Bruce Willis

Profile
Name: Bruce Willis
Birth Name: Walter Bruce Willis
Height: 6'
Sex: M
Nationality: American
Birth Date: March 19, 1955
Birth Place: Idar-Oberstein, West Germany
Profession: actor, musician, producer, writer
Education: Penns Grove High School in Penns Grove, New JerseyMontclair State College in Montclair, New Jersey (honorary doctorate)
Husband/Wife: Demi Moore (actress; born on November 11, 1962; re-married on November 21, 1987; divorced on October 28, 2000 after 13-year marriage)
Relationship: Lara Flynn Boyle (actress; born on March 24, 1970), Maria Bravo Rosado (Spanish model)
Father: David Willis (welder, mechanic)
Mother: Marlene Willis
Sister: Flo Willis
Brother: David Willis (producer)
Daughter: Tallulah Belle Willis (born on February 3, 1994), Scout LaRue Willis (born on July 20, 1991), Rumer Glenn Willis (born on August 16, 1988)
Claim to fame: as John McClane in Die Hard (1988)

Biography
Bruce Willis is a name to reckon with in the Hollywood film industry. He was born on 19th March, 1955 in Idar-Oberstein, a German town near the border with Luxembourg. He was born to David, a military man, and his wife, Marlene, who was from Kassel. Bruce was called as Walter Bruce Willison on his birth.The Willis family moved from a West German military base to the small town of Carneys Point, New Jersey, when Bruce was two years old. He grew up as the oldest of four children in a blue-collar family. As a teenager, he worked in a DuPont chemical plant.

Bruce was quite popular in his school times and therefore was elected as Student Council President. After graduating from high school, Willis attended Montclair (NJ) State College, where he first became interested in acting. He left college and moved to New York City in 1977, when he landed a bit part in an Off-Broadway play. In New York, he supported himself by working as a bartender in between small roles in stage productions.

Willis’ first break came in 1984, when he stepped in for another actor in the lead role in Sam Shepard’s Off-Broadway hit Fool for Love. His success led to an audition for Desperately Seeking Susan, an upcoming production starring Madonna. Willis didn’t get the role, but he stayed in Hollywood long enough to attend a casting call for a new television series called Moonlighting. Chosen from among 3,000 hopefuls to play the wisecracking private detective David Addison, Willis became a star overnight when Moonlighting became a hit. The chemistry between Willis and co-star Cybill Shepherd won over fans for four successful seasons (1985-89), and Willis won an Emmy in 1987 for Best Actor in a Television Series (Comedy or Musical).

In 1994, Willis emerged from this slump with two powerful supporting performances in relatively low-budget films—Quentin Tarantino’s gleefully violent Pulp Fiction (which also revived Travolta’s fading career) and Nobody’s Fool, starring Paul Newman. He also had a much-talked-about frontal nude scene in the psychological thriller Color of Night (1994). Unlike many of his fellow action heroes, Willis continued to mix riskier roles in smaller films with big-budget action films—meeting with varying results. He scored hits with two weird futuristic thrillers—Twelve Monkeys (1995), also featuring Brad Pitt, and The Fifth Element (1997)—while more traditional action films, like Last Man Standing (1996), The Jackal (1997), co-starring Richard Gere, and Mercury Rising (1998), did relatively mediocre business.

In 2000, Willis showed off his considerable comedic talent by starring as a hit man in the hit film The Whole Nine Yards, and guest starring on three episodes of the hit TV series Friends during the May sweeps.

Willis marrie the A-list actress Demi Moore. But after 10 years of their marriage the couple announced their divorce.

BRUCE WILLIS has demonstrated incredible versatility in his career with such diverse roles as the action-hero in the popular Die Hard film series, a meek, classic anti-hero in Death Becomes Her, the prizefighter in Quentin Tarantino's Academy Award winning Pulp Fiction, and the traumatized Vietnam vet in Norman Jewison's In Country. Its just right to say that he is a versatile and accomplished actor of all times.

