Bruce Glover, a veteran character actor recognized for roles in “Diamonds Are Forever” and “Chinatown,” has passed away at the age of 92. A representative for his son, actor Crispin Glover, confirmed that Glover died of natural causes on March 12, 2025.
News of Bruce Glover’s death was shared by his son Crispin, 60, in an Instagram tribute on Saturday, March 29. “Bruce Herbert Glover May 2, 1932 – March 12, 2025,” Crispin wrote, accompanied by a collection of photos capturing his father’s life and career.
The images posted by the “Back to the Future” actor included a young Bruce in the army, a still from the 1974 film “Chinatown,” a photo from the Los Angeles, California, premiere of “American Gods” (featuring Crispin), and a family portrait with Bruce, his wife Betty, who died in 2016, and Crispin as a toddler.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, on May 2, 1932, during the Depression, Bruce Glover’s route to acting was nontraditional. Before Hollywood, he considered careers in painting and athletics, having played football at Carl Schurz High School in Chicago. His entry into performing arts occurred while he was an art student at Wright Junior College, when he was asked to wear an almost 220-pound gorilla suit for a classmate’s strip act.
Glover’s acting journey was temporarily paused when he was drafted into the U.S. Army for the Korean War from 1953 to 1955. After his service, he began developing his acting career, appearing on Broadway with Bette Davis in Tennessee Williams’ “The Night of the Iguana” in 1961 and with Anne Bancroft in “Mother Courage and Her Children” in 1963.
Glover’s film career gained momentum in the 1970s, particularly with his role as the assassin Mr. Wint in “Diamonds Are Forever” (1971), a James Bond film starring Sean Connery. His portrayal of the assassin, alongside Putter Smith’s Mr. Kidd, became iconic in the Bond series.
In 1974, Glover appeared as Duffy in Roman Polanski’s “Chinatown,” sharing the screen with Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway. His filmography also includes “Walking Tall” (1973) and its sequels, as Deputy Grady Coker, and “Hard Times” (1975) as a debt collector.
Glover’s career spanned over 100 film and television roles. He made appearances on television series like “Perry Mason,” “Gunsmoke,” “Mission: Impossible,” “The Six Million Dollar Man,” “CHiPs,” and “The Streets of San Francisco.” Later, he featured in “Ghost World” (2001) as Feldman, “the wheelchair guy.”
Although he never received formal acting education, Glover became an acting instructor in Los Angeles, California, dedicated to helping actors refine their skills. He continued to work in film into his senior years, with his last role in the Polish film “Influence” in 2015.
Following his death, colleagues paid tribute to Glover. Actress Jewels McCullough, who worked with him in “Big Bad Mama II” (1987), remembered him on Facebook as a “Great Actor, good Man,” noting the kindness he and his wife Betty showed her during her debut film. Director Donald Farmer praised Glover as “a tremendous actor and a wonderful acting teacher and Facebook friend.”
In a 2019 interview with The Original Van Gogh’s Ear Anthology, Glover recounted a motorcycle incident where he nearly hit a cow, yet found humor in the situation. “So live it till the end and laugh when you can,” he advised, reflecting the approach to life that marked his career.
Bruce Glover’s career demonstrated his range as a character actor, notable for roles that combined menace and charm. From Broadway to Hollywood, he brought a distinctive energy to each role, leaving a legacy of memorable performances.
Glover is survived by his sons, actor Crispin Glover, and Michael Leigh Glover.
