Bruce McCulloch

Bruce McCulloch
Born	Bruce Ian McCulloch May 12, 1961 (1961-05-12) (age 48) Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Other name(s)	Brucio (nickname) Bruce McCullough
Spouse(s)	Tracy Leah Ryan
Official website

Bruce Ian McCulloch (born May 12, 1961) is a Canadian actor, writer, comedian, and film director. McCulloch is best known for his work as a member of The Kids in the Hall, a popular Canadian comedy troupe, and as a writer for Saturday Night Live. McCulloch has also appeared on series such as Twitch City and Gilmore Girls. He directed the films Dog Park, Stealing Harvard and Superstar.

He has also written and directed the romantic comedy Comeback Season which toured film festivals before its release on DVD in 2007. He is currently the writer of ABC's Carpoolers.

Early life

McCulloch was born in Edmonton, Alberta. He attended Strathcona Composite High School in Edmonton and competed in both track and field and the swim team, winning two provincial titles single-handedly. McCulloch is a notable graduate of Mount Royal College located in Calgary, Alberta.

Career

Kids in the Hall

As a member of The Kids in the Hall comedy troupe, McCulloch frequently wrote surreal monologues, films or songs. He also directed several of the filmed sketches. Memorable characters included the Flying Pig, Cabbage Head, talkative schoolchild Gavin, pop starlet Tammy, and grumpy middle-aged man Gordon.

McCulloch appeared in the Kids in the Hall movie Brain Candy, released in 1996. McCulloch drew controversy with his Cancer Boy character, introduced on the series' final episode, in which he plays a dying young cancer patient confined to a wheelchair who relates otherwise depressing news in a monosyllabic tone and with a cheerful smile, and even releases a hit single entitled "Whistle When You're Low." Paramount Pictures fought to edit out the offending scenes, yet they were still kept in. Among other characters, McCulloch also appeared as Grivo, a depressed rock star.

Music

McCulloch has released two albums: 1995’s Shame-Based Man (praised by Allmusic as the “most remarkable of comedy albums: one that bears (frequent) repeated listenings”)^[1] and 2002’s Drunk Baby Project.

McCulloch also directed the music video for the Tragically Hip’s song “My Music at Work,” from their 2000 album Music @ Work. McCulloch has stated on his website that he is close friends with Tragically Hip frontman Gord Downie. The video shares much in common with many Kids in the Hall sketches, including its office setting, camera angles, and some thematic elements.

Movies

McCulloch played Fred Wright in the 1987 TV mini-series Anne of Avonlea. He also had a role in the 1999 comedy film Dick.

McCulloch also co-wrote and had a bit part in Superman's 50th Anniversary: A Celebration of the Man of Steel (1988). In the CBS primetime special, (also featuring Dana Carvey, Al Franken, Jan Hooks, and others) he played a patron of a store that, among other things, sold counterfeit Kryptonite.

Discography

• Shame-Based Man (1995)
• Drunk Baby Project (2002)

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Bruce McCulloch

• Official Website
• Bruce McCulloch at the Internet Movie Database
• http://www.kithfan.org/kith/bruce.html
• An Interview with Bruce McCulloch on the history of the troupe, ongoing collaboration with Kevin McDonald, cross-dressing, and the business of comedy in Unlimited magazine