Bruce Spence
Encyclopedia
Bruce Spence, born September 17, 1945 is an actor
, having spent most of his career performing in Australia
. Bruce attended Henderson High School in West Auckland.
Spence is most known for his roles as the Gyro Captain in Mad Max 2 and as Jedediah the pilot in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
, and as "Zedd" (Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander) in Legend of the Seeker
.
He also performed the voice of Chum in Finding Nemo
, the Mouth of Sauron
in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
, the Trainman in The Matrix Revolutions
, and Tion Medon in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith.
He acted as the paleontologist (Huxley) alongside fellow actor Felix Nobis, in the Australian performance of BBC's Walking with Dinosaurs
: The Live Experience. In his role, Spence narrates the activities of life-sized mechanical dinosaurs operated by teams of puppeteers and drivers.
In 2008, Spence joined the television series Legend of the Seeker
, based on the Sword of Truth
series by Terry Goodkind
, in the role of Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander, co-starring Craig Horner
and Bridget Regan
. In November 2009 it began its second 22-episode season (2009–10).
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, having spent most of his career performing in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Bruce attended Henderson High School in West Auckland.
Spence is most known for his roles as the Gyro Captain in Mad Max 2 and as Jedediah the pilot in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome is a 1985 Australian post-apocalyptic film directed by George Miller and George Ogilvie, written by Miller, Doug Mitchell and Terry Hayes, and starring Mel Gibson and Tina Turner. It is the third installment in the action movie Mad Max franchise...
, and as "Zedd" (Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander) in Legend of the Seeker
Legend of the Seeker
Legend of the Seeker is a television series based on The Sword of Truth novels by Terry Goodkind. Distributed in U.S. by Disney-ABC Domestic Television, ABC Studios produced the series, which was its first foray into broadcast syndication, with Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert, Joshua Donen, Ned Nalle and...
.
He also performed the voice of Chum in Finding Nemo
Finding Nemo
Finding Nemo is a 2003 American comi-drama animated film written by Andrew Stanton, directed by Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich and produced by Pixar. It tells the story of the overly protective clownfish Marlin who, along with a regal tang called Dory , searches for his abducted son Nemo...
, the Mouth of Sauron
Mouth of Sauron
The Mouth of Sauron is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He appears in The Lord of the Rings — specifically in the chapter "The Black Gate Opens" in the third volume, The Return of the King — as the chief emissary of Sauron.He belonged to the race of the Black...
in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is a 2003 epic fantasy-drama film directed by Peter Jackson that is based on the second and third volumes of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings...
, the Trainman in The Matrix Revolutions
The Matrix Revolutions
The Matrix Revolutions is a 2003 American science fiction film and the third installment of The Matrix trilogy. The film was released six months following The Matrix Reloaded. The film was written and directed by the Wachowski brothers and released simultaneously in sixty countries on November 5,...
, and Tion Medon in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith.
Trivia
At 2.01 metre, Spence is one of the tallest actors to have played a leading role.He acted as the paleontologist (Huxley) alongside fellow actor Felix Nobis, in the Australian performance of BBC's Walking with Dinosaurs
Walking with Dinosaurs
Walking with Dinosaurs is a six-part documentary television miniseries that was produced by BBC, narrated by Kenneth Branagh, and first aired in the United Kingdom, in 1999. The series was subsequently aired in North America on the Discovery Channel in 2000, with Branagh's voice replaced with that...
: The Live Experience. In his role, Spence narrates the activities of life-sized mechanical dinosaurs operated by teams of puppeteers and drivers.
In 2008, Spence joined the television series Legend of the Seeker
Legend of the Seeker
Legend of the Seeker is a television series based on The Sword of Truth novels by Terry Goodkind. Distributed in U.S. by Disney-ABC Domestic Television, ABC Studios produced the series, which was its first foray into broadcast syndication, with Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert, Joshua Donen, Ned Nalle and...
