Bruce Willis’ Bizarre Animated TV Show Is A Blast From The Past

Gen-Xers probably recall this with readability, however manner again in 1987, when actor Bruce Willis was riding high in Hollywood, he started to, maybe misguidedly, department out. He launched a blues document known as “The Return of Bruno,” an idea album consisting largely of covers that was stated to hint the rise and success of a fictional alter-ego named Bruno Radolini. In a tie-in TV particular the identical yr, Willis performed the titular Bruno in a mockumentary concerning the character. Many individuals purchased “The Return of Bruno” as a popular culture curio, extra wanting to mock Willis than to provide his music an opportunity. Today, few bear in mind “Bruno,” and those who do solely carry it up for causes of kitsch. 

Even fewer folks, nonetheless, will bear in mind an extra return of Bruno. Willis, it appears, wasn’t finished.

In 1996, Willis co-created and starred in an animated sequence known as “Bruno the Child,” a comedy/motion present a few courageous sixth-grade boy who moonlighted as a spy. The premise of the sequence was enjoyable. The younger Bruno, a pc nerd, favored to go surfing and have an effect on completely different identities in his interactions with strangers. He created a CGI-rendered spy persona for himself (one which simply occurs to appear like the grownup Bruce Willis), which attracted the eye of G.L.O.B.E., a supersecret counter-terrorism drive. 

G.L.O.B.E. employed the younger Bruno to be a star agent, and he communicated with the higher-ups through a digital avatar. Solely the stuffy G.L.O.B.E. agent Jarlesburg (Tony Jay) knew that Bruno was 11 years previous. Bruno started trekking out on harmful spy missions on the fly, and rapidly grew to become a star agent. Fortunately, his talent at video video games proved to be an asset in espionage work.

This was very actual. It ran for 36 episodes over the course of its single season. 

“Bruno the Child” has an interesting sufficient premise for a younger viewer. It captured the “secret life” fantasies that many children have, permitting Bruno to hoodwink his classmates, academics, and members of the family whereas he sneaks away and does actually, actually cool issues. It additionally tapped into James Bond-inflected spy fantasies, giving Bruno entry to high-tech devices and weapons as a matter in fact. There was a Q-like character within the type of Harris, a personality performed by Mark Hamill. 

Few folks have talked about “Bruno the Child” since its airing. Hamill talked about “Bruno the Child” onky as soon as in a 1997 problem of Animation World Journal (handily archived on its website) solely to say that he “was employed as what they name a ‘utility participant,’ which suggests they may depend on me to offer multiple voice. I used to be really employed to play three voices.” Hamill additionally famous that enjoying three voices on a single animated sequence was proof that his voice performing profession was going nicely; casting administrators lastly trusted him sufficient to play a number of roles. 

“Bruno the Child” is presently accessible on the Roku Channel, on Vudu, and on Plex. Watching it, one would possibly be aware the slickness of the animation, and the distinctive character designs. “Bruno the Child” was dealt with by Movie Roman, the identical manufacturing firm that oversaw “Garfield and Buddies,” “The Simpsons,” “King of the Hill,” “The Critic” (the show, not the Tarantino movie) “Household Man,” “The Oblongs,” and lots of different high-quality, adult-skewing animated exhibits. This wasn’t some dashed-off side-hustle {that a} superstar did of their spare time (see: “Hammerman,” “Chuck Norris: Karate Kommandos,” or a number of dozen different celebrity-backed animated exhibits of the ’80s and ’90s). This was a legit present.

Certainly, Willis not solely developed the present and performed its title character, but additionally sang the present’s theme music and served as an govt producer. “Bruno the Child” was one thing Willis seemingly believed in. 

It could be odd listening to Willis’ grownup voice popping out of a kid physique, but it surely’s no stranger than listening to Willis function the voice of an toddler’s inside monologue within the hit movie “Look Who’s Speaking.” Additionally, the 1995 animated sequence “Life with Louie” pulled the same stunt with Louie Anderson voicing his personal childhood self, so audiences took the self-esteem in stride.

The tone of “Bruno the Child” is pure Nineteen Nineties. It takes its spy tales severely, and Bruno incessantly finds himself in mortal peril — of the “tied to a conveyor belt and aimed towards a lethal noticed” selection — however the humor is flippant and light-weight. Like quite a lot of media of the Nineteen Nineties, it makes gentle, self-aware enjoyable of the style it inhabits whereas nonetheless telling easy tales. The writing on “Bruno the Child” is stronger than one’s common Saturday morning fare. Surprisingly, Bruno is a enjoyable character. Willis’ film star charms sometimes poke by in his efficiency, and Bruno is all the time drawn with an informal smirk on his face. The child is cool and assured and enjoyable to look at. Moreover, although, he is good. “Bruno the Child” vaunted intelligence over cool, which is appreciated. He did not survive through luck or smarminess, however precise talent. 

Additionally, the supporting solid was spectacular. Tim Curry, Ed Asner, René Auberjonois, Matt Frewer, Dawnn Lewis, and Ed McMahon (!) performed visitor villains. Listening to them is all the time a deal with.

Trying again, one would possibly discover that “Bruno the Child” is … good, really. Bruce Willis was obsessed along with his Bruno alter-ego, however seemingly had higher luck exploring the character as an animated child-spy than as a blues musician. “The Return of Bruno” is not excellent, however “Bruno the Child” is value in search of out. 

Bruce Willis has since left showbiz after an aphasia diagnosis, however his film star sparkle lives on, even in small initiatives. 

