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
In modern English, ''cult'' is usually a pejorative term for a social group that is defined by its unusual religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs and rituals, or its common interest in a particular personality, object, or goal. This ...
sci-fi horror films ''
Re-Animator
''Re-Animator'' (also known as ''H. P. Lovecraft's Re-Animator'') is a 1985 American comedy horror film loosely based on the 1922 H. P. Lovecraft serial novelette "Herbert West–Reanimator". Directed by Stuart Gordon and produced by Brian Yuzn ...
'' (1985)
and ''
Bride of Re-Animator
''Bride of Re-Animator'' is a 1990 American comedy horror film produced and directed by Brian Yuzna and written by Yuzna, Rick Fry, and Woody Keith. It is a sequel to the 1985 film ''Re-Animator'' and the second entry in the Re-Animator (film ser ...
'' (1990).
He has also had roles in the horror films ''
Bad Dreams'' (1988) and ''
The Prophecy II
''The Prophecy II'' is a 1998 American Fantasy film, fantasy-Action film, action-Horror film, horror film and the second installment in The Prophecy (film series), ''The Prophecy'' series. Christopher Walken reprises his role as the Archangel Gabri ...
'' (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
Abbott was born and raised in
Portland, Oregon
Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, Portland is the county seat of Multnomah County, the most populous co ...
, where he graduated from
David Douglas High School
David Douglas High School (DDHS) is a public high school in Portland, Oregon, United States. It is a part of the David Douglas School District.
In 1998 Lynn Olson, author of ''The School-to-work Revolution: How Employers And Educators Are Joinin ...
in 1972. His career began as a dancer and actor in the
Oregon Shakespeare Festival
The Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) is a regional repertory theatre in Ashland, Oregon, United States, founded in 1935 by Angus L. Bowmer. The Festival now offers matinee and evening performances of a wide range of classic and contemporary pla ...
in
Ashland, Oregon, where he spent three seasons from 1975 to 1978, appearing in productions of ''
A Winter's Tale
''The Winter's Tale'' is a play by William Shakespeare originally published in the First Folio of 1623. Although it was grouped among the comedies, many modern editors have relabelled the play as one of Shakespeare's late romances. Some criti ...
'', ''
All's Well That Ends Well
''All's Well That Ends Well'' is a play by William Shakespeare, published in the ''First Folio'' in 1623, where it is listed among the comedies. There is a debate regarding the dating of the composition of the play, with possible dates rangin ...
'', ''
Henry VI Part 2
''Henry VI, Part 2'' (often written as ''2 Henry VI'') is a Shakespearean history, history play by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1591 and set during the lifetime of King Henry VI of England. Whereas ''Henry VI, Part 1'' ...
'', ''
The Tempest'', and ''
The Tragedy of King Richard III''.
He attended
Portland State University
Portland State University (PSU) is a public research university in Portland, Oregon. It was founded in 1946 as a post-secondary educational institution for World War II veterans. It evolved into a four-year college over the following two decades ...
, and later the
American Conservatory Theater
The American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) is a nonprofit theater company in San Francisco, California, United States, that offers both classical and contemporary theater productions. It also has an attached acting school.
History
The Ameri ...
in San Francisco, California.
Career
In 1980, Abbott relocated from Portland to Hollywood ("in the middle of the actors' strike, and I didn't know anyone," he recalled). Shortly afterwards, he was cast as the villain in the movie ''
Tag: The Assassination Game''. He met his future (first) wife
Linda Hamilton on the set. In 1985, he starred as medical student Dan Cain in
Stuart Gordon
Stuart Alan Gordon (August 11, 1947 – March 24, 2020) was an American filmmaker, theatre director, screenwriter, and playwright. Initially recognized for his provocative and frequently controversial work in experimental theatre, Gordon is perh ...
's sci-fi horror film ''
Re-Animator
''Re-Animator'' (also known as ''H. P. Lovecraft's Re-Animator'') is a 1985 American comedy horror film loosely based on the 1922 H. P. Lovecraft serial novelette "Herbert West–Reanimator". Directed by Stuart Gordon and produced by Brian Yuzn ...
