Bruce Vilanch

Infobox actor
name = Bruce Vilanch


caption = Bruce Vilanch
birthname =
birthdate = birth date and age|1948|11|24
birthplace = New York City, New York, U.S.

Bruce Vilanch (born November 23, 1948) is an American comedy writer who caught the public eye when he became a wisecracking regular on the revamped "Hollywood Squares", with Whoopi Goldberg.

Biography

Vilanch attended Ohio State University as a theater and journalism student and graduated with a BFA in theater, in 1970. In 1978 he was one of the writers for "The Star Wars Holiday Special". In the 1980s he had a few brief television acting appearance including a bit part in an episode of "Bosom Buddies" and another on "Law & Order". His first television appearance as himself was in 1988, on "Hollywood Today", where he was interviewed by Chris Aable. The show aired in 43 cities on Century Cable and the Manhattan Neighborhood Cable Network.

Vilanch was adopted by Jewish parents and is openly gay and "a notorious meat eater." [according to an interview on the Ronn Owens show on KGO radio in San Francisco] He has a penchant for wearing wacky T-shirts.

He has provided topical joke material for a number of awards show hosts, notably for Billy Crystal at the Academy Awards. [ [http://www.ujc.org/page.aspx?id=26920 Vilanch bio at ujc.org] ] He commands high fees for emergency Hollywood script rewrites, having "punched up" scripts for films like "Die Hard 2" and "Raiders of the Lost Ark."Fact|date=November 2007

Vilanch has a musical comedy background (he co-wrote the book for the flop "Platinum" and contributed to far more successful concert shows starring Bette Midler, Diana Ross, and Michael Feinstein) and claims to have done every Stubby Kaye role ever written. In 2005, he starred on Broadway as, "Edna Turnblad," in the musical "Hairspray", after originating the role in the show's first national tour. He was on the third edition of "Celebrity Fit Club" and lost 21 pounds over the course of the show.

Vilanch has been the subject of two documentaries: "Get Bruce" (1999) and "Laughing Matters...The Men", also released as "Laughing Matters: Gay Comedy in America" (2007), where he shared the spotlight with Alec Mapa, Bob Smith and others. He also has cameo roles in "Tru Loved" and "You Don't Mess With The Zohan" (both 2008).

Vilanch co-wrote the song "Where Is My Man" with producers Fred Zarr and Jacques Morali. [ [http://www.discogs.com/release/778889 Single release info for "Where Is My Man" at discogs.com] ] The song was popularized in 1983 after it was recorded by the singer/actress Eartha Kitt and became both a dance club hit as well as a gay anthem.

Vilanch appeared on GSN Live on September 30, 2008

References

External links

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* [http://www.feastoffools.net/archives/2006/04/fof_283_-_the_m_1.php Interview with Bruce Vilanch] on the Feast of Fools (podcast)