Bruce Boxleitner | |
|---|---|
 Boxleitner atGalaxyCon Richmond in 2025 | |
| Born | Bruce William Boxleitner (1950-05-12)May 12, 1950 (age 75) Elgin, Illinois, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, writer |
| Years active | 1973–present |
| Known for | Luke Macahan Alan Bradley/Tron Lee Stetson a.k.a. Scarecrow CaptainJohn Sheridan |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 3 |
Bruce William Boxleitner (born May 12, 1950)[1] is an American actor andscience fiction and suspense writer. He is known for his leading roles in the television series:How the West Was Won,Bring 'Em Back Alive,Scarecrow and Mrs. King (withKate Jackson) andBabylon 5 (asJohn Sheridan in seasons 2–5, 1994–98).He is also known for his dual role as the characters Alan Bradley and Tron in the 1982Walt Disney Pictures filmTron, a role which he reprised in the 2003 video gameTron 2.0, the 2006 Square-Enix/Disney crossover gameKingdom Hearts II, the 2010 film sequel,Tron: Legacy[2] and the animated seriesTron: Uprising. He co-starred in most of theGambler films withKenny Rogers, where his character providedcomic relief. He also voiced General Moss in the filmsAniMen: Triton Force andAniMen: The Galactic Battle.
Boxleitner was born on May 12, 1950, inElgin, Illinois.[3] He attendedProspect High School inMount Prospect, Illinois, and theGoodman School of Drama at theArt Institute of Chicago (now atDePaul University).[citation needed]
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Boxleitner is best known for his leading roles in thetelevision seriesHow the West Was Won,Bring 'Em Back Alive,Scarecrow and Mrs. King (with Kate Jackson andBeverly Garland), andBabylon 5 (asJohn Sheridan in seasons 2–5, 1994–98).[4]
He also starred inThe Gambler (as "Billy Montana", alongsideKenny Rogers: 1980, 1983 and 1987) and in such television films asJudith Krantz's Till We Meet Again and Danielle Steel'sZoya. In 2005, he co-starred as Captain Martin Duvall inYoung Blades. He has also starred in several films within theBabylon 5 universe, includingBabylon 5: In the Beginning (TV, 1998),Babylon 5: Thirdspace (TV, 1998),Babylon 5: A Call to Arms (TV, 1999), and the direct-to-DVDBabylon 5: The Lost Tales (2007).
Boxleitner has appeared in many other TV shows, including an appearance in 1973 as Rick Welsh, a University of Minnesota Track Star, in the season four episode, "I Gave at the Office", ofThe Mary Tyler Moore Show. Other appearances includeGunsmoke, including the last episode of its twenty-year run;Tales from the Crypt;Touched by an Angel;The Outer Limits andShe Spies. In 1982, he played Chase Marshall in the TV filmBare Essence, withGenie Francis. He was a member of the cast ofHeroes for seasons three and four, playing New York Governor Robert Malden in three episodes. He also appears on the television seriesChuck as the father ofDevon Woodcomb. He was in such made-for-television films asThe Secret,Hope Ranch,Falling in Love with the Girl Next Door,Pandemic,Sharpshooter andAces 'n' Eights.
Boxleitner was a guest-star onNCIS in the fall of 2010. He played Vice Admiral C. Clifford Chase, a high-ranking Navy official.[5] Boxleitner also lends his voice to the animated version of his iconic character Tron in the animated seriesTron: Uprising. The series premiered onDisney XD on June 7, 2012. He also reprises the character Alan Bradley/Tron from the filmsTron andTron: Legacy.[6] From 2013 to 2015, he played Bob Beldon, the owner of the localbed and breakfast, in the Hallmark Channel seriesCedar Cove.[7][8]
Boxleitner later recurred onSupergirl portraying Baker, the Vice-President of the United States who is later sworn in as the new President after Olivia Marsdin (Lynda Carter) is revealed as an extraterrestrial. He gained the role afterBrent Spiner stepped down due to a scheduling conflict.[9]
From 2019, Boxleitner had a recurring role on theHallmark Movies & Mysteries series of filmsThe Matchmaker Mysteries.[10]
He has appeared in several theatrical films, includingTron (in which he played the title role) andThe Baltimore Bullet (1980) withJames Coburn. He reprised his role in theTron sequelTron: Legacy and in the video gameTron: Evolution which was released alongside the filmTron: Legacy, as he did for the sequel video game namedTron 2.0, andDisney/Square Enix crossover video gameKingdom Hearts II. Boxleitner also voiced Col. John Konrad in video gameSpec Ops: The Line. He also starred as Confederate GeneralJames Longstreet in the 2003 filmGods and Generals. He provides the voice of Colin Barrow in the animated science fiction horror filmDead Space: Downfall, based on the video gameDead Space. Other films he has performed in include:Kuffs,The Babe,Brilliant,Snakehead Terror,Legion of the Dead,King of the Lost World,Shadows in Paradise andTransmorphers: Fall of Man.
