March 6, 2009

A Toast to Robert Bruce

cameron rhodes               posted 2 Mar 2009, 10:42 PM / edited 3 Mar 2009, 08:03 AM

A toast to Robert Bruce who passed away today,  March 2nd. A great man of the Film, Tv and Theatre worlds…and a great man.

cameron rhodes               posted 3 Mar 2009, 01:51 PM / edited 4 Mar 2009, 09:49 PM

A service for Robert Bruce, will be held at St Matthews in the city, corner Hobson and Wellesley Streets, Auckland City on Thursday March 5 at 1.30pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the SPCA, PO Box 43221, Mangere, Manukau 2153 and would be appreciated. H Morris Funeral Services

Norelle Scott      posted 4 Mar 2009, 11:22 AM / edited 4 Mar 2009, 09:49 PM

Robert was indeed a great man. He was loyal, honest and kind. He will be greatly missed.

Peter Elliott        posted 4 Mar 2009, 06:35 PM / edited 5 Mar 2009, 10:36 AM

Robert Bruce, perhaps the greatest agent in the NZ entertainment industry, died suddenly in the early hours of Monday morning this week, after a short illness.

It will be a while before the industry realizes just how big a gap his passing will leave.

To call Robert an agent, is to belittle what he did, for, and with, this industry he loved and supported with passion, dedication and selflessness, for nearly thirty years

He was my representative for more than 26 of those years. I’d like to thank him.

I grew up with Robert on the Tele. Wrestling in ‘On the Mat’, with Ernie Leonard calling the blows ringside for the NZBC. He was known as Robert the Bruce and he always wore black. He and King Curtis were the villains, but Robert was the most exciting wrestler to watch. Fiercer and more technical than any of them.

Later I met him, in the flesh so to speak, – dauntingly huge – in his first tiny office above Samoa House in Karangahape Road and he agreed to become my agent.

But I had some doubts, – his operation was called ‘the UGLY Agency’, and he specialized in folk who looked like thugs, skivvies and right dodgy bastards.

I was a ‘highly trained thespian’, for God’s sake, – but  fortunately I quickly realized that no one was going to mess with MY Agent!

Robert turned out to be a giant in many ways.

He was a towering figure of sense and honesty in the industry, but so much more to so many others – He was an agent, a trusted friend, a sportsman, a fighter, a true son of Scotland; a wrestler from Musselburgh, a bouncer, a music lover, a comic, a connoisseur, a gifted storyteller and raconteur, and a prodigious eater from time to time. And he always maintained a great love for the tiny seaside town of Tobermory where his grandfather was the lighthouse keeper.

That lighthouse and name we see on the gable of his office villa today.

And he was one of the foundation stones of the modern film and entertainment industry.

Few know what enormous commitments Robert made to this industry as a whole.

He argued and fought for minimum wages alongside Actor’s Equity for years, and fought for sanity and parity in an industry known for outrageous demands and behaviours, – on both sides.

Without Robert’s input we would be a much sadder and smaller industry.

‘Once Were Warriors’ broke new ground here and led to something of a breakthrough for Kiwi film internationally, but few acknowledged that much of that was due to Robert.

Without his training Tem could not have given us Jake the Muss.

Without  his expertise those fight sequences would not have had the clout and validity that opened LA’s doors to other actors like Cliff Curtis, Karl Urban and the Martins – Henderson and Csokas.

‘Hercules’ and ‘Xena’, and more, again owe a huge debt to Roberts expertise, training, fight choreography and encouragement.

Kevin Sorbo and Kevin Smith trained fastidiously with Robert throughout those series bringing them both to a peak of physical condition that looked magnificent on screen, and much of the commercial success of those shows is due to the pumped look that Roberts training and skill imparted.

Robert always worked with a sense of calm, and was respected and cared for by everyone he had dealings with, professionally and personally.

But he was an implacable opponent if you crossed him, or when he knew he was right.

If Robert said he would do something – it got done – unconditionally. His way.

For years I’ve felt that I was enabled in this biz, because alongside me was a big man  with a big heart and an unflinching honesty and strength who would tolerate stupidity from no-one. 

