---
name: "Phil Bruns"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/philip-bruns"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "2 May 1931"
died: "8 February 2012"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 5
average_fi1m_score: 83
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 4
updated: "2026-09-20T05:07:03.728937+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Phil Bruns

Actor. Born 2 May 1931 in Pipestone, Minnesota, USA. Died 8 February 2012.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 2 May 1931, Pipestone, Minnesota, USA
- **Died:** 8 February 2012
- **Active:** 1965–1989
- **Also known as:** Philip Bruns, Phillip Bruns
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 5: 4 acting, 1 other
- **Average Fi1m score:** 83, as actor, over 4 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1960s 80 (2), 1980s 86 (3)
- **Score spread:** 3 at 80+, 1 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 1 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 3, Comedy 2, Crime 2, Romance 1
- **Screen time:** 2 hours of reviewed films
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Bruns, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q542943, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0116575/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/31117

## Biography

Philip Bruns (also credited as Phil Bruns or Phillip Bruns) was an American actor and writer. Born on 2 May 1931 in Pipestone, Minnesota, he trained at Augustana College, the Yale School of Drama and the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.

Bruns appeared in numerous films, including *A Thousand Clowns* (1965) as The Man in the Restaurant, *Midnight Cowboy* (1969), *The Out-of-Towners* (1970), *Flashdance* (1983) and *Return of the Living Dead Part II* (1988). On television he played George Shumway in *Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman* and the original Morty Seinfeld in the first-season *Seinfeld* episode "The Stake Out" (1989), before being replaced by Barney Martin. He won an Obie Award for his performance in the Off-Broadway play *Mr. Simian* (1964) and was active from 1959 until his death on 8 February 2012 in Los Angeles.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, encyclopedia.com.*

## On Fi1m (5)

### Performed in (4) — the average rests on these

- *Seinfeld* (1989), Fi1m 90, as Morty Seinfeld — [page](https://film.one/tv/seinfeld.md)
- *Cagney & Lacey* (1982), Fi1m 81, as Daglee — [page](https://film.one/tv/cagney-and-lacey.md)
- *Hill Street Blues* (1981), Fi1m 86, Actor — [page](https://film.one/tv/hill-street-blues.md)
- *A Thousand Clowns* (1965), Fi1m 76, as The Man in the Restaurant — [page](https://film.one/film/a-thousand-clowns.md)

### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited

- *Midnight Cowboy* (1969), Fi1m 85, as Man in TV Montage (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/midnight-cowboy.md)