Filmography
Actor
2007 Perfect Stranger
2007 Grindhouse
2007 What Just Happened?
2007 Perfect Stranger
2007 Live Free or Die Hard
2006 Alpha Dog
2006 The Astronaut Farmer
2006 Fast Food Nation
2006 Tony Bennett: An American Classic
2006 Lucky Number Slevin
2006 The Hip Hop Project
2006 16 Blocks
2006 Over the Hedge
2005 Hostage
2005 Sin City
2004 Wildwood Days
2004 The Whole Ten Yards
2003 Rugrats Go Wild
2003 Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle
2003 Tears of the Sun
2002 Hart's War
2002 True West
2001 Bandits
2000 Friends: The One Where Ross Meets Elizabeth's Dad
2000 Friends: The One With the Ring
2000 Disney's The Kid
2000 Friends: The One Where Paul's the Man
2000 Unbreakable
2000 The Whole Nine Yards
1999 Ally McBeal: Love Unlimited
1999 The Story of Us
1999 Breakfast of Champions
1999 The Sixth Sense
1998 Armageddon
1998 The Siege
1998 Mercury Rising
1997 The Fifth Element
1997 The Jackal
1997 Mad About You: The Birth, Part 2
1996 Last Man Standing
1996 Beavis and Butt-Head Do America
1995 Die Hard With a Vengeance
1995 12 Monkeys
1995 Four Rooms
1994 North
1994 Color of Night
1994 Pulp Fiction
1994 Nobody's Fool
1993 National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1
1993 Striking Distance
1992 The Player
1992 Death Becomes Her
1991 The Last Boy Scout
1991 Billy Bathgate
1991 Hudson Hawk
1991 Mortal Thoughts
1990 The Bonfire of the Vanities
1990 Look Who's Talking, Too
1990 Die Hard 2
1989 That's Adequate
1989 Look Who's Talking
1989 Saturday Night Live: Bruce Willis
1989 In Country
1989 Roseanne: Dear Mom and Dad
1988 Sunset
1988 Moonlighting: A Womb With a View
1988 Moonlighting: Season 05
1988 Bruce Willis: The Return of Bruno
1988 Die Hard
1987 Blind Date
1987 Moonlighting: Season 04
1986 Moonlighting: Season 03
1985 Moonlighting: Season 01
1985 Moonlighting: Season 02
1985 Moonlighting
1984 Miami Vice: No Exit
1982 The Verdict
1980 The First Deadly Sin

Executive Producer
2006 The Hip Hop Project
2004 Touching Evil [TV Series]
2002 True West

Producer
2007 Live Free or Die Hard
2005 Hostage
2002 The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course

Screenwriter
1991 Hudson Hawk

Songwriter
1991 Hudson Hawk

Awards
Won:
2000 People's Choice Awards - Favorite Motion Picture Star in a Drama
1999 Blockbuster Awards - Favorite Actor - Armageddon
1999 Blockbuster Awards - Supporting Actor - The Siege

1998 Star on the Walk of Fame
1987 Emmy - Outstanding Lead Actor - Moonlighting
1987 Golden Globe - Best Performance - Moonlighting

Nominated:
2000 People's Choice Award - Favorite Motion Picture Actor
2000 Blockbuster Awards - Favorite Actor - The Sixth Sense
1998 Blockbuster Awards - Favorite Actor - The Jackal
1992 MTV Movie Award - Best On-Screen Duo - The Last Boy Scout
1990 Golden Globe - Best Supporting Actor - In Country
1988 Golden Globe - Best Actor - Moonlighting
1986 Golden Globe - Best Actor - Moonlighting
1986 Emmy - Outstanding Lead Actor - Moonlighting

Trivia

Was seen passionately kissing Courtney Love at his 52nd birthday celebration. (March 19, 2007)

Has slammed reports he used the services of Hollywood madam Jody Babydoll Gibson, claiming that he doesn't even know her. (March 1, 2007)

Was kicked in the forehead during a fight scene in LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD and was briefly hospitalized. (January 24, 2007)

Is rumored to be dating Renee Zellweger after they were seen looking cozy at new Los Angeles restaurant Cut. (November 23, 2006)

Will reprise the role of hard-nosed police detective John McClane in a fourth DIE HARD movie, to be called LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD. (August 4, 2006)

Sued a photographer for $1 million in damages, claiming the man defamed him by charging that hit him outside a West Hollywood restaurant. (June 20, 2006)

Credited Will Smith for advising him to put his kids first during the divorce from Demi Moore, for it not only ensured that the two remained friends, but also that their daughters were not caught between feuding parents. (May 30, 2006)

