Known For
Acting
Known Credits
81
Gender
Female
Birthday
September 29, 1910 (115 years old)
Place of Birth
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
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.
| 2003 | Complicated Womenas Self (archive footage) | |
| 1987 | James Stewart: A Wonderful Lifeas Self (archive footage) | |
| 1974 | That's Entertainment!as (archive footage) (uncredited) | |
| 1960 | Strangers When We Meetas Mrs. Wagner | |
| 1955 | Matinee Theateras | |
| 1955 | The Reluctant Brideas Laura Weeks | |
| 1954 | The Plagueas Nurse | |
| 1953 | Letter to Lorettaas Dee Norman | |
| 1953 | General Electric Theateras Adele | |
| 1950 | Lux Video Theatreas Jo Cathcart Archer | |
| 1950 | Lux Video Theatreas Mildred Pierce | |
| 1950 | Lux Video Theatreas Pauline Travis | |
| 1949 | State Department: File 649as Marge | |
| 1948 | Night Has a Thousand Eyesas Jenny | |
| 1945 | Love, Honor and Goodbyeas Roberta Baxter | |
| 1944 | Brazilas Nicky Henderson | |
| 1944 | Action in Arabiaas Yvonne | |
| 1942 | Careful, Soft Shouldersas Connie Mathers | |
| 1942 | Pardon My Sarongas Joan Marshall | |
| 1942 | Butch Minds the Babyas Susie O'Neill | |
| 1941 | Adventure in Washingtonas Jane Scott | |
| 1940 | The Invisible Womanas Kitty Carroll | |
| 1940 | Hired Wifeas Phyllis Walden | |
| 1940 | Cavalcade of the Academy Awardsas Self | |
| 1940 | The Man Who Talked Too Muchas Joan Reed | |
| 1940 | Flight Angelsas Mary Norvell | |
| 1939 | Stronger Than Desireas Elizabeth Flagg | |
| 1939 | Land of Libertyas (archive footage) | |
| 1939 | Hollywood Hobbiesas Self (uncredited) | |
| 1939 | Society Lawyeras Pat Abbott | |
| 1939 | Let Freedom Ringas Maggie Adams | |
| 1938 | There's That Woman Againas Sally Reardon | |
| 1938 | There Goes My Heartas Joan Butterfield | |
| 1938 | Hollywood Goes to Townas Self | |
| 1938 | Woman Against Womanas Maris Kent | |
| 1938 | Yellow Jackas Frances Blake | |
| 1938 | The First Hundred Yearsas Lynn Conway | |
| 1938 | Arsène Lupin Returnsas Lorraine de Grissac | |
| 1937 | The Bad Man of Brimstoneas Loretta Douglas | |
| 1937 | Wife, Doctor and Nurseas Nurse Stephens | |
| 1937 | Between Two Womenas Patricia Sloan | |
| 1937 | When Love Is Youngas Wanda Werner | |
| 1937 | Women of Glamouras Gloria Hudson | |
| 1936 | Born to Danceas Lucy James | |
| 1936 | The Great Ziegfeldas Audrey Dane | |
| 1936 | The Garden Murder Caseas Zalia Graem | |
| 1935 | A Dream Comes Trueas Herself (uncredited) | |
| 1935 | Pirate Party on Catalina Isleas Virginia Bruce (uncredited) | |
| 1935 | Metropolitanas Anne Merrill | |
| 1935 | Here Comes the Bandas Margaret | |
| 1935 | The Murder Manas Mary Shannon | |
| 1935 | Escapadeas Gerta | |
| 1935 | Let 'em Have Itas Eleanor Spencer | |
| 1935 | Times Square Ladyas Toni Bradley | |
| 1935 | Shadow of Doubtas Trenna | |
| 1935 | Society Doctoras Madge | |
| 1934 | The Mighty Barnumas Jenny Lind | |
| 1934 | Dangerous Corneras Ann Beale | |
| 1934 | Jane Eyreas Jane Eyre | |
| 1932 | Kongoas Ann | |
| 1932 | Downstairsas Anna | |
| 1932 | Winner Take Allas Joan Gibson | |
| 1932 | Sky Brideas Ruth Dunning | |
| 1932 | The Miracle Manas Margaret Thornton | |
| 1930 | Whoopee!as Goldwyn Girl (uncredited) | |
| 1930 | Follow Thruas Woman in Ladies' Locker Room (uncredited) | |
| 1930 | Let's Go Nativeas Wendell Sr.'s Secretary (uncredited) | |
| 1930 | Rafflesas Gwen's Friend (uncredited) | |
| 1930 | The Social Lionas Society Girl | |
| 1930 | Safety in Numbersas Alma McGregor | |
| 1930 | Paramount on Paradeas Chorus Girl (uncredited) | |
| 1930 | Young Eaglesas Florence Welford | |
| 1930 | Only the Braveas Elizabeth | |
| 1930 | Slightly Scarletas Enid Corbett | |
| 1930 | Lilies of the Fieldas Doris | |
| 1929 | Pointed Heelsas Chorus Girl (uncredited) | |
| 1929 | The Love Paradeas Lady-in-Waiting | |
| 1929 | Woman Trapas Nurse | |
| 1929 | Hard to Getas Young Woman (uncredited) | |
| 1929 | The River of Romanceas Southern Belle | |
| 1929 | Fugitivesas Extra (uncredited) |