, based on the Sword of Truth
Sword of Truth
The Sword of Truth is a series of thirteen epic fantasy novels written by Terry Goodkind. The books follow the protagonists Richard Cypher, Kahlan Amnell and Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander on their quest to defeat oppressors who seek to control the world and those who wish to unleash evil upon the world of...
series by Terry Goodkind
Terry Goodkind
Terry Goodkind is an American writer and author of the epic fantasy The Sword of Truth series as well as the contemporary suspense novel The Law of Nines, which has ties to his fantasy series, and The Omen Machine, which is a direct sequel thereof. Before his success as an author Goodkind worked...
, in the role of Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander, co-starring Craig Horner
Craig Horner
Craig Horner is an Australian actor who first appeared in the Australian television program Cybergirl. He is best known for his role as Richard Cypher on the television series Legend of the Seeker.-Biography:...
and Bridget Regan
Bridget Regan
Bridget Catherine Regan is an American film, television and theater actress, best known for her portrayal of Kahlan Amnell in the television series Legend of the Seeker.-Career:...
. In November 2009 it began its second 22-episode season (2009–10).
Filmography
- StorkStork (film)Stork is a 1971 Australian comedy film directed by Tim Burstall. Stork is based on the play 'The Coming of Stork' by David Williamson. Bruce Spence and Jacki Weaver make their feature film debuts in Stork, being honoured at the 1972 Australian Film Awards, where they shared the acting prize...
(1971) - Graham 'Stork' Wallace - Certain WomenCertain WomenCertain Women was an Australian television soap opera created by prominent Australian TV dramatist Tony Morphett and produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation between 1973 and 1976....
(1973) TV Series - Julius 'Big Julie' - Three Old Friends (1974)
- The Cars That Ate ParisThe Cars that Ate ParisThe Cars That Ate Paris is a 1974 Australian horror comedy film. Directed by Peter Weir, it was his first feature film. Shot mostly in the rural town of Sofala, New South Wales, the film is set in the fictional town of Paris in which most of the inhabitants appear to be directly, or indirectly,...
(1974) - Charlie - The Firm Man (1975) - Messenger
- The Great MacarthyThe Great MacarthyThe Great Macarthy is a 1975 comedy about Australian rules football. It was an adaptation of the novel A Salute to the Great Macarthy by Barry Oakley. It stars John Jarratt as the title character as a local footballer who is signed up by the South Melbourne Football Club...
(1975) - Bill Dean - Let the Balloon Go (1976) - Chief Gifford
- OzOz (1976 film)Oz is a 1976 Australian film written, directed and co-produced by Chris Löfvén. It stars Joy Dunstan, Graham Matters, Bruce Spence, Gary Waddell, and Robin Ramsay; and received four nominations at the 1977 AFI Awards...
(1976) - Bass player/Blondie the Surfie - Mad Dog MorganMad Dog MorganMad Dog Morgan is a 1976 Australian bushranger film directed by Philippe Mora and starring Dennis Hopper, Jack Thompson and David Gulpilil. It is based upon the life of Dan Morgan...
(1976) - Heriot - Eliza FraserEliza Fraser (film)Eliza Fraser is a 1976 Australian bawdy adventure drama film, directed by Tim Burstall and starring Susannah York, Trevor Howard, Noel Ferrier and John Castle. The screenplay was written by David Williamson....
(1976) - Bruce McIver - Barnaby and Me (1977) (TV) - Tall Baddie
- NewsfrontNewsfrontNewsfront is a 1978 Australian drama film starring Bill Hunter, Wendy Hughes, and Bryan Brown, directed by Phillip Noyce. The screenplay is written by David Elfick, Bob Ellis, Philippe Mora, and Phillip Noyce. The original music score is composed by William Motzing...
(1978) - Redex trial driver - DimboolaDimboola (film)Dimboola is a 1979 Australian independent film about a country wedding reception. It is based on the 1969 play of the same name by Jack Hibberd and was principally filmed on location in Dimboola, Victoria.-Cast:* Max Gillies* Natalie Bate* Bill Garner...