Filming on the 4rth DIE HARD movie has been postponed because Bruce Willis is too fat. (May 26, 2006)

Confirmed that shooting on the fourth DIE HARD movie will begin soon and it is set to be released next year. (May 22, 2006)

Voted the worst (2nd) autographer in Hollywood by Autograph Collector's 14th annual survey. (2006)

Credited his addiction to playing cops on his admiration for the work they do. (May 9, 2006)

Slammed the media for its poor news coverage, accusing the industry of deliberately ignoring serious news in favor of racy stories. (May 9, 2006)

Believes he will die a bachelor - because he can't commit to one woman. (May 3, 2006)

Keen to do DIE HARD 4 if the studio can come up with a script he likes. (April 20, 2006)

Says that the secret to his youthful looks is to avoid the news. He says he started looking and feeling younger as soon as he stopped keeping up to date with depressing events from around the globe. (April 20, 2006)

Has apologized to Colombia after blaming the nation for America's drug problems. (March 25, 2006)

Offers a $1million reward for anyone who turns in al-Qaeda terrorist Osama Bin Laden. (November 15, 2005)

Admits to having a a little crush on Halle Berry when they were neighbors. (October 29, 2005)

Ordered ex-wife Demi Moore not to expose their three daughters to Kabbalah. (September 29, 2005)

Willis, Virginia Madsen, and Bruce Dern have all joined the cast of the Warner Independent Pictures film ASTRONAUT FARMER, starring Billy Bob Thornton. (September 16, 2005)

Made a special guest appearance on That '70s Show, playing a shady security boss who interviews Ashton Kutcher’s character for a bouncer's job. (September 13, 2005)

Headed the jury at 2005 Miss Italy beauty pageant. (September 8, 2005)

Shocked a German family in the south western town of Idar-Oberstein by turning up unannounced on their doorstep and demanding to see inside - because he was born there 50 years ago. He then used his rusty German to ask if he could take some photographs of the basement bedroom, where he spent the first two years of his life. (August 11, 2005)

Willis and ex-wife Demi Moore are furious the former manager of their Idaho ranch is trying to publish a tell-all book about his time with the couple. (June 14, 2005)

Has been made an officer in the Order of Arts and Letters, one of France's highest cultural honors. (April 14, 2005)

Enjoys being single so much he would have to meet someone really special to even consider sacrificing his bachelor status. (April 5, 2005)

A British TV interview with Willis was cut halfway through because he upset two 10-year-old presenters by shouting at them after they asked him their trademark cheeky questions. (2005)

Says he has given up on finding love because his standards are too high. (March 15, 2005)

Almost missed out on securing the film rights to Robert Crais' novel Hostage, because he left his copy of the book on a shelf for a month after he bought it in 2001. (2005)

Offered a chunk of his land in Idaho for the construction of a new airfield. (2004)

Sued the producers of his 2003 film TEARS OF THE SUN, claiming he suffered physical and mental injuries due to their negligence. (2004)

Has signed up to play the father of drug dealer Jesse James Hollywood in the film ALPHA DOG. (October 27, 2004)

Pays $21,000 in penalties for violating federal wetlands protection laws at his home in Hailey. (August 28, 2004)

Has consulted experts about a new 'hair cloning' treatment which has only been tested on rodents and is awaiting approval from the US government. (June 29, 2004)

Willis and his girlfriend of 10 months, Brooke Burns, have split. (June 4, 2004)

Has denied reports he proposed to his young girlfriend Brooke Burns last month. (December 5, 2003)

Willis, on a goodwill tour of Iraq, visited a remote desert outpost Friday to meet with a small number of U.S. troops monitoring the border with Iran. (September 27, 2003)

Willis treated 300 old school chums to a lavish 30th reunion party at the fancy Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on Friday. (August 22, 2003)

Willis has hit out at ex-wife Demi Moore's new boyfriend Ashton Kutcher following reports the young hunk's cheating on the actress – Reports say Bruce warned Kutcher to treat Demi with respect, otherwise he'd have himself to answer to. (June 23, 2003)

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis and Denzel Washington are demanding $1 million each from American electronics giant Fry's Electronics after their images appeared in newspaper ads for the company. (June 19, 2003)

Willis has spoken out about his ex-wife Demi Moore's high-profile romance with young star Ashton Kutcher and insists he's happy for them – the actor says the three of them are great pals. (June 14, 2003)

