Difference between revisions of "Bruce Gordon"

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'''Bruce Gordon''' (Feb 1, 1916, Fitchburg, MA - January, 20, 2011, Santa Fe, New Mexico) was an American actor.  
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[[File:Bruce Gordon.jpg|350px|thumb|right|Bruce Gordon as Frank Nitti in ''The Untouchables''.]]
  
He played [[wikipedia:Frank Nitti|Frank Nitti]] in "[[The Untouchables]]". Along with [[wikipedia:Marilyn Monroe|Marilyn Monroe]] and Paul Valentine, Gordon was given an "Introducing" credit in the 1949 [[wikipedia:Marx Brothers|Marx Brothers]] opus "[[wikipedia:Love Happy|Love Happy]]". The swarthy, cleft-chinned Gordon played one of the henchmen of villainess [[wikipedia:Ilona Massey|Ilona Massey]] (the other henchman was [[wikipedia:Raymond Burr|Raymond Burr]]).
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'''Bruce Gordon''' (Feb 1, 1916, Fitchburg, MA - January, 20, 2011, Santa Fe, New Mexico) was an American actor. He played gangster Frank Nitti in the TV series ''[[The Untouchables]]''. Thereafter, Bruce Gordon was almost invariably cast as a mobster – though often with a morbidly humorous streak.
  
After spending the 1950s in "heavy" film roles, Gordon was shown in a rare heroic light as American intelligence agent Matson on the 1958 TV series "Behind Closed Doors". One year later, Gordon first essayed the role with which he will forever be associated: Frank Nitti, scowling second-in-command of [[Al Capone]] (Neville Brand) on the weekly TV series "The Untouchables". Thereafter, Bruce Gordon was almost invariably cast as a mobster – though often with a morbidly humorous streak.
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==Biography==
  
Zappa name-checks him in the "[[Freak Out!]]" (1966) list under the heading "These People Have Contributed Materially In Many Ways To Make Our Music What It Is. Please Do Not Hold It Against Them".  
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Along with [[wikipedia:Marilyn Monroe|Marilyn Monroe]] and Paul Valentine, Gordon was given an "Introducing" credit in the 1949 [[wikipedia:Marx Brothers|Marx Brothers]] opus "[[wikipedia:Love Happy|Love Happy]]". The swarthy, cleft-chinned Gordon played one of the henchmen of villainess [[wikipedia:Ilona Massey|Ilona Massey]] (the other henchman was [[wikipedia:Raymond Burr|Raymond Burr]]).
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After spending the 1950s in "heavy" film roles, Gordon was shown in a rare heroic light as American intelligence agent Matson on the 1958 TV series ''"Behind Closed Doors"''. He had a recurring role as Gus Chernak in the TV series ''Peyton Place''.
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==Zappa and Bruce Gordon==
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Zappa mentioned Gordon in his list of influences inside the album sleeve of ''[[Freak Out!]]'' (1966), under the heading: ''"These People Have Contributed Materially In Many Ways To Make Our Music What It Is. Please Do Not Hold It Against Them"''. Other actors from ''[[The Untouchables]]'' are also mentioned in this same list: [[Frank DeKova]], [[Joe De Santis]] and [[Herman Rudin]].
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==

Latest revision as of 11:00, 4 October 2020

Bruce Gordon as Frank Nitti in The Untouchables.

Bruce Gordon (Feb 1, 1916, Fitchburg, MA - January, 20, 2011, Santa Fe, New Mexico) was an American actor. He played gangster Frank Nitti in the TV series The Untouchables. Thereafter, Bruce Gordon was almost invariably cast as a mobster – though often with a morbidly humorous streak.

Biography

Along with Marilyn Monroe and Paul Valentine, Gordon was given an "Introducing" credit in the 1949 Marx Brothers opus "Love Happy". The swarthy, cleft-chinned Gordon played one of the henchmen of villainess Ilona Massey (the other henchman was Raymond Burr).

After spending the 1950s in "heavy" film roles, Gordon was shown in a rare heroic light as American intelligence agent Matson on the 1958 TV series "Behind Closed Doors". He had a recurring role as Gus Chernak in the TV series Peyton Place.

Zappa and Bruce Gordon

Zappa mentioned Gordon in his list of influences inside the album sleeve of Freak Out! (1966), under the heading: "These People Have Contributed Materially In Many Ways To Make Our Music What It Is. Please Do Not Hold It Against Them". Other actors from The Untouchables are also mentioned in this same list: Frank DeKova, Joe De Santis and Herman Rudin.

See also