 – 8 October 1953) was a British character actor on stage and screen. He was best known for his portrayal of Dr. Watson in a series of films and in the radio series The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (starring Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes). Bruce is also remembered for his roles in the Alfred Hitchcock films Rebecca and Suspicion. Biography Bruce was the second son of Sir William Waller Bruce, 10th Baronet (1856–1912) and his wife Angelica Lady Bruce (died 1917), daughter of General George Selby, Royal Artillery. Bruce was born in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico, while his parents were on holiday there. His older brother was the author and adventurer Sir Michael Bruce. He was educated at the Grange, Stevenage and at Abingdon School, Oxfordshire. He served in France from 1914 as a lieutenant in the 10th Service Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry and the Honourable Artillery Company, but was severely wounded at Cambrai the following year, with eleven bullets in his left leg, and spent most of the remainder of the war in a wheelchair. He made his first appearance on stage on 12 May 1920 at the Comedy Theatre as a footman in Why Marry? In October of that year, he went to Canada as stage manager to Henry V. Esmond and Eva Moore, also playing "Montague Jordan" in Eliza Comes to Stay; upon returning to England, he toured acting the same part. He appeared constantly onstage thereafter, and eight years later started also working in silent films. In 1934, he moved to Hollywood, later setting up home at 701 North Alpine Drive, Beverly Hills. Nigel Bruce typically played buffoonish, fuzzy-minded gentlemen. During his film career, he worked in 78 films, including Treasure Island (1934), The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936), Rebecca (1940), and Suspicion (1941). Bruce participated in two landmark films: Becky Sharp (1935), the first feature film in full Technicolor, and Bwana Devil (1952), the first 3-D feature. He uncharacteristically played a detestable figure in The Rains Came (1939) which became the first film to win an Oscar for special effects. Watson role Bruce's signature role was that of Dr. Watson in the 1939-1946 Sherlock Holmes film series with close friend Basil Rathbone as Holmes. Bruce starred as Watson in all 14 films of the series and over 200 radio programs of The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.[4] Although Watson often appears to be the older of the two main characters, Bruce was actually three years younger than his co-star Rathbone. Though for most viewers Nigel Bruce formed their vision of Dr. Watson, Holmes purists have long objected that the Watson of the books was intelligent and capable (although not an outstanding detective), and that Bruce's portrayal made Watson far dimmer and more bumbling than his literary original. (A nickname resulting from this portrayal was "Boobus Britannicus." Loren D. Estleman wrote of Bruce: "If a mop bucket appeared in a scene, his foot would be inside it, and if by some sardonic twist of fate and the whim of director Roy William Neill he managed to stumble upon an important clue, he could be depended upon to blow his nose on it and throw it away." Conan Doyle said Watson was Holmes' foil; but surely he need not have made him such a clot. Rathbone, however, spoke highly of Bruce's portrayal, saying that Watson was one of the screen's most lovable characters. The historian David Parkinson wrote that Bruce's "avuncular presence provided the perfect counterbalance to Rathbone's briskly omniscient sleuth".