Phil Bruns, American actor (Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, Barney Miller, The Great Waldo Pepper), died from natural causes he was 80

Philip Bruns  was an American television actor and writer, best remembered for portraying George Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.

Shumway, the father of Mary Hartman on the 1970s comedic series

(May 2, 1931 – February 8, 2012)

Life and career

Bruns was born in Pipestone, Minnesota, the youngest of three children of Henry Bruns and Margie Trigg Bruns. He graduated with a Bachelor's Degree from Augustana College in South Dakota. He earned his Master's Degree from the Yale School of Drama in New Haven, Connecticut. He also studied at the Old Vic Theatre School in London, England. He appeared as Morty Seinfeld in the sitcom Seinfeld, in a first-season episode entitled "The Stake Out", but was replaced in the role by Barney Martin.
He also appeared in Sanford and Son, Columbo: Exercise in Fatality, Night Court, Airwolf, Just Shoot Me!, and M*A*S*H. He appeared in dozens of films, TV commercials, and on and Off-Broadway plays (winning an Obie award for "Mr. Simian" in the 1963-64 season). He played the Warlock in Werner Liepolt's "The Young Master Dante" at The American Place Theater in 1968. Films in which Bruns appeared include The Great Waldo Pepper, Harry and Tonto, Flashdance, The Stunt Man, My Favorite Year, and Return of the Living Dead Part II.^[1]
Bruns wrote The Character Actor's Do's, Don't and Anecdotes', which was published in early November 2008.
Bruns established the largest private school library in the Bahamas.

Death

Until his death, Bruns resided in Hollywood with his wife, former Broadway musical actress Laurie Franks. He died of natural causes on February 8, 2012, aged 80.

To see more of who died in 2012 click here