## Complete filmography (80)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Inferno* (1999), as Old Man Buyer
- *Johnny Skidmarks* (1998), as Old Coot
- *Amazing Stories: The Movie III* (1998), as Mr. Beasley
- *Just Shoot Me!* (1997), series, as Professor Gladstone
- *Profiler* (1996), series, as Mr. Poole
- *The Trigger Effect* (1996), as Mr. Schaefer
- *Ed* (1996), as Clarence
- *Baywatch Nights* (1995), series, as Nicky Pine
- *Digital Man* (1995), as Bob
- *Pentathlon* (1994), as Vic
- *Love Bites* (1993), as Vinnie Helsting
- *The Opposite Sex and How to Live with Them* (1992), as Irv Crown
- *Dead Men Don't Die* (1990), as Nolan
- *Max Monroe: Loose Cannon* (1990), series, Actor
- *Seinfeld* (1989), series, as Morty Seinfeld — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/tv/seinfeld.md)
- *Return of the Living Dead Part II* (1988), as Doc Mandel
- *A Year in the Life* (1987), series, as Bob McCrone
- *The Christmas Star* (1986), as Lucky
- *All Is Forgiven* (1986), series, as George Aldrich
- *Betrayed by Innocence* (1986), as Judge Mendola
- *Amazing Stories* (1985), series, as Mr. Beasley
- *The Twilight Zone* (1985), series, as Bartender (segment 'Kentucky Rye')
- *Airwolf: The Movie* (1984), as Mitch · the Director
- *Airwolf* (1984), series, as Mitch - Director
- *Night Court* (1984), series, as Mr. Hubble
- *Flashdance* (1983), as Frank Szabo
- *St. Elsewhere* (1982), series, as Marvin Kroll — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/st-elsewhere.md)
- *My Favorite Year* (1982), as Fed. Marshal Holt / Featured Player
- *Cagney & Lacey* (1982), series, as Daglee — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/cagney-and-lacey.md)
- *Simon & Simon* (1981), series, Actor
- *Hill Street Blues* (1981), series, Actor — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/hill-street-blues.md)
- *The Stunt Man* (1980), as Ace
- *The Gold Bug* (1980), as Tattoo
- *Aunt Mary* (1979), as Det. LaMonica
- *Archie Bunker's Place* (1979), series, Actor
- *Trapper John, M.D.* (1979), series, Actor
- *Corvette Summer* (1978), as Gil
- *The Chopped Liver Brothers* (1977), as Mr. Ruth
- *How the West Was Won* (1977), series, as Doc
- *Nickelodeon* (1976), as Duncan
- *Delvecchio* (1976), series, as Ben
- *Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman* (1976), series, as George Shumway
- *The Kansas City Massacre* (1975), as Capt. Jackson
- *Isis* (1975), series, as Jack Evans
- *Flash and the Firecat* (1975), as Mr. Walley
- *Last Hours Before Morning* (1975), as Max
- *Bronk* (1975), series, as Gunther
- *Rock-a-Die Baby* (1975), as Lt. John Anderson
- *The Great Waldo Pepper* (1975), as Dilhoefer
- *Barney Miller* (1975), series, as Harry Cranston, Gordon Kaiser, Frank Mallory, Elvin Swift
- *Target Risk* (1975), as Marty
- *Sons and Daughters* (1974), series, Actor
- *Harry and Tonto* (1974), as Burt
- *Judgment: The Court Martial of the Tiger of Malaya — General Yamashita* (1974), Actor
- *The Family Kovack* (1974), as Jo-Jo Linsen
- *The Six Million Dollar Man* (1974), series, as Dr. Randolph
- *Kojak* (1973), series, as Mr. Seymour, George Lampert — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/tv/kojak.md)
- *Mr. Inside/Mr. Outside* (1973), as Brack
- *Night of the Dark Full Moon* (1972), as Wilfred Butler (1929)
- *The Streets of San Francisco* (1972), series, as Pete
- *M*A*S*H* (1972), series, Actor — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/tv/m-a-s-h-1972.md)
- *The Rookies* (1972), series, Actor
- *Sanford and Son* (1972), series, as Calvin
- *The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight* (1971), as Gallagher
- *Columbo* (1971), series, as Gene Stafford — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/columbo.md)
- *Taking Off* (1971), as Policeman
- *The Out-of-Towners* (1970), as Officer Meyers
- *Jenny* (1970), as Fred Callahan
- *Midnight Cowboy* (1969), as Man in TV Montage (uncredited) — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/film/midnight-cowboy.md)
- *Let Me Hear You Whisper* (1969), as Dan
- *Here's Lucy* (1968), series, as Tompkins
- *The Outcasts* (1968), series, Actor
- *The Swimmer* (1968), as Biswangers' Pool Party Guest (uncredited)
- *Judd, for the Defense* (1967), series, Actor
- *The Rat Patrol* (1966), series, as General Koenig, 'the Butcher'
- *A Thousand Clowns* (1965), as The Man in the Restaurant — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/a-thousand-clowns.md)
- *The Wild Wild West* (1965), series, Actor
- *The Defenders* (1961), series, as District Attorney
- *Route 66* (1960), series, Actor
- *Hallmark Hall of Fame* (1951), series, as Det. LaMonica

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/philip-bruns