[6] Historian Alan Barnes notes that, despite the criticisms against him, Bruce rehabilitated Watson, who had been a marginal figure in the cinematic Holmes canon to that point: "after Bruce, it would be a near-unthinkable heresy to show Holmes without him". The Rathbone-Bruce film series lapsed with the death of producer-director Roy William Neill in 1946. Since then, most major modern adaptations of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories, especially since the 1970s, have consciously defied the popular stereotype, and depicted Watson faithfully as a capable man of action. Family Nigel Bruce was married from 1921 until his death to British actress Violet Campbell (née Violet Pauline Shelton; 1892–1970) whom he always lovingly called "Bunny" and they had two daughters: Jennifer, married in 1944 (divorced in 1946) Jay Gould III, son of Jay Gould II; Pauline, married in 1946 the British flying ace Alan Geoffrey Page. Later life Bruce, known as "Willie" to his friends, was a leading member of the British film colony in Los Angeles, and was captain of the (mostly British) Hollywood Cricket Club. Unlike some of his contemporaries, and along with other British actors such as Basil Rathbone and Charlie Chaplin, Bruce maintained his British citizenship, despite long residence in the United States. He also retained his membership of London's Garrick Club and Buck's Club until his death. His final film, World for Ransom, was released posthumously in 1954. Death Bruce died from a heart attack in Santa Monica, California in 1953, aged 58. He was cremated, and his ashes stored in the vault at the Chapel of the Pines Crematory in Los Angeles. He wrote an autobiography called Games, Gossip and Greasepaint which has never been published; however, excerpts have been printed in the Sherlock Holmes Journal, and these have been posted online, with permission. Filmography Year Title Role 1929 Red Aces Kinsfeather, T.B. 1930 The Squeaker Collie Escape Constable Birds of Prey Manager 1931 The Calendar Lord Willie Panniford 1932 The Midshipmaid Major Spink Lord Camber's Ladies Lord Camber 1933 I Was a Spy Scottie Channel Crossing Nigel Guthrie 1934 Coming Out Party Troon, the Butler Stand Up and Cheer! Eustis Dinwiddle Murder in Trinidad Bertram Lynch Treasure Island Squire Trelawney The Lady Is Willing Welton Springtime for Henry Johnny Jewlliwell The Scarlet Pimpernel The Prince of Wales 1935 Becky Sharp Joseph Sedley She Horace Holly Jalna Maurice Vaughn The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo Ivan 1936 The Trail of the Lonesome Pine Thurber Under Two Flags Capt. Menzies The White Angel Dr. West Follow Your Heart Henri Forrester The Charge of the Light Brigade Sir Benjamin Warrenton 1936 The Man I Marry Robert Hartley 1937 Thunder in the City Duke Of Glenavon The Last of Mrs. Cheyney Lord Willie Winton 1938 The Baroness and the Butler Major Andros Kidnapped Neil MacDonald Suez Sir Malcolm Cameron 1939 The Hound of the Baskervilles Dr. Watson The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Dr. John H. Watson The Rains Came Lord Albert Esketh 1940 The Blue Bird Mr. Luxury Adventure in Diamonds Col. J.W. Lansfield Rebecca Major Giles Lacy Lillian Russell William S. Gilbert Susan and God Hutchins Stubbs A Dispatch from Reuter's Sir Randolph Persham 1941 Hudson's Bay Prince Rupert Play Girl William McDonald Vincent Free and Easy Florian Clemington This Woman Is Mine Duncan MacDougall The Chocolate Soldier Bernard Fischer, Critic Suspicion Beaky 1942 Roxie Hart E. Clay Benham This Above All Ramsbottom Eagle Squadron McKinnon Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror Dr. John H. Watson Journey for Margaret Herbert V. Allison 1943 Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon Dr. John H. Watson Forever and a Day Maj. Garrow Sherlock Holmes in Washington Dr. John H. Watson Sherlock Holmes Faces Death Dr. John H. Watson Lassie Come Home Duke of Rudling Crazy House Dr. John H. Watson (Cameo appearance) 1944 The Spider Woman Dr. John H. Watson The Scarlet Claw Dr. John H. Watson The Pearl of Death Dr. John H. Watson Gypsy Wildcat High Sheriff Frenchman's Creek Lord Godolphin 1945 Sherlock Holmes and the House of Fear Dr. John H. Watson The Corn Is Green The Squire Son of Lassie Duke of Radling The Woman in Green Dr. John H. Watson Pursuit to Algiers Dr. John H. Watson 1946 Terror by Night Dr. John H. Watson Dressed to Kill Dr. John H. Watson 1947 The Two Mrs. Carrolls Dr. Tuttle The Exile Sir Edward Hyde 1948 Julia Misbehaves Col. Bruce "Bunny" Willowbrook 1950 Vendetta Sir Thomas Nevil 1952 Hong Kong Mr. Lighton Limelight Postant, an Impresario Bwana Devil Dr. Angus McLean 1954 World for Ransom Governor Sir Charles Coutts (final film)