David Charles Lawrence (12 February 194110 June 1995) known as Bruno Lawrence was an English-born musician and actor, who was active in the industry in New Zealand and Australia.
Initially notable as a musician and founder of 1970s ensemble
Blerta, he went on to well-regarded roles in several major films. His television work included starring in 1990s era Australian satirical series ''
Frontline
Front line refers to the forward-most forces on a battlefield.
Front line, front lines or variants may also refer to:
Books and publications
* ''Front Lines'' (novel), young adult historical novel by American author Michael Grant
* ''Frontlines ...
''.
Early life
Born in
Worthing
Worthing () is a seaside town in West Sussex, England, at the foot of the South Downs, west of Brighton, and east of Chichester. With a population of 111,400 and an area of , the borough is the second largest component of the Brighton and Hov ...
, West Sussex, England in February 1941 he moved with his family to New Zealand in 1946. The family settled in
New Plymouth
New Plymouth ( mi, Ngāmotu) is the major city of the Taranaki region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is named after the English city of Plymouth, Devon from where the first English settlers to New Plymouth migrated. ...
before relocating to
Wellington
Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by me ...
in 1948.
Music career
Lawrence spent most of his life in New Zealand, but also worked extensively in Australia. He was a
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
and rock drummer in many bands, including two years with
Max Merritt & The Meteors in Sydney,
Quincy Conserve,
Blerta, and
The Crocodiles
The Crocodiles was a New Zealand pop/ new wave band formed in 1979 with lead singer Jenny Morris, who went on to commercial success as a solo artist in Australia; and later included drummer Barton Price, who subsequently joined Sardine v and t ...
.
His last recording was with
Bernie McGann
Bernard Francis McGann (22 June 1937 – 17 September 2013) was an Australian jazz alto saxophone player. He began his career in the late 1950s and remained active as a performer, composer and recording artist until near the end of his life. McGan ...
,
Larry Gales
Lawrence Bernard Gales (March 25, 1936 – September 12, 1995) was an American jazz double-bassist.
Life
Gales began playing bass at age 11, and attended the Manhattan School of Music in the late 1950s. In that decade and the beginning of th ...
and Jonathan Crayford on "Jazz at the
St. James" in 1989. A remarkable show, it was repeated in 1990, this time with
Vince Jones
Vincent Hugh Jones (born 24 March 1954) is an Australian jazz singer, songwriter, and trumpet, flugelhorn and flumpet player. His music includes both original material and new contemporary versions of jazz standards. His themes are often lov ...
on vocals, Dave Addis on saxophone, Jonathan Crayford on piano, Rolf Stube on bass and added the
New Zealand String Quartet.
In the early 1970s, Lawrence founded Blerta ("Bruno Lawrence's Electric Revelation and Travelling Apparition"). The multi and theatrical co-operative toured New Zealand and in parts of Australia. Blerta saw him performing alongside many people he would work with later as an actor, including director
Geoff Murphy
Geoffrey Peter Murphy (12 October 1938 – 3 December 2018) was a New Zealand filmmaker, producer, director, and screenwriter best known for his work during the renaissance of New Zealand cinema that began in the second half of the 1970s. His s ...
, and actors
Martyn Sanderson
Martyn Sanderson (24 February 1938 – 14 October 2009) was a New Zealand actor, director, producer, writer and poet.
Sanderson was described as one of the founding fathers of modern theatre in New Zealand. In New Zealand he had appearances ...
and
Ian Watkin
Ian Watkin (25 January 1940 – 18 May 2016) was a New Zealand actor known for the films ''Braindead'' and '' Sleeping Dogs''. Watkin grew up in Greymouth, and started his career in theatre and radio plays, and working as a magazine editor befor ...
.
Acting roles
Lawrence began acting in short films in the late 1960s. He won his first acting award, for television play ''Time Out'', in 1971, although at this point music took up the majority of his time. By the late 1980s he had become one of New Zealand's most recognised actors on his own soil. Between 1981 and 1986 he was a much loved feature of many local films; he continued to act in occasional NZ productions through until 1993.
