BRUCE GORDON

2009-01-14T01:31:00Z

Bruce Gordon played Mr. Devere, the head of Devere Interprises. His desire for the death of Buddy was undeniable and he worked hard at his goal. He was relentless and determined. He was no fool, and at times actually over thought his target, which was a break for Buddy. He hardly ever smiled, for until Buddy could be caught, there was little to smile about. His every waking thought seemed to be in quieting his victim and he spent all the man power he had to accomplish this. He seemed hard-hearted and neither the pleas of Wendell for leaniency nor getting to know Buddy personally seem to sway him. He was all buisness and killing Buddy was that buisness. Although he never smiled he also never yelled; he never had to. The tone in his voice was enough to send his henchmen scuring to do his bidding. He did, however, seem to truely love his son and although Junior's mishaps annoyed him he seemed to forgive his son's shortcomings almost before they occured. Like most parents he seemed to have trouble telling his only son "no" and with a few soft spoken words from Junior, he could be pursuaded to spare even Buddy's life.

Bruce Gordon, English born, is a burly cleft-chinned actor who was part of the original cast of the broadway play, Arsenic and Old Lace from 1941 to 1945. His film debut was with Marilyn Monroe in 1949 in Love Happy. He appeared in many tv productions in the 50's playing mostly heavies(bad guys) but did get a heroic lead in the series Behind Closed Doors. His signature role was Frank 'The Enforcer" Nitti in the tv series The Untouchables, where he is remembered for his catch phrase, "You're Dead". The rest of his career he was type-cast as mobster types, although he has been seen in Get Smart, The Lucy Show and The Jackie Gleason Show. He appeared in the NBC series Northwest Passage as the sadistic prison official, and in two episodes of The Outlaws Western as Mercer. He also played in Istar, Simon &Simon, The Fall Guy, Piranha, The Hardy Boys, Joe Forrester, Lucy Gets Lucy, Banacik, The Doris Day Show, Adam 12, Here's Lucy,The Partners, Machismo; 40 graves For 40 Guns, The Smith Famly, Bonanza, Hell DownThere, Ironside, Slow Run, It Takes A Thief, Tarzan, Gentle Ben, Mannix, The Flying Nun, The Girl From U.N.C.L.E., Bob Hope Presents The Chrysler Theater, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Peyton Place, Perry Mason, Mr. Broadway, The Defenders, Nacked City, Armstrong Circle Theatre, Car 54 Where Are You, Tower Of London, Rout 66, Outlaws, Adventures In Paradise, Death Valley Days, Sugarfoot, Peter Gunn, Checkmate, Maverick, Stagecoach West, The Barbara Stanwyck Show, Gunsmoke, Tales Of Wells Fargo, 77 Sunset Strip, Key Witmess, The Chevy Mystery Show, Laramie, Hotel de Paree, Tightrope, Riverboat, The Detectives, Bat Masterson, Johnny Ringo, Curse Of The Undead, Playhouse 90, Behind Closed Doors, One Step Beyond, The Calafornians, Have Gun-Will Travel, The Grand Jury, US Marshall, The Buccuneer, Shirley Temple's,Storybook,Colgate Theatre, Man Without A Gun, Jefferson Drum, Trackdown, The Walter Winchell File, The Fireside Theatre, Tombstone Territory, Zane Grey Theatre, Harbourmasters, Decoy, M Squad, Kraft Television Theatre, Hallmark Hall Of Fame, Whirlybirds, Studio One, You Are There, The Best Of Broadway, I Spy, and The Man Behind The Badge. Some of his career highlights were The Scareface Mob, Curse Of The Undead, and Lucy And The Gun Moll. Gordon continued his acting career long into the 1980's although Run Buddy Run would be his only starring role. Gordon retired in 1989 after playing himself in Ernest Goes To Splash Mountain. He was reportably unable to attend Untouchable co-star Robert Stack's funeral due to poor health. Gordon is now in his 90's.

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BRUCE GORDON