Bruce Willis and Demi Moore can't stay away from each other -- Bruce is making a cameo appearance in Demi's comeback film CHARLIE'S ANGELS: FULL THROTTLE where Moore has a main role as villain Madison Lee. (June 4, 2003)

Willis has cast doubt over plans for a fourth installment of action franchise DIE HARD, claiming he's bored of the films, “Fox certainly wants it to happen, but I think they have a tough job ahead of them. Because within the genre of the three DIE HARD films that have already been done, it has always been about terrorism. And to do a film about terrorism right now doesn't seem like a very good idea. (March 8, 2003)

After appearing in Willis’s new movie TEARS OF THE SUN, John Anyak received a special gift from Willis and the movie's director, Antoine Fuqua – Willis and Fuqua spent $20,000 to buy a new artificial leg for the Sudanese refugee to replace the one he wore out in four months of filming in the jungles of Windward Oahu. (March 7, 2003)

Willis faced his toughest challenge on TV in America Wednesday night – The actor, who was scheduled to appear on The Late Show to promote his new film TEARS OF THE SUN, found himself hosting the show when chat show titan David Letterman phoned in sick with an eye infection; admitting he was terrified, Willis did a good job of hosting the show. (March 1, 2003)

A skydiver hired for stunt work on the Navy SEALs drama starring Willis and Italian beauty Monica Bellucci, is presumed dead Thursday after disappearing in the Pacific Ocean. (November 1, 2002)

After several years of trying, he has finally secured a lead role in an Elmore Leonard's short story TENKILLER.

Named a national spokesman for kids in foster care by President Bush

Originally, BLIND DATE (1987) was scheduled for Madonna and Sean Penn. When Madonna heard that they had cast Bruce Willis in the male lead role, she pulled out.

Managed to blow nearly $120,000 in less than five hours at a London casino

He was high school student council president.

Bruce and Demi announce they are ending their marriage of eleven years. No reasons given. (24 June 1998)

He was ranked #22 in Empire (UK) magazine's The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time list. (October 1997)

He appeared on Late Show with David Letterman (1993) to advertise for Demi Moore's STRIPTEASE (1996) by doing his own undressing act. (1996)

As a young man his personality was very much like that of the character that he portrayed on MOONLIGHTING (1985). He was always getting into trouble because of this and was bodily ejected from parties by the hosts for being obnoxious.

He has been very vocal in his support of almost every major republican candidate in recent history except Bob Dole. He felt that presidential candidate Dole was out of line in his attacks on Demi Moore and her part in the movie STRIPTEASE (1996).

He was the first actor to ever act in a video game. No one before has ever done voice work along with having their movements digitally added to the game.

He stated he will no longer be doing violent action or save-the-world movies. (2001)

He wears his watch upside down with the face on the inside of his hand. This is also visible in many movies he's done (DIE HARD: WITH A VENGEANCE, MERCURY RISING, etc.) where they haven't requested him to flip it over.

Memorial Day weekend, 1987: He was arrested after reportedly disturbing the peace and assaulting a police officer who was called to quiet a raucous party at his home. The charges were dropped after Willis agreed to apologize to his neighbors.

According to friends, he had a terrible stammer as a child.

He set a new benchmark for actors' salaries when he was paid $5 million for DIE HARD in 1988. Eight years later his wife Demi set a benchmark of 12 million with STRIPTEASE.

He was named Man of the Year by Harvard University's Hasty Pudding Theatricals. (February 2002)

He auditioned for a role in THE FISHER KING (1991)

Director of ARMAGEDDON (1998), Michael Bay, had the actors write their list of demands on the papers Willis read from.

In BANDITS (2001) the little girl who belches during the dinner scene is his daughter, Scout... and according to him, that belch was not enhanced.

Val Kilmer was originally considered for the part of Joe in BANDITS (2001), and Willis was originally going to play the part of Terry, but due to scheduling conflicts, Kilmer backed out, and Willis took over the part of Joe.

The cigarette that he smokes in THE FIFTH ELEMENT (1997) appears to have a filter that takes up most of the cigarette.