(1979) - Morrie McAdam - Double DealDouble Deal-Cast:*Monte Hawley as Jim McCoy*Jeni Le Gon as Nita*Edward Thompson as Dude Markey*Florence O'Brien as Sally*Freddie Jackson as Tommy McCoy*Buck Woods*Maceo Bruce Scheffield as Murray Howard*Charles Hawkins*Jack Clisby*Tom Southern*Vernon McCalla...
(1981) - Doug Mitchell - And Here Comes Bucknuckle (1981) TV Series
- Mad Max 2 (1981) - The Gyro Captain
- Deadline (1982) (TV) - Towie
- Kingswood CountryKingswood CountryKingswood Country is an Australian sitcom that screened from 1980 to 1984 on the Seven Network. The series started on 30 January 1980 and was a spin-off from a sketch on comedy program The Naked Vicar Show that had featured Ross Higgins as a blustering bigot...
(1982) .... TV Series - Dentist - The Return of Captain InvincibleThe Return Of Captain InvincibleThe Return of Captain Invincible is a 1983 Australian musical comedy and superhero film starring Alan Arkin and Christopher Lee.-Plot:The plot involves the Captain America/Superman inspired super-hero called "Captain Invincible" who is active during World War II and afterwards...
(1983) - Midnight's Doctor - Midnite Spares (1983) - Wimpy
- BuddiesBuddies (1983 film)Buddies is a 1983 Australian comedy/drama film directed by Arch Nicholson and written by John Dingwall. Dingwall won the Best Original Screenplay AFI Award for the script...
(1983) - Ted - Pallet on the Floor (1984) - Basil Beaumont-Foster
- Wo die grünen Ameisen träumen (Where the Green Ants Dream) (1984) - Lance Hackett
- Mad Max Beyond ThunderdomeMad Max Beyond ThunderdomeMad Max Beyond Thunderdome is a 1985 Australian post-apocalyptic film directed by George Miller and George Ogilvie, written by Miller, Doug Mitchell and Terry Hayes, and starring Mel Gibson and Tina Turner. It is the third installment in the action movie Mad Max franchise...
(1985) - Jedediah the Pilot - Great Expectations, the Untold Story (1986) (TV) - Joe Gargery
- Bullseye (1987) - Purdy
- The Year My Voice BrokeThe Year My Voice BrokeThe Year My Voice Broke is a 1987 coming of age story by director John Duigan, starring Noah Taylor, Loene Carmen, and Ben Mendelsohn. Set in 1962 in the rural Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, it was the first in a projected trilogy of films centred around the experiences of an awkward...
(1987) - Jonah - The Dirtwater DynastyThe Dirtwater DynastyThe Dirtwater Dynasty is a five-part Australian drama miniseries, first screened on Network Ten in 1988. The Dirtwater Dynasty was directed by Michael Jenkins and John Power....
(1988) (mini) TV Series - Lonely Logan - Bachelor GirlBachelor Girl-Albums:-Singles:-Awards:...
(1988) - Alistair Dredge Jr - Rikky and PeteRikky and PeteRikky and Pete is a 1988 Australian film directed by Nadia Tass and written by David Parker starring Stephen Kearney and Nina Landis.Rikky Menzies and Pete Menzies are sister and brother. Rikky is an out-of-work geologist, and aspiring singer . Pete is a misfit who dreams up weird inventions...
(1988) - Ben - ZuckerZuckerZucker is a German word meaning "sugar" and may refer to:* Zucker , an album by the Fastbacks* Zucker laboratory rat breedZucker is the surname of:*David Zucker, an American film director...
(1989) (TV) - Tanamera - Lion of SingaporeTanamera - Lion of SingaporeTanamera - Lion of Singapore is an 1989 Australian drama serial, also shown in the United Kingdom, concerning the intertwined lives of two leading families of Singapore, the Dexters and the Soongs, from 1935 to 1948...