Lawrence's breakthrough movie role was relationship drama ''
Smash Palace
''Smash Palace'' is a New Zealand feature film that premiered at Cannes in May 1981 and was released theatrically in April 1982. The film chronicles a former race car driver (played by Bruno Lawrence) who inadvertently contributes to the end of ...
'' (1981). Playing the former race car driver who leaves with his daughter after the breakdown of his marriage, Bruno won an award at the Manila Film Festival, and acclaim from American critic
Pauline Kael
Pauline Kael (; June 19, 1919 – September 3, 2001) was an American film critic who wrote for ''The New Yorker'' magazine from 1968 to 1991. Known for her "witty, biting, highly opinionated and sharply focused" reviews, Kael's opinions oft ...
. Further acclaim came with his leading role as the lone scientist in
Geoff Murphy
Geoffrey Peter Murphy (12 October 1938 – 3 December 2018) was a New Zealand filmmaker, producer, director, and screenwriter best known for his work during the renaissance of New Zealand cinema that began in the second half of the 1970s. His s ...
's end-of-the-world tale, ''
The Quiet Earth'' (1985), for which Bruno also helped write the script. He had earlier acted in Murphy's ''
Utu
Utu (dUD "Sun"), also known under the Akkadian name Shamash, ''šmš'', syc, ܫܡܫܐ ''šemša'', he, שֶׁמֶשׁ ''šemeš'', ar, شمس ''šams'', Ashurian Aramaic: 𐣴𐣬𐣴 ''š'meš(ā)'' was the ancient Mesopotamian sun god. ...
'' (1983), about the
New Zealand Wars
The New Zealand Wars took place from 1845 to 1872 between the New Zealand colonial government and allied Māori on one side and Māori and Māori-allied settlers on the other. They were previously commonly referred to as the Land Wars or the M ...
of the 1860s, and cameoed in his breakthrough film ''
Goodbye Pork Pie
''Goodbye Pork Pie'' is a 1981 New Zealand comedy film directed by Geoff Murphy, co-produced by Murphy and Nigel Hutchinson, and written by Geoff Murphy and Ian Mune. The film was New Zealand's first large-scale local hit. One book described it ...
'' (1981). The ''
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
'' compared his work in 1984 drama ''
Heart of the Stag'' to that of "a young Brando".
Bruno's Australian roles included
Anthony Hopkins
Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins (born 31 December 1937) is a Welsh actor, director, and producer. One of Britain's most recognisable and prolific actors, he is known for his performances on the screen and stage. Hopkins has received many accolad ...
movie ''
Spotswood ''(aka ''The Efficiency Expert''),
Colleen McCullough
Colleen Margaretta McCullough (; married name Robinson, previously Ion-Robinson; 1 June 193729 January 2015) was an Australian author known for her novels, her most well-known being ''The Thorn Birds'' and ''The Ladies of Missalonghi''.
Life
...
adaptation''
An Indecent Obsession
''An Indecent Obsession'' is a 1981 novel by Australian author Colleen McCullough.
Summary
To the battle-broken soldiers in her care, nurse Honour Langtry is a precious, adored reminder of the world before the war. Then Michael Wilson arrive ...
'' (playing a blind man), and 1986 miniseries ''
The Great Bookie Robbery
''The Great Bookie Robbery'' is a 1986 Australian mini series about a 1976 crime known as the Great Bookie Robbery. It aired over three consecutive nights from the 15th to 17 September.
Plot
Cast
*John Bach as Mike Power
*Catherine Wilki ...
''(playing gun-loving robber Cracka Park). In 1990, he portrayed John Peterson in the film, ''
The Rogue Stallion
''The Rogue Stallion'' is a 1990 Australian television film about a wild horse. It was part of the ''South Pacific Adventure Series''. It was also released in the United States by Feature Films for Families.
Plot
Anna Peterson (Beth Buchanan) ...
''. His last and, at least in Australia, best-known screen role was as devious, golf-loving TV producer Brian Thompson in 1990s satirical TV series ''
Frontline
Front line refers to the forward-most forces on a battlefield.
Front line, front lines or variants may also refer to:
Books and publications
* ''Front Lines'' (novel), young adult historical novel by American author Michael Grant
* ''Frontlines ...
''.
Death
In 1994 while enjoying the success of the Australian television series ''Frontline'', Lawrence was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. He died in
Wellington
Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by me ...