Gen-Xers probably recall this with readability, however manner again in 1987, when actor Bruce Willis was riding high in Hollywood, he started to, maybe misguidedly, department out. He launched a blues document known as “The Return of Bruno,” an idea album consisting largely of covers that was stated to hint the rise and success of a fictional alter-ego named Bruno Radolini. In a tie-in TV particular the identical yr, Willis performed the titular Bruno in a mockumentary concerning the character. Many individuals purchased “The Return of Bruno” as a popular culture curio, extra wanting to mock Willis than to provide his music an opportunity. Today, few bear in mind “Bruno,” and those who do solely carry it up for causes of kitsch. 

Even fewer folks, nonetheless, will bear in mind an extra return of Bruno. Willis, it appears, wasn’t finished.

In 1996, Willis co-created and starred in an animated sequence known as “Bruno the Child,” a comedy/motion present a few courageous sixth-grade boy who moonlighted as a spy. The premise of the sequence was enjoyable. The younger Bruno, a pc nerd, favored to go surfing and have an effect on completely different identities in his interactions with strangers. He created a CGI-rendered spy persona for himself (one which simply occurs to appear like the grownup Bruce Willis), which attracted the eye of G.L.O.B.E., a supersecret counter-terrorism drive. 

G.L.O.B.E. employed the younger Bruno to be a star agent, and he communicated with the higher-ups through a digital avatar. Solely the stuffy G.L.O.B.E. agent Jarlesburg (Tony Jay) knew that Bruno was 11 years previous. Bruno started trekking out on harmful spy missions on the fly, and rapidly grew to become a star agent. Fortunately, his talent at video video games proved to be an asset in espionage work.

This was very actual. It ran for 36 episodes over the course of its single season. 

“Bruno the Child” has an interesting sufficient premise for a younger viewer. It captured the “secret life” fantasies that many children have, permitting Bruno to hoodwink his classmates, academics, and members of the family whereas he sneaks away and does actually, actually cool issues. It additionally tapped into James Bond-inflected spy fantasies, giving Bruno entry to high-tech devices and weapons as a matter in fact. There was a Q-like character within the type of Harris, a personality performed by Mark Hamill. 

Few folks have talked about “Bruno the Child” since its airing. Hamill talked about “Bruno the Child” onky as soon as in a 1997 problem of Animation World Journal (handily archived on its website) solely to say that he “was employed as what they name a ‘utility participant,’ which suggests they may depend on me to offer multiple voice. I used to be really employed to play three voices.” Hamill additionally famous that enjoying three voices on a single animated sequence was proof that his voice performing profession was going nicely; casting administrators lastly trusted him sufficient to play a number of roles. 

“Bruno the Child” is presently accessible on the Roku Channel, on Vudu, and on Plex. Watching it, one would possibly be aware the slickness of the animation, and the distinctive character designs. “Bruno the Child” was dealt with by Movie Roman, the identical manufacturing firm that oversaw “Garfield and Buddies,” “The Simpsons,” “King of the Hill,” “The Critic” (the show, not the Tarantino movie) “Household Man,” “The Oblongs,” and lots of different high-quality, adult-skewing animated exhibits. This wasn’t some dashed-off side-hustle {that a} superstar did of their spare time (see: “Hammerman,” “Chuck Norris: Karate Kommandos,” or a number of dozen different celebrity-backed animated exhibits of the ’80s and ’90s). This was a legit present.

Certainly, Willis not solely developed the present and performed its title character, but additionally sang the present’s theme music and served as an govt producer. “Bruno the Child” was one thing Willis seemingly believed in. 

It could be odd listening to Willis’ grownup voice popping out of a kid physique, but it surely’s no stranger than listening to Willis function the voice of an toddler’s inside monologue within the hit movie “Look Who’s Speaking.” Additionally, the 1995 animated sequence “Life with Louie” pulled the same stunt with Louie Anderson voicing his personal childhood self, so audiences took the self-esteem in stride.

The tone of “Bruno the Child” is pure Nineteen Nineties. It takes its spy tales severely, and Bruno incessantly finds himself in mortal peril — of the “tied to a conveyor belt and aimed towards a lethal noticed” selection — however the humor is flippant and light-weight. Like quite a lot of media of the Nineteen Nineties, it makes gentle, self-aware enjoyable of the style it inhabits whereas nonetheless telling easy tales. The writing on “Bruno the Child” is stronger than one’s common Saturday morning fare. Surprisingly, Bruno is a enjoyable character. Willis’ film star charms sometimes poke by in his efficiency, and Bruno is all the time drawn with an informal smirk on his face. The child is cool and assured and enjoyable to look at. Moreover, although, he is good. “Bruno the Child” vaunted intelligence over cool, which is appreciated. He did not survive through luck or smarminess, however precise talent. 

Additionally, the supporting solid was spectacular. Tim Curry, Ed Asner, René Auberjonois, Matt Frewer, Dawnn Lewis, and Ed McMahon (!) performed visitor villains. Listening to them is all the time a deal with.

Trying again, one would possibly discover that “Bruno the Child” is … good, really. Bruce Willis was obsessed along with his Bruno alter-ego, however seemingly had higher luck exploring the character as an animated child-spy than as a blues musician. “The Return of Bruno” is not excellent, however “Bruno the Child” is value in search of out. 

Bruce Willis has since left showbiz after an aphasia diagnosis, however his film star sparkle lives on, even in small initiatives.