Bruce Purchase

Bruce Purchase
Born(1938-10-02)2 October 1938
Thames, New Zealand
Died5 June 2008(2008-06-05) (aged 69)
Putney, London, UK
OccupationActor

Bruce Purchase (2 October 1938 – 5 June 2008)[1] was a New Zealand actor known for his roles on stage and television. Born in Thames, New Zealand, he won a scholarship to study acting in England, training at RADA, and went on to become a founding actor-member of Laurence Olivier's National Theatre. He also performed regularly with the Royal Shakespeare Company.[2]

His TV credits included Callan, The First Churchills, Clayhanger, A Picture of Katherine Mansfield, Doomwatch, Fall of Eagles, I, Claudius, The New Avengers, Doctor Who, Blake's 7, Quatermass and The Tripods.[3] His films included Macbeth (1971), Mary, Queen of Scots (1971), The Optimists of Nine Elms (1973), Soft Beds, Hard Battles (1974), Meetings with Remarkable Men (1979), Pope John Paul II (1984), Wallenberg: A Hero's Story (1985), Playing Away (1987), Lionheart (1987) and Another Life (2001).[4]

In 2007, Purchase became seriously ill while touring with a production of The Last Confession. He died of cancer[5] on 5 June 2008 at his home in Putney, London.[6]

  1. ^ Strachan, Alan (12 June 2008). "Bruce Purchase: Potent presence on the British stage". The Independent. London: Independent News & Media. Archived from the original on 12 June 2008. Retrieved 12 June 2008.
  2. ^ "Obituary: Bruce Purchase". TheGuardian.com. 27 June 2008.
  3. ^ "Bruce Purchase". www.aveleyman.com.
  4. ^ "Bruce Purchase". BFI. Archived from the original on 24 August 2017.
  5. ^ "Bruce Purchase: character actor, member of the National Theatre company". The Times. London: Times Newspapers. 11 June 2008. Archived from the original on 6 September 2008. Retrieved 11 June 2008.
  6. ^ The Times obituary puts the date of death at 8 June.