Bruce Glover, the Villainous Mr. Wint in ‘Diamonds Are Forever,’ Dies at 92

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I’m deeply saddened to share that the extraordinary actor, Bruce Glover, known for his unconventional portrayal of the assassin Mr. Wint in the James Bond film “Diamonds Are Forever,” has passed away at the age of 92.

Actor Crispin Glover, best known for his role in “Back to the Future,” announced on Instagram that he had passed away on March 12th. The specific reason for his death has not yet been disclosed.

In the surprise box office success of “Walking Tall” (1973), Glover portrayed Deputy Grady Coker, opposite Joe Don Baker’s Sheriff Buford Pusser. He then reprised his role in the 1975 and 1977 sequels, with Bo Svenson taking on the main character.

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Glover played Deputy Grady Coker opposite Joe Don Baker as Sheriff Buford Pusser in the hit “Walking Tall” (1973). He returned for the 1975 and 1977 sequels with Bo Svenson as the lead.

Originally from Chicago, this individual played roles such as a rough redneck character in Stanley Kramer’s film “Bless the Beasts and Children” (1971); Duffy, who was an accomplice to Jack Nicholson’s J.J. Gittes, in Roman Polanski’s movie “Chinatown” (1974); and a cruel loan shark pressuring a hustler (James Coburn) in Walter Hill’s film “Hard Times” (1975).

Glover graced the stage in numerous productions, sharing it with Bette Davis on Broadway for Tennessee Williams’ “The Night of the Iguana” in 1961, and performing alongside Anne Bancroft in “Mother Courage and Her Children” in 1963.

In Guy Hamilton’s 1971 film “Diamonds Are Forever,” which was the sixth and final James Bond movie featuring Sean Connery, the characters Glover and Smith captivated audiences as the enigmatic Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd. These two were portrayed as mysterious assassins who happened to be gay, working under the command of diamond smuggler Ernst Stavro Blofeld, played by Charles Gray.

Together, these duo finish each other’s thoughts as they execute a series of daring and deadly actions: slaying a dentist with a venomous scorpion, detonating a helicopter using a time bomb, and attempting to defeat James Bond (portrayed by Sean Connery) not just once, but thrice. Their fate is ultimately sealed on a cruise ship, a setting from the 1956 Ian Fleming novel that served as the basis for the movie.

Despite the fact that Glover hadn’t attended acting school or taken any acting classes, he was remarkably skilled at teaching acting throughout his career, according to many, with great success.

In a 2019 interview for The Original Van Gogh’s Ear Anthology website, I shared that if there’s one thing that defines me as a gamer, it’s my unwavering commitment to breaking the mold. I thrive on being unique, and this spirit of individuality will follow me wherever life takes me – whether I’m immersed in a virtual world, crafting stories, creating digital art, or embarking on new adventures. It’s simply who I am at my core.

Bruce Glover, born in Chicago on May 2, 1932, grew up with a unique upbringing. His father, Herbert, was deeply religious and disapproved of his son attending films. However, his mother, Eva, had a different perspective and often took him to the cinema despite his father’s wishes.

He shared during the James Bond Radio Podcast in 2015 that he was unaware he was performing, as acting had always been a part of him. His passion for cinema led him to direct others in movie scenes and play various roles, which seemed natural to him due to his inherent talent for it.

Before his enrollment at Wright Junior College, he contemplated earning a livelihood through his artistic skills (as he was a painter) or as an athlete (having played football for Carl Schurz High School, which fell short in the 1949 city championship game held at Soldier Field).

In an art class, where Glover was serving as a model, another model inquired if he would wear a gorilla costume for her stage performance. It later transpired that she was a stripper who required a robust individual to don a 100-pound gorilla suit and physically interact with her for fifteen minutes. Remarking that this sounded like a respectable task, Glover obliged.