(1989) (mini) TV Series - Hammond - Dearest EnemyDearest EnemyDearest Enemy is a musical with a book by Herbert Fields, lyrics by Lorenz Hart, and music by Richard Rodgers. This was the first of eight book musicals written by the songwriting team of Rodgers and Hart and writer Herbert Field...
(1989) TV Series - Lenny (1989/1992) - ...Almost (1990) - Ronnie
- The Shrimp on the BarbieThe Shrimp on the BarbieThe Shrimp on the Barbie is a 1990 comedy film directed by Michael Gottlieb and starring Cheech Marin. In Australia this movie was released as The Boyfriend From Hell...
(1990) - Wayne - Sweet Talker (1991) - Norman Foster
- Halfway Across the Galaxy and Turn LeftHalfway Across the Galaxy and Turn LeftHalfway Across the Galaxy and Turn Left is a 1985 novel by Australian children's author Robin Klein which also became a children's television series.The story focuses on an alien family who seek refuge on Earth, in the small town of Bellwood...
(1992) TV Series - The Chief - Hercules ReturnsHercules ReturnsHercules Returns is a 1993 Australian comedy film directed by David Parker, starring David Argue, Michael Carman, Bruce Spence and Mary Coustas. The film has a cult following in Australia and other countries...
(1993) - Sprocket - Ace Ventura: When Nature CallsAce Ventura: When Nature CallsAce Ventura: When Nature Calls is the sequel to Ace Ventura: Pet Detective . Jim Carrey reprises his role as the title character Ace Ventura, a detective who specializes in retrieval of tame or captive animals. This is the only sequel to a film starring Carrey in which Carrey reprised his role...
(1995) - Gahjii - The Munsters' Scary Little ChristmasThe Munsters' Scary Little ChristmasThe Munsters' Scary Little Christmas is a television movie featuring characters from the 1960s American television sitcom The Munsters. It featured an entirely different cast from the series and the previous movie Here Come The Munsters. The movie is set around Christmas time and was met with mixed...
(1996) - Return to JupiterReturn to JupiterReturn to Jupiter was an Australian television series, a 13-part follow-up to Escape from Jupiter, It aired in Australia from 23 March 1997 to 15 June 1997.-Plot:...
(1997) TV Series - Ed Unit - Halifax f.p: Isn't It Romantic (1997) (TV) - Eric Washburn
- Dark City (1998) - Mr. Wall
- Moby-DickMoby-DickMoby-Dick; or, The Whale, was written by American author Herman Melville and first published in 1851. It is considered by some to be a Great American Novel and a treasure of world literature. The story tells the adventures of wandering sailor Ishmael, and his voyage on the whaleship Pequod,...
(1998) (TV) - Elijah - FarscapeFarscapeFarscape is an Australian-American science fiction television series filmed in Australia and produced originally for the Nine Network. The series was conceived by Rockne S. O'Bannon and produced by Jim Henson Productions and Hallmark Entertainment...
(2002) (TV) - Prefect Falaak - Queen of the Damned (2002) - KhaymanKhaymanKhayman is a fictional character in The Vampire Chronicles universe created by Anne Rice. One of the oldest vampires at nearly six thousand years old, he appears in very few of the books in the series, but is nevertheless considered a powerful force among their number...
- Inspector Gadget 2Inspector Gadget 2Inspector Gadget 2 is a live-action comedy film, released directly to VHS and DVD in March 2003. It was based upon the cartoon series created by DiC Entertainment and is a direct-to-video sequel to the 1999 Walt Disney Pictures film Inspector Gadget and also released by DIC Entertainment...
(2003) (V) - Baxter - Enter the MatrixEnter the MatrixEnter the Matrix is the first video game based on The Matrix series of films. It was developed by Shiny Entertainment and published by Atari and WB Interactive for the PlayStation 2, Xbox and Nintendo GameCube game systems, and for the PC. It was published in Japan by Bandai...