In July 2015, Boxleitner said that he is done with theTron franchise, as "it's been too up and down for me. I would rather not just keep going. I don't want to repeat my career anymore."[11]
From 1986 to 1989, Boxleitner appeared in advertisements forEstee Lauder's "Lauder For Men".
Boxleitner is the author of twoscience fiction novels with aWestern setting,Frontier Earth (1999)[12] andSearcher (2001).[13]
Boxleitner played a major role in the audio dramatization ofThe Great Secret, part of theGolden Age of Fiction series byL. Ron Hubbard. He also played Captain Gavin Blaire in the unabridged version ofWorld War Z.[citation needed]
Boxleitner's first marriage was to American actress Kathryn Holcomb, who co-starred with him onHow The West Was Won as his on-screen sister Laura. They had two sons together.
Boxleitner's second marriage was to American actressMelissa Gilbert. They have a son born in 1995.[14] Gilbert also guest-starred as Boxleitner's on-screen wife,Anna Sheridan, during Season 3 ofBabylon 5.[15] On March 1, 2011, Gilbert announced that she and Bruce had separated after 16 years of marriage.[16] On August 25 of the same year, it was reported that Gilbert had filed for divorce.[17]
In 2003, Boxleitner was appointed to theBoard of Governors of theNational Space Society, anonprofit, educationalspace advocacy organization founded by Dr.Wernher von Braun.[18]
He was friends with actressBeverly Garland for nearly 30 years. He met her on an episode ofHow The West Was Won, and later co-starred alongside her onScarecrow & Mrs. King, though he had very few scenes with her. Then, in 1986, Boxleitner presented Garland theGolden Boot Award. After the cancellation ofScarecrow, Boxleitner remained close to Garland, contacting her consistently, until her death, on December 5, 2008. He said in an interview: "I used to keep up with Beverly Garland until she passed. There was actually a hotel named after her. She was such a trip. She was a great lady."[19]
Bruce is currently married to publicist Verena King.[20]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Sixpack Annie | Bobby Joe | |
| 1980 | The Baltimore Bullet | Billie Joe Robbins | |
| 1982 | Tron | Alan Bradley / Tron | |
| 1990 | Breakaway | Joey | |
| 1991 | Diplomatic Immunity | Cole Hickel | |
| 1992 | Kuffs | Officer Brad Kuffs | |
| The Babe | Joe "Jumpin' Joe" Dugan | ||
| 1999 | Free Fall | Mark Ettinger | |
| 2000 | The Perfect Nanny | Dr. Robert Lewis | |
| 2001 | Life in the Balance | Eric Johnson | |
| 2002 | Contagion | President Howard | |
| The Only Witness | Agent Nicholas Preston | ||
| 2003 | Gods and Generals | Lieutenant General James Longstreet | |
| 2004 | Brilliant | Dr. Dietrich | |
| 2005 | Legion of the Dead | Sheriff Jones | |
| King of the Lost World | Lieutenant Challenger | ||
| 2007 | Babylon 5: The Lost Tales | President John J. Sheridan | Direct-to-video |
| 2008 | Dead Space: Downfall | Colin Barrow | Voice, direct-to-video |
| 2009 | Transmorphers: Fall of Man | Sheriff Hadley Ryan | Direct-to-video |
| 2010 | Shadows in Paradise | Captain Dyer | |
| AniMen: Triton Force | General Moss | Voice | |
| Tron: Legacy | Alan Bradley / Tron / Rinzler | ||
| 2011 | 51 | Colonel Martin | |
| Tron: The Next Day | Alan Bradley | Short film | |