From DIE HARD (1988) Willis received a then unheard of $5 million, a fee that was ok'd by Rupert Murdock. Bruce and Demi Moore tied the knot at the Golden Nugget hotel in Las Vegas during this shoot, Moore having recently broken her engagement to actor Emilio Estevez. Little Richard presided over the ceremony and former brat packer Ally Sheedy was a bridesmaid.

In a scene of DIE HARD: WITH A VENGEANCE (1995) where Bruce Willis talks about his hangover he said I was happy I smoked cigarettes and watched captain kangaroo. That phrase is also used in one of the songs in the PULP FICTION soundtrack in which Willis also starred.

According to director of LOOK WHO'S TALKING (1989) Amy Heckerling, Willis improvised X-rated voiceover takes.

Actually lives on Pacific Coast Drive just like in LOADED WEAPON 1 (1993).

Among the people in the courtroom during the dramatic closing speech in THE VERDICT (1982) is a young Bruce Willis.

Director Terry Gilliam first met him while casting his film THE FISHER KING 1991). He was impressed by the sensitivity shown by Willis in the scene from DIE HARD (1988) where McClane (Willis) talks about his wife while pulling glass from his feet. Talking to Willis, Gilliam discovered that this part was ad-libbed by Willis. Gilliam remembered this, and was convinced to cast him in TWELVE MONKEYS.

During the scene in PULP FICTION where he is drying himself off after the shower, the TV version digitally stretches his towel so it covers him up.

Elijah asks David what made him choose protection as a career out of all the things he could have done, such as founding a chain of restaurants. In reality, Willis is one of the founders of Planet Hollywood, a restaurant chain (UNBREAKABLE).

Gilliam gave Willis a list of Willis acting clichés not to be used during the film, including the steely blue eyes look.

He was cast in OCEAN'S ELEVEN (2001), but had to pull out due to scheduling conflicts

In DIE HARD: WITH A VENGEANCE (1995), Inspector Cobb (Larry Bryggman) says of McClane (Bruce Willis) that by next month he's gonna be a security guard. In UNBREAKABLE (2000), Willis finally is a security guard.

In PULP FICTION (1994), his character has a flashback dream about his childhood. His character in 12 MONKEYS does the same thing.

In THE LAST BOY SCOUT (1991) Joe (Willis) mentions reindeer goat cheese pizza, which Willis also mentioned in HUDSON HAWK (1991).

In the scene in the Ultimart, during the shootout of GROSSE POINTE BLANK (1997), the head of Bruce Willis gets shot off of a stand-up cardboard cutout of PULP FICTION.

Much like his character Jimmy says about Matthew Perry's character Oz, Bruce Willis has stated in interviews that although it surprised him, he actually couldn't help liking Matthew Perry and they now are very good friends (THE WHOLE NINE YARDS (2000)).

Starring in THE RETURN OF BRUNO (1988), Bruno was Willis's nickname from his bartending days.

THE SIXTH SENSE is the second movie in which he plays a psychologist who has a traumatic experience and wants to give up. The other one was COLOR OF NIGHT (1994).

THE SIXTH SENSE is the second movie with him in a leading role where one of the main characters is named Cole, whom nobody believes and is considered to be insane or unusual. The other was TWELVE MONKEYS - in which Cole says, All I see are dead people. Also, both movies have a number in the title, and both take place in Philadelphia.

There is a persistent rumor that a shot of Bruce Willis in full DIE HARD gear was composited into the triage scene. The likeness is certainly striking, but it remains merely a rumor for the time being.

While circling a passage in the notes, he does so with his right hand. Willis is actually left-handed; he possibly circled it right-handed to provide for a better camera angle (THE SIXTH SENSE (1999)).

Willis said that TWELVE MONKEYS (1995) is only the second film where he decided to take a role in a film after only one reading of the script. The other film was PULP FICTION (1994).

Nominated for Best On-Screen Duo at MTV Movie Awards for THE SIXTH SENSE (2000) - shared with Haley Joel Osment

Nominated for Best Male Performance at MTV Movie Awards for THE SIXTH SENSE (2000)

Nominated for Best On-Screen Duo at MTV Movie Awards for THE LAST BOY SCOUT (1992) - shared with Damon Wayans

Nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture at Golden Globe Awards for IN COUNTRY (1990)

Nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a TV-Series - Comedy/Musical at Golden Globe Awards for Moonlighting (1988)

Nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series at Emmy Awards for Moonlighting (1986)