Virginia Bruce

Virginia Bruce (born Helen Virginia Briggs;[3] September 29, 1910 – February 24, 1982) was an American actress and singer.

Virginia Bruce
Publicity photo of Virginia Bruce for Argentinean Magazine
Born
Helen Virginia Briggs

(1910-09-29)September 29, 1910[1]
DiedFebruary 24, 1982(1982-02-24) (aged 71)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)Actress, singer
Years active1929–1981
Spouses
(m. 1932; div. 1934)
    J. Walter Ruben
    (m. 1937; died 1942)
      Ali Ipar
      (m. 1946; div. 1964)
      [2]
      Children2
      RelativesHutch Dano (great-grandson)

      Early life

      Bruce was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. As an infant she moved with her parents, Earil and Margaret Briggs, to Fargo, North Dakota. The city directory of Fargo documents that the Briggs family lived there at 421 14th Street South. After Bruce graduated from Fargo Central High School in 1928,[4][5] she moved with her family to Los Angeles intending to enroll at the University of California, Los Angeles when a friendly wager sent her seeking film work.

      Career

      Bruce's first screen work was in 1929 as an extra for Paramount in Why Bring That Up? In 1930, she appeared on Broadway in the musical Smiles at the Ziegfeld Theatre, followed by the Broadway production America's Sweetheart in 1931.[6]

      Bruce returned to Hollywood in 1932, where she began work in early August at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer on the film Kongo starring Walter Huston. During production on that project, on August 10, she married John Gilbert (her first, his fourth) with whom she recently costarred in Downstairs.[7][8] The Film Daily reported that the couple's "quick" wedding was held in Gilbert's dressing room on the studio lot. Among the people attending the small ceremony were the head of MGM production Irving Thalberg, who served as the groom's best man; screenwriter Donald Ogden Stewart, whose wife Beatrice acted as matron of honor; MGM art director and set designer Cedric Gibbons; and his wife, actress Dolores del Río.[8]

      Bruce retired briefly from acting after the birth of their daughter Susan Ann, although she returned to film appearances after her divorce from Gilbert (caused by his alcoholism) in May 1934.[9] Gilbert died of a heart attack in 1936.

      Bruce is credited with introducing the Cole Porter standard "I've Got You Under My Skin" in the 1936 film Born to Dance. The same year, she costarred in the MGM musical The Great Ziegfeld. She also performed periodically on radio. In 1949, for example, Bruce starred in Make Believe Town, a 30-minute afternoon drama broadcast daily on CBS Radio.[10]

      In the early 1960s, she retired from films.

      Personal life

      Virginia Bruce in 1934

      Bruce married American film director J. Walter Ruben in 1937.[11]

      Bruce was a Democrat who supported the campaign of Adlai Stevenson during the 1952 presidential election.[12]

      Bruce died of cancer at age 71 on February 24, 1982, at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital[3] in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California.