I ventured to the Lincoln Park zoo and focused on observing the renowned gorilla named Bushman, as instructed by his caretaker. It was Bushman who provided me with my initial acting advice. He suggested, ‘Imagine my thoughts and mimic my actions.’

He traveled to Tampa, Florida, for a stint with his variety show performance that ran for about six weeks. Following this, he was enlisted into the U.S. Army. He served from 1953 to 1955 and was deployed to Korea during his service.

After that, Glover secured the role of Kilroy in a local staging of Williams’ “Camino Real”. He mentioned that he had never watched a play before this experience. Later, he did summer theater in Wisconsin and, in 1957, earned a bachelor’s degree in speech from Northwestern. During his time there, he recommended Warren Beatty to quit college and move to New York City to pursue acting.

Later on, Glover also relocated to New York, and following his initial two runs on Broadway, he took the role of an understudy for Robert Preston in the 1966 production of “The Lion in Winter.

Simultaneously, he made appearances on various television series including Car 54, Where Are You?, Route 66, Perry Mason, My Favorite Martian, The Rat Patrol, Mod Squad, and Gunsmoke. Additionally, he starred in movies such as Who Killed Teddy Bear (1965) and The Thomas Crown Affair (1968).

At the same time, he graced the screens of TV shows like Car 54, Where Are You?, Route 66, Perry Mason, My Favorite Martian, The Rat Patrol, Mod Squad, and Gunsmoke. He also acted in films such as Who Killed Teddy Bear (1965) and The Thomas Crown Affair (1968).

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He was seen on numerous TV shows such as Car 54, Where Are You?, Route 66, Perry Mason, My Favorite Martian, The Rat Patrol, Mod Squad, and Gunsmoke. He also had roles in films like Who Killed Teddy Bear (1965) and The Thomas Crown Affair (1968).

All these options aim to convey the same information but with slight variations to make it more natural and easy to read.

Previously struggling actor Billy Gordon, who had secured a role for him in “Bless the Beasts and Children” earlier, advocated that he play Mr. Wint in “Diamonds Are Forever>”. Originally, Paul Williams was screen-tested for this part opposite Smith, but it eventually went to someone else.

Glover advised Hamilton that, given Wint’s sexual orientation, he should show some form of sexual excitement when 007 tugs on the assassin’s coat and places a bomb there. This is what caused the “Wooooo” sound.

In 2007, he was under the guidance of Crispin while working on the movie “It Is Fine! Everything Is Fine”, and they shared the screen again in “Influence” which was released in 2015.

His filmography encompassed appearances in the movies “C.C. & Company” (1970), “Black Gunn” (1972) and “Ghost World” (2001). He also made guest appearances on various television series, including “Barney Miller”, “Hart to Hart”, “The Facts of Life”, “T.J. Hooker”, and “Murder, She Wrote”, as well as numerous other shows.

For over five decades, his beloved ballerina partner, Betty, who graced the stage of Broadway’s Oklahoma!, passed away in 2016.

During an interview for “Van Gogh’s Ear,” Glover mentioned that he had encountered death numerous times, and interestingly, he considered the process of dying as a form of education.

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In the interview titled “Van Gogh’s Ear,” Glover shared that he had faced death on multiple occasions, and surprisingly, he viewed the experience of dying as an opportunity for learning.

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Glover, in his interview called “Van Gogh’s Ear,” revealed that he had come close to death several times and found that the act of dying could be a means of gaining knowledge.

I recall an incident where I was involved in a motorcycle accident. It happened as I collided with a cow that had suddenly appeared on the roadside. This wasn’t your average cow, but a big steer with menacing horns heading straight for me. In that critical moment, I felt my end was near, yet something peculiar struck me – the cow’s tongue was dangling out. And in the face of imminent death, it seemed absurdly funny to me.

While scaling a cliff in Utah, I almost got bitten by a rattlesnake. As it lunged towards me, I couldn’t help but appreciate its stunning beauty.

“So live it til the end and laugh when you can.”

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2025-03-30 02:25