(2003) (VG) - Trainman - Finding NemoFinding NemoFinding Nemo is a 2003 American comi-drama animated film written by Andrew Stanton, directed by Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich and produced by Pixar. It tells the story of the overly protective clownfish Marlin who, along with a regal tang called Dory , searches for his abducted son Nemo...
(2003) (voice) - Chum - The Matrix RevolutionsThe Matrix RevolutionsThe Matrix Revolutions is a 2003 American science fiction film and the third installment of The Matrix trilogy. The film was released six months following The Matrix Reloaded. The film was written and directed by the Wachowski brothers and released simultaneously in sixty countries on November 5,...
(2003) - Trainman - The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the KingThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the KingThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is a 2003 epic fantasy-drama film directed by Peter Jackson that is based on the second and third volumes of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings...
(2003) - Mouth of SauronMouth of SauronThe Mouth of Sauron is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He appears in The Lord of the Rings — specifically in the chapter "The Black Gate Opens" in the third volume, The Return of the King — as the chief emissary of Sauron.He belonged to the race of the Black...
(extended edition) - Peter PanPeter PanPeter Pan is a character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie . A mischievous boy who can fly and magically refuses to grow up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood adventuring on the small island of Neverland as the leader of his gang the Lost Boys, interacting with...
(2003) - Cookson - The Brush Off (2004) (TV) - Philip Veale
- Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the SithStar Wars Episode III: Revenge of the SithStar Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is a 2005 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. It is the sixth and final film released in the Star Wars saga and the third in terms of the series' internal chronology....
(2005) - Tion Medon - AquamarineAquamarine (film)Aquamarine is a 2006 Australian-American teen fantasy comedy film starring Sara Paxton, Emma Roberts, and Joanna "JoJo" Levesque . The film, which was made in both the United States and Australia, was released in North America on March 3, 2006...
(2006) - Leonard - RAN (Remote Area Nurse) (2006) - Vince
- Solo (2006) - Kennedy
- Nightmares & DreamscapesNightmares & DreamscapesNightmares & Dreamscapes is a short story collection by Stephen King published in 1993.-Stories:-Adaptations:"The Night Flier" and "Dolan's Cadillac" were both adapted to films of the same respective names. "Chattery Teeth"' was adapted into a segment of the film Quicksilver Highway...
(2006) TV - Hans Morris - Equal OpportunityEqual opportunityEqual opportunity, or equality of opportunity, is a controversial political concept; and an important informal decision-making standard without a precise definition involving fair choices within the public sphere...
(2006) TV - Death - Legend of the SeekerLegend of the SeekerLegend of the Seeker is a television series based on The Sword of Truth novels by Terry Goodkind. Distributed in U.S. by Disney-ABC Domestic Television, ABC Studios produced the series, which was its first foray into broadcast syndication, with Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert, Joshua Donen, Ned Nalle and...
(2008–2010) TV - Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander - Double The FistDouble the FistDouble the Fist is an Australian satirical television show which airs on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. It follows the misadventures of four men and their pursuit of "fistworthiness": host Steve Foxx , and his three offsiders; Rod Foxx , Mephisto , and The Womp .The series has also been...
(2008) TV - Mayor McCarthy - AustraliaAustralia (2008 film)Australia is a 2008 epic historical romance film directed by Baz Luhrmann and starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. It is the second-highest grossing Australian film of all time, behind Crocodile Dundee. The screenplay was written by Luhrmann and screenwriter Stuart Beattie, with Ronald Harwood...
(2008) - DR. Barker - All SaintsAll Saints (TV series)All Saints is an Australian medical drama which first screened on the Seven Network. The series debuted on 24 February 1998 and concluded its run on 27 October 2009...
(2009) TV - Barry Goldsworthy - The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn TreaderThe Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn TreaderThe Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is a 2010 3D fantasy-adventure film based on The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, the third novel in C. S. Lewis's epic fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia . It is the third installment in The Chronicles of Narnia film series from Walden Media...
(2010) - Lord Rhoop