VB
Photo of Virginia Bruce

Virginia Bruce

Actor
Died February 24, 1982 (71 years)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Virginia Bruce (September 29, 1910 – February 24, 1982) was an American actress and singer.

Born Helen Virginia Briggs in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In 1928, she moved with her family to Los Angeles intending to enroll in the University of California, Los Angeles when a friendly wager sent her seeking film work. She got it as an extra in Why Bring That Up?. In 1930 she appeared on Broadway in the musical Smiles, followed by America's Sweetheart in 1931.

She returned to Hollywood in 1932, where on August 10, 1932, she married John Gilbert, her co-star in the film Downstairs. She retired briefly after the birth of their daughter Susan Ann Gilbert. The couple divorced in 1934, and Virginia returned to a hectic schedule of film appearances. Gilbert died two years later in 1936.

Bruce introduced the Cole Porter standard "I've Got You Under My Skin" in the film Born to Dance and co-starred in the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer musical The Great Ziegfeld. One of her final film appearances was in Strangers When We Meet.

In 1949, Bruce starred in a daily 30-minute radio drama. Make Believe Town was an afternoon program on CBS.

Bruce married her second husband, film director J. Walter Ruben, in 1937, making the Wallace Beery western The Bad Man of Brimstone with him that year. Together they had a son named Christopher (b. 1941), before Ruben's death in 1942. In 1946, Bruce married Ali Ipar. They divorced in 1951 in order for him to receive a commission in the Turkish Military (which forbade promotions of men married to foreigners), but remarried in 1952 before divorcing again in 1964.

Bruce died of cancer on February 24, 1982, at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California. She was 71.
Movies & Shows on Plex
  • There Goes My Heart
Known For
  • The Invisible Woman
  • The Great Ziegfeld
  • Pardon My Sarong
  • Born to Dance
  • The Murder Man
  • Downstairs
  • Night Has a Thousand Eyes
  • Strangers When We Meet
  • Jane Eyre
  • There Goes My Heart
  • Flight Angels
  • Action in Arabia
  • Kongo
  • The Man Who Talked Too Much
  • Shadow of Doubt
  • Let Freedom Ring
  • State Department: File 649

Filmography

1987
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life - Hosted by Johnny Carson · as Mary Shannon (clip From The Murder Man (1935))
1981
Madame Wang's · as Madame Wang
1974
That's Entertainment! · as (archive Footage)
1960
Strangers When We Meet · as Mrs. Wagner
1955
Matinee Theater (TV Series)
1955
Two Grooms for a Bride · as Laura Weeks
1955
Science Fiction Theatre (TV Series) · as Dr. Myrna Griffin
1954
Studio 57 (TV Series) · as Beth Breen
1953
The Loretta Young Show (TV Series) · as Dee Norman
1953
General Electric Theater (TV Series) · as Adele
1952
Ford Theatre: All Star Theatre (TV Series) · as Ruth Crest
1950
The Bigelow Theatre (TV Series) · as Cast
1950
The Lux Video Theatre (TV Series) · as Pauline Travis
1949
1948
1944
Brazil · as Nicky Henderson
1944
Action in Arabia · as Yvonne
1942
Careful, Soft Shoulders · as Connie Mathers
1942
Pardon My Sarong · as Joan Marshall
1942
Butch Minds the Baby · as Susie O'neill
1941
Adventure in Washington · as Jane Scott
1940
The Invisible Woman · as Kitty Carroll
1940
Hired Wife · as Phyllis Walden
1940
1940
Flight Angels · as Mary Norvell
1939
Stronger Than Desire · as Elizabeth Flagg
1939
Land of Liberty · as (archive Footage)
1939
Society Lawyer · as Pat Abbott
1939
Let Freedom Ring · as Maggie Adams
1938
There's That Woman Again · as Sally Reardon
1938
There Goes My Heart · as Joan Butterfield
1938
Woman Against Woman · as Maris Kent
1938
Yellow Jack · as Frances Blake
1938
Arsène Lupin Returns · as Lorraine De Grissac
1937
The First Hundred Years · as Lynn Conway
1937
The Bad Man of Brimstone · as Loretta Douglas
1937
Wife, Doctor and Nurse · as Nurse Stephens
1937
Between Two Women · as Patricia Sloan
1937
Women of Glamour · as Gloria Hudson
1936
Born to Dance · as Lucy James
1936
The Great Ziegfeld · as Audrey Dane
1936
The Garden Murder Case · as Zalia Graem
1935
Metropolitan · as Anne Merrill
1935
Here Comes the Band · as Margaret
1935
The Murder Man · as Mary Shannon
1935
Escapade · as Gerta
1935
Let 'em Have It · as Eleanor Spencer
1935
Times Square Lady · as Toni Bradley
1935
Shadow of Doubt · as Trenna
1935
Society Doctor · as Madge
1934
The Mighty Barnum · as Jenny Lind
1934
Dangerous Corner · as Ann Beale
1934
Jane Eyre · as Jane Eyre
1932
Downstairs · as Anna
1932
Kongo · as Ann
1932
Winner Take All · as Joan Gibson
1932
Sky Bride · as Ruth Dunning
1932
The Miracle Man · as Margaret Thornton
1931
Hell Divers · as Girl
1930
Whoopee! · as Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)
1930
Follow Thru · as Woman In Ladies' Locker Room (uncredited)
1930
Let's Go Native · as Wendell Sr.'s Secretary (uncredited)
1930
Raffles · as Gwen's Friend (uncredited)
1930
The Social Lion · as Society Girl
1930
Safety in Numbers · as Alma Mcgregor
1930
Paramount on Parade · as Chorus Girl (uncredited)
1930
Young Eagles · as Florence Welford
1930
Only the Brave · as Elizabeth
1930
Slightly Scarlet · as Enid Corbett
1929
1929
Pointed Heels · as Chorus Girl (uncredited)
1929
The Love Parade · as Lady-In-Waiting
1929
Woman Trap · as Nurse

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