Veteran character actor Bruce Glover, best known for his memorable roles in “Diamonds Are Forever” and “Chinatown,” has died at the age of 92. According to a representative for his son, actor Crispin Glover, the elder Glover died of natural causes on March 12, 2025.
News of his passing was made public when Crispin, 60, shared a tribute on Instagram on Saturday, March 29. “Bruce Herbert Glover May 2, 1932 – March 12, 2025,” Crispin wrote alongside a series of photographs spanning his father’s life and career.
The black-and-white images shared by the “Back to the Future” actor included Bruce as a young man in the army, a still from the 1974 film “Chinatown,” a photo from the Los Angeles premiere of “American Gods” (in which Crispin starred), and a touching family portrait featuring Bruce with Crispin as a toddler and his wife Betty, who preceded him in death in 2016.
Born in Chicago during the Depression on May 2, 1932, Bruce Glover’s path to acting was unconventional. Before finding his way to Hollywood, he considered careers as both a painter and an athlete, having played football at Carl Schurz High School in Chicago. His introduction to performing came in an unusual way while he was an art student at Wright Junior College, when a classmate asked him to don a nearly 100-pound gorilla suit for her strip act.
His acting plans were temporarily delayed when he was drafted into the U.S. Army for the Korean War, serving from 1953 to 1955. Upon his return, Glover began building his acting career, eventually appearing on Broadway opposite Bette Davis in Tennessee Williams’ “The Night of the Iguana” in 1961 and alongside Anne Bancroft in “Mother Courage and Her Children” in 1963.
Glover’s film career took off in the 1970s, with his most recognized role being the cold-blooded assassin Mr. Wint in “Diamonds Are Forever” (1971), the James Bond film starring Sean Connery. His portrayal of the polite yet menacing killer, who worked alongside Putter Smith’s Mr. Kidd, became one of the most memorable villain duos in the Bond franchise.
In 1974, Glover played Duffy in Roman Polanski’s neo-noir classic “Chinatown,” starring opposite Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway. His filmography also includes significant roles in “Walking Tall” (1973) and its sequels, where he played Deputy Grady Coker, as well as “Hard Times” (1975) as a debt collector pressuring James Coburn’s character.
Throughout his career, Glover appeared in over 100 film and television productions. His extensive television credits include appearances on popular shows such as “Perry Mason,” “Gunsmoke,” “Mission: Impossible,” “The Six Million Dollar Man,” “CHiPs,” and “The Streets of San Francisco.” Later in his career, he appeared in “Ghost World” (2001) as Feldman, “the wheelchair guy.”
Despite never receiving formal acting training himself, Glover became an acting teacher in Los Angeles, passionate about helping actors develop their craft. He continued working in front of the camera well into his later years, with his last listed role being in the Polish film “Influence” in 2015.
Following the announcement of his passing, tributes poured in from colleagues. Actress Jewels McCullough, who appeared with Glover in 1987’s “Big Bad Mama II,” remembered him on Facebook as a “Great Actor, good Man,” noting how both Bruce and his wife Betty had been kind to her during her first film role. Director and screenwriter Donald Farmer also honored him, describing Glover as “Not only a tremendous actor but a wonderful acting teacher and Facebook friend.”
In a 2019 interview for The Original Van Gogh’s Ear Anthology, Glover spoke about finding humor even in life’s most dangerous moments, recounting a motorcycle accident where he nearly collided with a cow. Facing what he thought might be his death, he still found himself laughing at the surreal situation. “So live it till the end and laugh when you can,” he advised, embodying the spirited approach to life that informed his diverse and memorable performances.
Bruce Glover’s decades-spanning career showcased his versatility as a character actor, particularly in roles that required a distinctive blend of menace and charisma. From Broadway to Hollywood and beyond, he brought a unique energy to every performance, creating memorable characters that will continue to entertain audiences for generations to come.
Glover is survived by his sons, actor Crispin Glover, and Michael Leigh Glover.
