On this date in 1955, actor Walter Bruce Willis was born on a military base in Germany. He was raised Lutheran and grew up in Penns Grove, New Jersey, attended Montclair State College, then moved to New York City. Willis waited on tables and bartended while looking for acting jobs. He was cast for one of his first roles as a bartender by a director who spotted him tending bar. Willis’ TV break came in the series “Moonlighting” (1985). His first box office hit was “Die Hard” (1988).
Among his earlier movies are three “Die Hard” sequels, “Look Who’s Talking” (1989), “The Bonfire of the Vanities” (1990), “The Last Boy Scout” (1991), “Pulp Fiction” (1994), “Twelve Monkeys” (1995), “The Jackal” (1997), “Breakfast of Champions” (1999), “The Sixth Sense” and “The Story of Us” (1999). Since then he has made at least one movie every year as of this writing in 2022. He is the recipient of a Golden Globe, two Primetime Emmy Awards and two People’s Choice Awards. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2006.
Willis was married from 1987 to 2000 to actress Demi Moore and married actress Emma Heming in 2009. He and Moore have three daughters, Rumer, Scout and Tallulah. He and Heming have two daughters, Mabel and Evelyn.
Willis’ family announced in March 2022 that he had retired from acting after being diagnosed with aphasia, a language disorder that affects the ability to communicate. It can be caused by a stroke, head injury, brain tumor or other disease.
PHOTO: Willis at the San Diego Comic-Con in 2018; Gage Skidmore photo under CC 3.0.