| 2012 | AniMen: The Galactic Battle | General Moss | Voice |
| 2013 | Silver Bells | Bruce Dalton | Direct-to-video |
| 2018 | The Oath | Vice President Hogan | |
| 2023 | Babylon 5: The Road Home | John Sheridan | Voice, Direct-to-video[21] |
| Far Haven | Ben Watkins | ||
| 2024 | Space Command Redemption | General Joe Haldeman |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | The Chadwick Family | Danny | |
| 1975 | A Cry for Help | Richie Danko | |
| 1976 | The Macahans | Luke Macahan | |
| Kiss Me...Kill Me | Douglas Lane | ||
| 1977 | Murder at the World Series | Cisco | |
| 1978 | Happily Ever After | Jack | |
| 1980 | Kenny Rogers as The Gambler | Billy Montana | |
| 1981 | Fly Away Home | Carl Danton | |
| 1983 | Kenny Rogers as the Gambler: The Adventure Continues | Billy Montana | |
| I Married Wyatt Earp | Wyatt Earp | ||
| 1986 | Passion Flower | Larry Janson | |
| Louis L'Amour's Down the Long Hills | Scott Collins | ||
| 1987 | Angel in Green | Captain William Wicker | |
| Kenny Rogers as the Gambler, Part III: The Legend Continues | Billy Montana | ||
| 1988 | Red River | Matthew Garth | |
| The Town Bully | Robert Doniger | ||
| 1989 | From the Dead of Night | Peter Langford | |
| Road Raiders | Charlie Rhodes | ||
| 1991 | Murderous Vision | Detective Kyle Robeshaw | |
| 1992 | The Secret | Patrick Dunmore | |
| Perfect Family | Allan Bodine | ||
| Double Jeopardy | Jack Hart | ||
| 1993 | Flight from Justice | Michael Shafer | |
| House of Secrets | Dr. Frank Ravinel | ||
| 1994 | Gunsmoke: One Man's Justice | Davis Healy | |
| Wyatt Earp: Return to Tombstone | Sam - Sheriff of Cochise County | ||
| Gambler V: Playing for Keeps | Billy Montana | ||
| 1995 | Danielle Steel's Zoya | Clayton Andrews | |
| 1998 | Babylon 5: In the Beginning | Captain John J. Sheridan | |
| Babylon 5: Thirdspace | |||
| 1999 | Babylon 5: A Call to Arms | ||
| 2002 | Perilous | Judd Ross | |
| Hope Ranch | J.T. Hope | ||
| 2003 | Killer Flood: The Day the Dam Broke | Jordan Walker | |
| 2004 | Snakehead Terror | Sheriff Patrick James | |
| They Are Among Us | Hugh | ||
| Saving Emily | Gregory | ||
| 2005 | Detective | Ketledge | |
| A Killer Upstairs | Detective Bruning | ||
| 2006 | Falling in Love with the Girl Next Door | Frank Lucas | |
| Double Cross | James | ||
| Mystery Woman: Wild West Mystery | Clint Lawson | ||
| 2007 | Pandemic | Kenneth Friedlander | |
| Sharpshooter | Sheriff Gardner | ||
| 2008 | Bone Eater | Sheriff Steve Evans | |
| Aces 'N' Eights | D.C. Cracker | ||
| 2010 | Lego Atlantis: The Movie | Captain Ace Speedman | Voice |
| 2011 | Love's Everlasting Courage | Lloyd Davis | |
| 2013 | The Thanksgiving House | Parker Mather | |
| 2015 | So You Said Yes | Nick Blanche | |
| 2016 | Wedding Bells | Charlie Turner | |
| Double Mommy | Scott Davick | ||
| 2017 | Gourmet Detective: Eat, Drink, and Be Buried | Jim Ross | |
| 2018 | The Christmas Contract | Tim Guidry | |
| 2019 | Matchmaker Mysteries: A Killer Engagement | Nick Columba | |
| Holiday Date | Walter Miller | ||
| 2020 | Roux the Day: A Gourmet Detective Mystery | Jim Ross | |
| Matchmaker Mysteries: A Fatal Romance | Nick Columba | ||
| 2021 | Matchmaker Mysteries: The Art of the Kill | ||
