Bruce Abbott

Bruce Paul Abbott (born July 28, 1954) is an American actor. Originally beginning his career in theater, Abbott later gained attention for his role as Dan Cain in the cult sci-fi horror films Re-Animator and Bride of Re-Animator (1990).

He has also had roles in the horror films Bad Dreams (1988) and The Prophecy II (1996), as well as the sci-fi film Out of Time. From 1992 to 1993, he portrayed Judge Nicholas Marshall on the television series Dark Justice.

Early life Abbott was born and raised in Portland, Oregon, where he graduated from David Douglas High School in 1972. His career began as a dancer and actor in the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, Oregon, where he spent three seasons from 1975 to 1978, appearing in productions of A Winter's Tale, All's Well That Ends Well, Henry VI Part 2, The Tempest, and The Tragedy of King Richard III.

He attended Portland State University, and later the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, California.

Career In 1980, Abbott relocated from Portland to Hollywood ("in the middle of the actors' strike, and I didn't know anyone," he recalled). Shortly afterwards, he was cast as the villain in the movie Tag: The Assassination Game. He met his future wife Linda Hamilton on the set.

In 1985, he starred as medical student Dan Cain in Stuart Gordon's sci-fi horror film Re-Animator (1985), a role he reprised in the sequel Bride of Re-Animator (1990). He later starred in Summer Heat (1987), a period drama, with Lori Singer and Kathy Bates. He also starred in the horror film Bad Dreams (1988) directed by Andrew Fleming, and the comedy Casual Sex? (1989). Abbott had a lead role in the futuristic television film Out of Time (1988), with Bill Maher. In 1991, he appeared as Harry Pierpont in the television film Dillinger, with Sherilyn Fenn and Patricia Arquette. From 1992 to 1993, he starred as Judge Nicholas Marshall in the series Dark Justice.

Throughout his career, Abbott has been a guest star on many TV series, including Murder, She Wrote; Family Law; Diagnosis: Murder; and more. He had a supporting role in the short-lived series The Net, based on the film of the same title starring Sandra Bullock. He appeared in the horror sequel The Prophecy II (1996), with Christopher Walken and Brittany Murphy.

Abbott is semi-retired from acting. He is an architect and artist and works in the custom-design industry.

Personal life

Abbott married Linda Hamilton in 1982; the union produced one child, Dalton Abbott (born October 4, 1989) (who can be seen in Terminator 2: Judgment Day as Infant John Connor). They divorced in 1989. Abbott and Quinlan married April 12, 1994 and have one son, Tyler Quinlan (born October 17, 1990); they divorced amicably in 2022.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1982 Tag: The Assassination Game Loren Gersh 1984 Why Me? Markus Television film 1984 The Last Starfighter Rylan Sargent 1984 Velvet Breed Television film 1985 Re-Animator Dan Cain 1985 Command 5 Deke Williams Television film 1987 Summer Heat Jack Ruffin 1987 Interzone Swan 1988 Baja Oklahoma Dove Christian 1988 Bad Dreams Dr. Alex Karmen 1988 Casual Sex? Keith 1988 Out of Time Channing Taylor Television film 1989 Trapped John Doe Television film 1989 Bride of Re-Animator Dr. Dan Cain 1990 Johnny Ryan Tom Kelly Television film 1990 Kaleidoscope Sam Television film 1991 Dillinger Harry Pierpont 1995 The Demolitionist Professor Jack Crowley 1995 Black Scorpion Michael Russo 1997 Melanie Darrow Alex Kramer Television film 1998 The Prophecy II Thomas Daggett 2002 Trance Taylor Black 2007 Humble Pie Captain Atticus 2009 Adult Film: A Hollywood Tale President Brad 2010 Eagles in the Chicken Coop President Brad

Television Year Title Role Notes 1982 The Blue and the Gray Jake Hale Jr. Miniseries 1985 MacGyver Major Nikolai Kossov 1 episode 1988–1990 Beauty and the Beast Devin Wells 2 episodes 1990 Father Dowling Mysteries Nick Moran 1 episode 1991–95 Murder, She Wrote Various 3 episodes 1992–93 Dark Justice Judge Nicholas Marshall 44 episodes 1994 Diagnosis Murder Paul Madison 1 episode 1998 The Net Walter Cizelski 4 episodes 2000–02 Family Law Colin Andrews 4 episodes 2002 UC: Undercover Edward Curtis 1 episode