Bruce Paul Abbott (born July 28, 1954) is an American film, stage, and television actor. Originally beginning his career in theater, Abbott later gained notoriety for his role as Dan Cain in the cult sci-fi horror films Re-Animator (1985)[1] and Bride of Re-Animator (1990).[2]

Bruce Abbott
Abbott in 1988
Born
Bruce Paul Abbott

(1954-07-28) July 28, 1954 (age 70)
Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Alma materPortland State University
American Conservatory Theater
OccupationActor
Years active1982–present
Spouses
  • (m. 1982; div. 1989)
  • (m. 1994; div. 2022)
Children2

He has also had roles in the horror films Bad Dreams (1988) and The Prophecy II (1996), as well as the sci-fi film Out of Time. From 1992 to 1993, he portrayed Judge Nicholas Marshall on the television series Dark Justice.

Early life

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Abbott was born and raised in Portland, Oregon, where he graduated from David Douglas High School in 1972.[3] His career began as a dancer and actor in the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, Oregon, where he spent three seasons from 1975 to 1978, appearing in productions of A Winter's Tale, All's Well That Ends Well, Henry VI Part 2, The Tempest, and The Tragedy of King Richard III.

He attended Portland State University, and later the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, California.[4]

Career

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In 1980, Abbott relocated from Portland to Hollywood ("in the middle of the actors' strike, and I didn't know anyone," he recalled).[citation needed] Shortly afterwards, he was cast as the villain in the movie Tag: The Assassination Game. He met his future wife Linda Hamilton on the set.

In 1985, he starred as medical student Dan Cain in Stuart Gordon's sci-fi horror film Re-Animator (1985), a role he reprised in the sequel Bride of Re-Animator (1990).[5] He later starred in Summer Heat (1987), a period drama, with Lori Singer and Kathy Bates. He also starred in the horror film Bad Dreams (1988) directed by Andrew Fleming, and the comedy Casual Sex? (1989). Abbott had a lead role in the futuristic television film Out of Time (1988), with Bill Maher. In 1991, he appeared as Harry Pierpont in the television film Dillinger, with Sherilyn Fenn and Patricia Arquette. From 1992 to 1993, he starred as Judge Nicholas Marshall in the series Dark Justice.[6]

Throughout his career, Abbott has been a guest star on many TV series, including Murder, She Wrote; Family Law; Diagnosis: Murder; and more. He had a supporting role in the short-lived series The Net, based on the film of the same title starring Sandra Bullock. He appeared in the horror sequel The Prophecy II (1996), with Christopher Walken and Brittany Murphy.[7]

Abbott is semi-retired from acting. He is an architect and artist and works in the custom-design industry.[citation needed]

Personal life

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Abbott married Linda Hamilton in 1982; the union produced one child, Dalton Abbott (born October 4, 1989) (who can be seen in Terminator 2: Judgment Day as Infant John Connor). They divorced around 1989. That same year, on the set of the television film Trapped, Abbott met actress Kathleen Quinlan. They married April 12, 1994 and have one son, Tyler Quinlan (born October 17, 1990). They divorced amicably in 2022.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1982 Tag: The Assassination Game Loren Gersh
1984 Why Me? Markus Television film
1984 The Last Starfighter Rylan Sargent
1984 Velvet Breed Television film
1985 Re-Animator Dan Cain
1985 Command 5 Deke Williams Television film
1987 Summer Heat Jack Ruffin
1987 Interzone Swan
1988 Baja Oklahoma Dove Christian
1988 Bad Dreams Dr. Alex Karmen
1988 Casual Sex? Keith
1988 Out of Time Channing Taylor Television film
1989 Trapped John Doe Television film
1989 Bride of Re-Animator Dr. Dan Cain
1990 Johnny Ryan Tom Kelly Television film
1990 Kaleidoscope Sam Television film
1991 Dillinger Harry Pierpont
1995 The Demolitionist Professor Jack Crowley
1995 Black Scorpion Michael Russo
1997 Melanie Darrow Alex Kramer Television film
1998 The Prophecy II Thomas Daggett
2002 Trance Taylor Black
2007 Humble Pie Captain Atticus
2009 Adult Film: A Hollywood Tale President Brad
2010 Eagles in the Chicken Coop President Brad

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1982 The Blue and the Gray Jake Hale Jr. Miniseries
1985 MacGyver Major Nikolai Kossov 1 episode
1988–1990 Beauty and the Beast Devin Wells 2 episodes
1990 Father Dowling Mysteries Nick Moran 1 episode
1991–95 Murder, She Wrote Various 3 episodes
1992–93 Dark Justice Judge Nicholas Marshall 44 episodes
1994 Diagnosis Murder Paul Madison 1 episode
1998 The Net Walter Cizelski 4 episodes
2000–02 Family Law Colin Andrews 4 episodes
2002 UC: Undercover Edward Curtis 1 episode

References

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Notes

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  1. ^ Maslin, Janet (October 18, 1985). "Re Animator (1985) SCREEN: STUART GORDON DIRECTS RE-ANIMATOR". The New York Times.
  2. ^ Canby, Vincent (February 22, 1991). "The Bride of Re Animator (1990) Review/Film; Bride's Head Revisited". The New York Times.
  3. ^ David Douglas High School Yearbook, Celtic 1972. Vol. 17. Portland, Oregon: David Douglas High School. 1972. p. 216.
  4. ^ "Abbott, Bruce (1954–)". Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  5. ^ Rowan 2016, p. 22.
  6. ^ Erickson 2009, p. 75.
  7. ^ Mayo 2013, p. 478.

Sources

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  • Erickson, Hal (2009). Encyclopedia of Television Law Shows: Factual and Fictional Series About Judges, Lawyers and the Courtroom, 1948-2008. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-786-43828-0.
  • Mayo, Mike (2013). The Horror Show Guide: The Ultimate Frightfest of Movies. Visible Ink Press. ISBN 978-1-578-59420-7.
  • Rowan, Terry (2016). Hollywood Monsters & Creepy Things. Lulu. ISBN 978-1-365-46197-2.
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