| 2024 | Christmas Under the Northern Lights | Doug Barnes | Great American Family |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | The Mary Tyler Moore Show | Rick | Episode: "I Gave at the Office" |
| 1974 | Hawaii Five-O | Cam Farraday | Episode: "We Hang Our Own" |
| 1975 | Gunsmoke | Toby Hogue | Episode: "The Sharecroppers" |
| Hawaii Five-O | Kevin Caulder | Episode: "And the Horse Jumped Over the Moon" | |
| Police Woman | Ed Krohl | Episode: "Paradise Mall" | |
| 1976 | Baretta | Tom | Episode: "The Left Hand of the Devil" |
| Hawaii Five-O | Paul Colburn | Episode: "The Capsule Kidnapping" | |
| 1976–1979 | How the West Was Won | Luke Macahan | 25 episodes |
| 1979 | The Last Convertible | George Virdon | 3 episodes |
| 1980 | Wild Times | Vern Tyree | 2 episodes |
| 1981 | East of Eden | Charles Trask | Episode: "Part One" |
| 1982 | Bare Essence | Chase Marshall | 2 episodes |
| 1982–1983 | Bring 'Em Back Alive | Frank Buck | 17 episodes |
| 1983–1987 | Scarecrow and Mrs. King | Lee "Scarecrow" Stetson | 89 episodes |
| 1989 | Judith Krantz's Till We Meet Again | Jock Hampton | 2 episodes |
| 1991 | Tales from the Crypt | Winton Robbins | Episode: "Top Billing" |
| 1994 | The Maharaja's Daughter | Patrick O'Riley | 3 episodes |
| 1994–1998 | Babylon 5 | Captain John J. Sheridan | 87 episodes Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Actor on Television |
| 1996 | ABC Afterschool Special | Mr. Mahar | Episode: "Me and My Hormones" |
| 1998 | Touched by an Angel | Scott Tanner | Episode: "The Peacemaker" |
| 1999 | Dead Man's Gun | Frank Santee | Episode: "Bad Boys" |
| 2000 | The Outer Limits | Senator Wyndom Brody | Episode: "Decompression" |
| Twice in a Lifetime | Ray Patterson / Dr. Goode | Episode: "Fallen Angel" | |
| 2003 | She Spies | The Chairman | 4 episodes |
| 2005 | Crossing Jordan | Foster Eldridge | Episode: "Family Affair" |
| Commander in Chief | Tucker Baynes | Episode: "First Choice" | |
| Young Blades | Captain Martin Duvall | 13 episodes | |
| 2006 | American Dad! | Lee "Scarecrow" Stetson | Episode: "Tears of a Clooney" |
| 2007 | Cold Case | Huck Oberland | Episode: "The Good-Bye Room" |
| 2008–2009 | Chuck | Dr. Woody Woodcomb | 2 episodes |
| Heroes | Robert Malden | 3 episodes | |
| 2010 | NCIS | Vice Admiral C. Clifford Chase | Episode: "Broken Arrow" |
| 2011 | Chaos | Ray Bishop | Episode: "Glory Days" |
| 2012 | GCB | Burl Lourd | 4 episodes |
| 2012–2013 | Tron: Uprising | Tron | Voice, 17 episodes |
| 2013–2015 | Cedar Cove | Bob Beldon | 30 episodes |
| 2017 | NCIS | Vice Admiral C. Clifford Chase | Episode: "A Bowl of Cherries" |
| 2018–2019 | Supergirl | President Phillip Baker | 10 episodes |
| 2019 | When Calls the Heart | Gentlemen Johnny Boone | Episode: "Hope is with the Heart" |
| 2020 | Prop Culture | Himself | Episode: "Tron" |
| 2022 | The Orville | President Alcuzan | 3 episodes |
| 2024 | Blue Ridge | Robert 'Oak' Miller | 2 episodes |
| Year | Title | Voice role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Tron 2.0 | Alan Bradley | |
| 2006 | Kingdom Hearts II | Tron | |
| 2010 | Tron: Evolution | ||
| 2012 | Spec Ops: The Line | Lieutenant Colonel John Konrad |
...the Grid's security program, Tron (Bruce Boxleitner) is slowly dying from a virus.