      Filmography

      Year Title Role Notes
      1929 Fugitives Bit Part Uncredited
      Blue Skies Party guest Uncredited
      River of Romance Southern Belle Uncredited
      Fashions in Love Uncredited
      Hard to Get Young woman Uncredited
      Illusion Party Guest Uncredited
      Woman Trap Nurse
      Why Bring That Up? Chorus Girl Uncredited
      The Love Parade Lady-in-Waiting Uncredited
      Pointed Heels Chorus Girl Uncredited
      1930 Lilies of the Field Doris
      Slightly Scarlet Enid Corbett
      Only the Brave Elizabeth
      Young Eagles Florence Welford
      Paramount on Parade Chorus Girl Uncredited
      Safety in Numbers Alma McGregor
      The Social Lion Society Girl Uncredited
      Raffles Gwen's Friend Uncredited
      Let's Go Native Wendell Sr.'s Secretary Uncreidted
      Follow Thru Bit in Ladies Locker Room Uncredited
      Whoopee! Goldwyn Girl Uncredited
      1931 Hell Divers Girl (scenes deleted)
      1932 The Miracle Man Margaret Thornton
      Sky Bride Ruth Dunning
      Winner Take All Joan Gibson
      Downstairs Anna
      Kongo Ann Whitehall
      1934 Jane Eyre Jane Eyre
      Dangerous Corner Ann Peel
      The Mighty Barnum Jenny Lind
      1935 Society Doctor Madge
      Shadow of Doubt Trenna Plaice
      Times Square Lady Toni Bradley
      Let 'Em Have It Eleanor Spencer
      Escapade Gerta
      The Murder Man Mary Shannon
      Here Comes the Band Margaret Jones
      Metropolitan Anne Merrill
      1936 The Garden Murder Case Zalia Graem
      The Great Ziegfeld Audrey Dane
      Born to Dance Lucy James
      1937 Women of Glamour Gloria Hudson
      When Love Is Young Wanda Werner
      Between Two Women Patricia Sloan
      Wife, Doctor and Nurse Steve aka Miss Stephens
      The Bad Man of Brimstone Loretta Douglas
      1938 Arsène Lupin Returns Lorraine de Grissac
      The First Hundred Years Lynn Conway
      Yellow Jack Frances Blake
      Woman Against Woman Maris Kent
      There Goes My Heart Joan Butterfield
      There's That Woman Again Sally Reardon
      1939 Let Freedom Ring Maggie Adams
      Society Lawyer Pat Abbott
      Stronger Than Desire Elizabeth Flagg
      1940 Flight Angels Mary Norvell
      The Man Who Talked Too Much Joan Reed
      Hired Wife Phyllis Walden
      The Invisible Woman Kitty Carroll
      1941 Adventure in Washington Jane Scott Alternative title: Female Correspondent
      1942 Butch Minds the Baby Susie O'Neill
      Pardon My Sarong Joan Marshall
      Careful, Soft Shoulder Connie Mathers
      1944 Action in Arabia Yvonne Danesco
      Brazil Nicky Henderson Alternative title: Stars and Guitars
      1945 Love, Honor and Goodbye Roberta Baxter
      1948 Night Has a Thousand Eyes Jenny Courtland
      1949 State Department: File 649 Margaret "Marge" Weldon Alternative title: Assignment in China
      1954 Salgin Nurse Alternative titles: Epidemic
      Istanbul
      1955 Reluctant Bride Laura Weeks Alternative title: Two Grooms for a Bride
      1960 Strangers When We Meet Mrs. Wagner

      Partial TV credits

      Year Title Role Episode(s)
      1953 General Electric Theater Adele 1 episode
      1955 Letter to Loretta Dee Norman 1 episode
      Science Fiction Theatre Dr. Myrna Griffin
      Jean Gordon
      2 episodes
      1957 The Ford Television Theatre Ruth Crest 1 episode

      References

      1. "Virgnina Bruce, 72, Actress Portrayed Ziegfeld Showgirl". The New York Times. New York, New York City. United Press International. February 26, 1982. Archived from the original on 11 July 2018. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
      2. "Virginia Bruce is divorced". The New York Times. Istanbul, Turkey. January 19, 1964. Archived from the original on 2024-03-11. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
      3. "Film Actress Virginia Bruce dies at 71 after long illness". The San Bernardino County Sun. California, San Bernardino. The San Bernardino County Sun. February 25, 1982. p. 10. Retrieved January 7, 2016 via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
      4. "Fargoan had long career in films".
      5. "VIRGINIA BRUCE, 72, ACTRESS PORTRAYED ZIEGFELD SHOWGIRL". The New York Times. 26 February 1982.
      6. Virginia Bruce at the Internet Broadway Database
      7. "Here's Proof John Gilbert Is Screen's Great Lover". New York, Syracuse. Syracuse Herald. August 11, 1932. p. 12. Retrieved January 7, 2016 via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
      8. "GILBERT'S QUICK MARRIAGE", news item, The Film Daily [New York, N.Y. (West Coast Bureau)], August 12, 1932, page 4. Internet Archive, San Francisco, California. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
      9. "Fourth Divorce for John Gilbert of Films". The Southeast Missourian. May 26, 1934. p. 1. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
      10. "Ethel Merman, Virginia Bruce In Radio Dramas". Freeport Journal-Standard. Freeport Journal-Standard. July 30, 1949. p. 3. Retrieved May 3, 2015 via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
      11. "Virginia Bruce: Biography", Turner Classic Movies (TCM), Turner Broadcasting System, a subsidiary of Time Warner, Inc., New York, N.Y. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
      12. Motion Picture and Television Magazine, November 1952, page 33, Ideal Publishers
      • Virginia Bruce: Under My Skin, 2008. (Biography by Scott O'Brien)
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