'' (1985), a role he reprised in the sequel ''
Bride of Re-Animator
''Bride of Re-Animator'' is a 1990 American comedy horror film produced and directed by Brian Yuzna and written by Yuzna, Rick Fry, and Woody Keith. It is a sequel to the 1985 film ''Re-Animator'' and the second entry in the Re-Animator (film ser ...
'' (1990). 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
Andrew Fleming is an American screenwriter, film director, television producer, television director, film producer, actor, and television writer. He directed and wrote or co-wrote the films '' Bad Dreams'', ''Threesome'', '' The Craft'', ''Dick ...
, and the comedy ''
Casual Sex?
''Casual Sex?'' is a 1988 American comedy film about two female friends in their 20s who go to a vacation resort in search of perfect men. It starred Lea Thompson, Victoria Jackson, Andrew Dice Clay, Jerry Levine, Mary Gross and was directed by G ...
'' (1989). Abbott had a lead role in the futuristic television film ''
Out of Time'' (1988), with
Bill Maher
William Maher (; born January 20, 1956) is an American comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and television host. He is known for the HBO political talk show ''Real Time with Bill Maher'' (2003–present) and the similar la ...
.
In 1991, he appeared as
Harry Pierpont in the television film ''
Dillinger'', with
Sherilyn Fenn and
Patricia Arquette
Patricia Tiffany Arquette (born April 8, 1968) is an American actress. She made her feature film debut as Kristen Parker in '' A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors'' (1987). Her other notable films include ''True Romance'' (1993), ''Ed Wo ...
. From 1992 to 1993, he appeared in a recurring role as Judge Nicholas Marshall in the series ''
Dark Justice''.
Throughout his career, Abbott has been a guest star on many TV series, including ''
Murder, She Wrote
''Murder, She Wrote'' is an American crime drama television series, created by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson and William Link, starring Angela Lansbury, and produced and distributed by Universal Television for the CBS network. The series f ...
'', ''
Family Law'', ''
Diagnosis: Murder'', and more. He had a recurring role in the short-lived series ''
The Net'', based on the
film of the same title starring
Sandra Bullock
Sandra Annette Bullock (; born July 26, 1964) is an American actress and producer. The recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Sandra Bullock, various accolades, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award, Bullock was ...
. He appeared in the horror sequel ''
The Prophecy II
''The Prophecy II'' is a 1998 American Fantasy film, fantasy-Action film, action-Horror film, horror film and the second installment in The Prophecy (film series), ''The Prophecy'' series. Christopher Walken reprises his role as the Archangel Gabri ...
'' (1996), with
Christopher Walken
Christopher Walken (born Ronald Walken; March 31, 1943) is an American actor. Prolific in film, television and on stage, Walken is the recipient of numerous accolades including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Awar ...
and
Brittany Murphy
Brittany Anne Murphy-Monjack (; November 10, 1977 – December 20, 2009) was an American actress and singer. Born in Atlanta, Murphy moved to Los Angeles as a teenager and pursued a career in acting. Her breakthrough role was as Tai Fras ...
.
Abbott is semi-retired from acting. He is an architect and artist and works in the custom-design industry. He has designed more than 20 homes.
Personal life
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). He and Linda divorced around 1989. That same year, on the set of the television film ''Trapped'', Abbott met actress
Kathleen Quinlan
Kathleen Denise Quinlan Abbott (born November 19, 1954) is an American film and television actress. She is best known for her Golden Globe-nominated performance in the 1977 film of the novel '' I Never Promised You a Rose Garden,'' and her Golden ...
. They married April 12, 1994 and have one son, Tyler Quinlan (born October 17, 1990).
Filmography
Film
Television
References
Notes
Sources
*
*
*
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Abbott, Bruce
1954 births
20th-century American male actors
21st-century American male actors
American male film actors
American male Shakespearean actors
American male stage actors
American male television actors
David Douglas High School alumni
Living people
Male actors from Portland, Oregon
Portland State University alumni