,
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
, on 10 June 1995 at the age of 54.
A biography, ''Bruno: The Bruno Lawrence Story'' by Roger Booth, and television documentary ''Numero Bruno'' (2000, directed by Steve La Hood), cover his life and work. Lawrence is also featured in compilation documentary ''
Blerta Revisited'' (2001, directed by
Geoff Murphy
Geoffrey Peter Murphy (12 October 1938 – 3 December 2018) was a New Zealand filmmaker, producer, director, and screenwriter best known for his work during the renaissance of New Zealand cinema that began in the second half of the 1970s. His s ...
).
Filmography
This is a selection of notable appearances.
Film
*''
Wild Man
The wild man, wild man of the woods, or woodwose/wodewose is a mythical figure that appears in the art and literature of medieval Europe, comparable to the satyr or faun type in classical mythology and to '' Silvanus'', the Roman god of the woodl ...
'' (1977) – Wild Man
*''
Goodbye Pork Pie
''Goodbye Pork Pie'' is a 1981 New Zealand comedy film directed by Geoff Murphy, co-produced by Murphy and Nigel Hutchinson, and written by Geoff Murphy and Ian Mune. The film was New Zealand's first large-scale local hit. One book described it ...
'' (1980) – Mulvaney
*''
A Woman of Good Character
A, or a, is the first letter and the first vowel of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''a'' (pronounced ), plural ''aes' ...
'' (1980) – Younger Son
*''
Smash Palace
''Smash Palace'' is a New Zealand feature film that premiered at Cannes in May 1981 and was released theatrically in April 1982. The film chronicles a former race car driver (played by Bruno Lawrence) who inadvertently contributes to the end of ...
'' (1981) – Al Shaw
*''
Beyond Reasonable Doubt
Beyond a reasonable doubt is a legal standard of proof required to validate a criminal conviction in most adversarial legal systems. It is a higher standard of proof than the balance of probabilities standard commonly used in civil cases, bec ...
'' (1981) – Pat Vesey
*''
Race for the Yankee Zephyr
''Race for the Yankee Zephyr'' (also known as ''Treasure of the Yankee Zephyr'') is a 1981 action adventure film directed by David Hemmings and starring Ken Wahl, Lesley Ann Warren, George Peppard and Donald Pleasence.
Plot
Gibbie Gibson (Donal ...
'' (1981) – Barker
*''
Warlords of the 21st Century'' (aka ''Battletruck'') (1982) – Willie
*''
Carry Me Back'' (1982) – Motorway Traffic Cop
*''
Prisoners
A prisoner (also known as an inmate or detainee) is a person who is deprived of liberty against their will. This can be by confinement, captivity, or forcible restraint. The term applies particularly to serving a prison sentence in a prison.
...
'' (1982) – Peeky
*''
Utu
Utu (dUD "Sun"), also known under the Akkadian name Shamash, ''šmš'', syc, ܫܡܫܐ ''šemša'', he, שֶׁמֶשׁ ''šemeš'', ar, شمس ''šams'', Ashurian Aramaic: 𐣴𐣬𐣴 ''š'meš(ā)'' was the ancient Mesopotamian sun god. ...
'' (1983) – Williamson
*''Wild Horses'' (1984) – Tyson
*''Heart of the Stag'' (1984) – Peter
*''
Death Warmed Up'' (1984) – Tex
*''
Pallet on the Floor'' (1984) – Ronald Hugh Morrieson
*''
An Indecent Obsession
''An Indecent Obsession'' is a 1981 novel by Australian author Colleen McCullough.
Summary
To the battle-broken soldiers in her care, nurse Honour Langtry is a precious, adored reminder of the world before the war. Then Michael Wilson arrive ...
'' (1985) – Matt Sawyer
*''
The Quiet Earth'' (1985) – Zac Hobson
*''
Bridge to Nowhere
A bridge to nowhere is a bridge where one or both ends are broken, incomplete, or unconnected to any roads. If it is an overpass or an interchange, the term overpass to nowhere or interchange to nowhere may be used respectively. There are fi ...
'' (1986) – Mac
*''
Initiation
Initiation is a rite of passage marking entrance or acceptance into a group or society. It could also be a formal admission to adulthood in a community or one of its formal components. In an extended sense, it can also signify a transformation ...