He was a terrific sounding board, but if he felt you were being unreasonable he’d go quiet, and just give a single nod, and then look at you, and wait for you to realize you were being a prat.

He would never say you were wrong, but would wait for the ‘actor’ to subside back into being human. And that look in his eye never let you stay stupid for long….

In Roberts office, he has always had the same two chairs..

These chairs looked comfortable and inviting. They weren’t.

You sat so low in them that you felt like a child looking up at the Principal.

With high sides it was impossible to rest your arms on them and , if you kept them inside you’d be squashed thin with shoulders up round your ears.

They had mean, hard and pointy arms so you couldn’t perch either. You either stood, or lounged wayyy back in these horrible padded boxes and tried to appear cool, but Rob would look at you until you realized you looked like a complete nonce.

 This kept meetings short – without the need for a word from Robert – you got in, talked the biz, and got out. Subtle but unmistakable, polite but cruelly effective.  

But Robert could also be sentimental too, gentler than anyone, and a great comfort when the chips were down. He helped and nurtured many of us through tough times, family dramas and personal hardships.

He worked tirelessly for the SPCA, and made himself available for those with special needs. He took llamas in to sick kids in Starship, with predictable results.

He played ‘Santa’ for the Riding for the Disabled kids every year.

And Robert also had the greatest sense of humour with a wealth of appalling and wonderful stories. On many an occasion I have gone home aching from laughter at the antics he so eloquently described in his strong Scot’s brogue.

At every opening night, he was there, indomitable, leather jacketed and with the beautiful Gabrielle by his side. He’d amble by and clasp you in a hug that could stun an ox and growl, “Mate, that was great, just great, I loved it., Fantastic work mate, rrrreally good.” 

Robert Bruce was ‘Good People’, and so many people are going to miss him, the gym community, the wrestlers, the stars, the singers and presenters and dancers, the producers, the directors, the kids he nurtured and fostered, the friends, the families and the people who had the great fortune to work with him – even the animals at the SPCA.

On Thursday 5th March,  at St Matthews in the City we will gather to say farewell to a great, great man..

Thank you Robert, from the bottom of our hearts, you made us better people, mate.

Say hi to Kev and Lynn and Becky.

E mihi ana ki nga tupuna

Ratou I toro nga ara I te mata whenua

I waihotia a ratou korero purakau

Hei whakaaro mo nga whakatupuranga.

The ancestors are acknowledged

They blazed pathways across the face of the land

To leave their legends

for generations to understand

Rest in Peace Rob.

The Carrolls        posted 4 Mar 2009, 09:42 PM / edited 4 Mar 2009, 09:48 PM

Some people only enter your life for a short while but have a great impact – Robert Bruce was such a man.

Charming, humorous and sincere – he will be greatly missed.

In the words of Robert Burns: A Man’s A Man for A’That.

MacJeffery Ong                posted 6 Mar 2009, 01:16 PM / edited 6 Mar 2009, 01:59 PM

I just got back from LA and was sad to know I even missed his funeral. Robert had been my agent, mentor and a good friend for 16 years. I was a virtually a kid then when I joined his agency.

He looked after me well, even saying “no” to projects he deemed won’t be a good step for me. I guess looking out for me was his main interest, more than the commission he gets. For that, I respected him more.

We’ve had long conversation when he was planning his surprise for Gabriella’s Fiji birthday trip. I’ve never met Gabriella, but I knew she made him very happy. I wish I had met her as they both sounded like giddy teenagers in love. *grin* Robert told me about how they surprise each other on their birthdays…. this trip to Fiji was his surprise to Gabriella. I thought it was sweet and romantic that one just go to the airport as told and be whisked away.

I was helping Robert with my contacts in Fiji’s Sofitel Resort and with AirNZ to make sure they had a wonderful time on their journey. It was during this time that Robert told me his real name and why he changed his name to Robert Bruce, how he lost his wife before and how Gabriella came into his life. This is his gentle & loving side of Robert that one has the honour to see when he lets you.

Robert was always proud of my work, no matter how little or big they may be. He has always been there if I needed advice and has always been a protector when I was younger and a friend when I am older. I am truly sad to have lost a friend.

Cheers to you, big guy!