- Born
- Died
- Birth nameBruce Altomari Yarnell
- Height6′ 5″ (1.96 m)
- Bruce Yarnell was born on December 28, 1935 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He was an actor, known for Irma la Douce (1963), Bonanza (1959) and The Next Best Thing (2000). He was married to Joan Patenaude and Frances L. Chadwick. He died on November 30, 1973 in California, USA.
- SpousesJoan Patenaude(July 15, 1972 - November 30, 1973) (his death)Frances L. Chadwick(May 25, 1957 - March 1971) (divorced)
- Bruce was at the controls of his small-craft private plane when it crashed into the Santa Monica Mountains shortly after taking off from LAX. He was on his way to perform at the San Francisco Opera Company. Both Bruce and two passengers, David and Teri Wirsching, were killed.
- Sang baritone roles at the San Francisco Opera from 1971 until his death.
- Debuting on Broadway in the musical "The Happiest Girl in the World,", ruggedly handsome Bruce later played a number of the big, brawny, popular baritone singing roles on stage: Curly in "Oklahoma!," Billy Bigelow in "Carousel," Petruchio in "Kiss Me Kate" and Frank Butler in a Broadway revival of "Annie Get Your Gun" starring Ethel Merman.
- Brother of Lorene Yarnell Jansson and Richard Yarnell.
- His widow, singer/voice teacher Joan Patenaude Yarnell, began the Bruce Yarnell Scholarship in his name, to award young baritones, and presides as one of the judges.
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