'' (1987) – Nat Molloy
*''
Rikky and Pete
''Rikky and Pete'' is a 1988 Australian film directed by Nadia Tass, written by David Parker, and starring Stephen Kearney and Nina Landis.
Plot
Rikky Menzies (Nina Landis) is an out-of-work geologist and aspiring singer (vocals by Wendy Ma ...
'' (1988) – Sonny
*''
As Time Goes By'' (1988) – Ryder
*''Grievous Bodily Harm'' (1988) – Det. Sgt. Ray Birch
*''
The Delinquents'' (1989) – Bosun
*''
Spotswood'' (1992) – Robert, Carey's Father
*''
Jack Be Nimble
"Jack Be Nimble" is an English language nursery rhyme. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 13902.1882
Lyrics
The most common version of the rhyme is:
:Jack be nimble,
:Jack be quick,
:Jack jump over
:The candlestickI. Opie and P. Opie, ...
'' (1993) – Teddy
*''
Gino'' (1994) – Mr. Palizetti (final film role)
Television
*''Time Out ''(1971)
*''
Pukemanu
''Pukemanu'' was a New Zealand television series that ran from 1971 to 1972.
Background
The series, set in a fictional location, was considered to break ground in the way it approached the subject and examined the town that it was set in. It was ...
'' (1971) – Biker
*''
Special Squad'' (1984) – Arthur Poole
*''
Pokerface
''PokerFace'' (also known as ''Ant & Dec's PokerFace'') is a British game show broadcast on ITV, where one person is guaranteed to win £1 million. The show was created by Ant & Dec, who also host it. As implied by the title, ''PokerFace'', i ...
'' (1986) – Ray 'Creepy' Crawley
*''
The Great Bookie Robbery
''The Great Bookie Robbery'' is a 1986 Australian mini series about a 1976 crime known as the Great Bookie Robbery. It aired over three consecutive nights from the 15th to 17 September.
Plot
Cast
*John Bach as Mike Power
*Catherine Wilki ...
'' (1986) – Cracka Park
*''
The Rainbow Warrior Conspiracy
''The Rainbow Warrior Conspiracy'' is a 1988 Australian-New Zealand mini series based on the Sinking of the Rainbow Warrior.Ed. Scott Murray, ''Australia on the Small Screen 1970-1995'', Oxford University Press, 1996 p225 It was written by David ...
'' (1988) – Alan Galbraith
*''
The Feds'' (1993, TV Movie) – Larry 'Icehouse' Porter
*''
Frontline
Front line refers to the forward-most forces on a battlefield.
Front line, front lines or variants may also refer to:
Books and publications
* ''Front Lines'' (novel), young adult historical novel by American author Michael Grant
* ''Frontlines ...
'' (1994) – Brian Thompson
Awards and nominations
Aotearoa Music Awards
The
Aotearoa Music Awards
The Aotearoa Music Awards (previously called the New Zealand Music Awards), conferred annually by Recorded Music NZ, honour outstanding artistic and technical achievements in the recording industry. The awards are among the most significant tha ...
(previously known as ''New Zealand Music Awards'' (NZMA)) are an annual awards night celebrating excellence in
New Zealand music
The music of New Zealand has been influenced by a number of traditions, including Māori music, the music introduced by European settlers during the nineteenth century, and a variety of styles imported during the twentieth century, including ...
and have been presented annually since 1965.
!
, -
, 1965 , , "Bruno Do That Thing" , , Single of the Year, , , ,
, -
References
External links
*
Bruno Lawrenceon
NZ On Screen
NZ On Screen is a state-funded online promotional showcase of New Zealand television and film. Funded by NZ On Air, it provides free worldwide access to NZ-produced television, film and music videos. Content is streamed and the webpages provide ...
* Bruno Lawrence o
australianscreen onlineAudioCulture profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lawrence, Bruno
1941 births
1995 deaths
Deaths from cancer in New Zealand
Deaths from lung cancer
English emigrants to New Zealand
New Zealand expatriates in Australia
New Zealand musicians
People from Worthing
New Zealand male film actors
20th-century New Zealand male actors