Early Life and Education of Bruce Willis: A Complete Timeline
An overview of the childhood and early education of Bruce Willis, highlighting the experiences that shaped the journey.
Walter Bruce Willis is a retired American actor who rose to prominence in the 1980s with the television series *Moonlighting*. He solidified his status as an action star through his iconic portrayal of John McClane in the *Die Hard* film series, which spanned from 1988 to 2013. Willis has starred in over one hundred films, establishing a long and successful career in the entertainment industry.
March 19, 1955: Walter Bruce Willis Born
On March 19, 1955, Walter Bruce Willis was born. He would later become a famous actor.
1957: Family Relocates to New Jersey
In 1957, after being discharged from the military, Bruce Willis's father relocated the family to his hometown of Carneys Point, New Jersey.
1968: My Lai Massacre
In 1968, the My Lai massacre took place, which Bruce Willis was slated to play U.S. Army general William R. Peers in a film about the investigation.
1973: Graduates High School
In 1973, Bruce Willis graduated from Penns Grove High School.
1977: Leaves University, Moves to NYC
In 1977, Bruce Willis left Montclair State University and moved to New York City.
November 21, 1987: Marriage to Demi Moore
On November 21, 1987, Bruce Willis married Demi Moore in Las Vegas.
1988: Birth of Rumer Willis
In 1988, Bruce Willis and Demi Moore had their first daughter Rumer.
1988: Campaign for Michael Dukakis
In 1988, Bruce Willis and then-wife Demi Moore campaigned for Democratic Massachusetts governor Michael Dukakis's presidential campaign.
1988: Chooses not to renew his contract
In 1988, Bruce Willis chose not to renew his contract with Seagram, after deciding to stop drinking alcohol.
1991: Birth of Scout Willis
In 1991, Bruce Willis and Demi Moore had their second daughter Scout.
1992: Support for George H. W. Bush
In the 1992 presidential election, Bruce Willis supported President George H. W. Bush for reelection and was an outspoken critic of Bill Clinton.
1994: Birth of Tallulah Willis
In 1994, Bruce Willis and Demi Moore had their third daughter Tallulah.
1996: Declined endorsement due to criticism of Demi Moore
In 1996, Bruce Willis declined to endorse Clinton's Republican opponent Bob Dole because Dole criticized Demi Moore for her role in the film Striptease.
June 24, 1998: Separation from Demi Moore
On June 24, 1998, Bruce Willis and Demi Moore announced their separation.
July 1998: Views on Religion
In a July 1998 interview with George magazine, Bruce Willis shared his views on organized religion, expressing that they are dying forms and remnants of modern mythology.
October 18, 2000: Divorce from Demi Moore Finalized
On October 18, 2000, Bruce Willis and Demi Moore's divorce was finalized.
2000: Cheyenne Enterprises founded
In 2000, Bruce Willis and his business partner Arnold Rifkin started a motion picture production company called Cheyenne Enterprises.
2000: Speaker at Republican National Convention
In 2000, Bruce Willis was an invited speaker at the Republican National Convention, and supported George W. Bush that year.
2002: Donation of Girl Scout Cookies to troops
In 2002, Bruce Willis donated 12,000 boxes of Girl Scout cookies to United States armed forces stationed throughout the Middle East, inspired by his then 8-year-old daughter Tallulah.
2003: USO Tour in Iraq
In 2003, Bruce Willis visited Iraq as part of a USO tour, performing for the troops with his band, The Accelerators.
2004: Breakup with Brooke Burns
In 2004, Bruce Willis broke up with actress Brooke Burns after a ten-month engagement.
February 2006: Views on the Bush administration
In February 2006, Bruce Willis expressed his frustration with constant questions about the Bush administration, defining himself as apolitical and criticizing government spending and lobbyists.
August 17, 2006: Support for Israel
On August 17, 2006, Bruce Willis was named in a Los Angeles Times advertisement that condemned Hamas and Hezbollah and supported Israel in the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war.
2006: Views on Colombia and Social Issues
In 2006, Bruce Willis advocated for increased intervention in Colombia to combat drug trafficking. He also expressed support for higher salaries for teachers and police officers and voiced his concerns about the foster care system and treatment of Native Americans. Furthermore, he supported gun rights.
June 2007: Clarification of Osama bin Laden Bounty
In June 2007, Bruce Willis clarified that his statement offering US$1 million for the capture of terrorist leaders was hypothetical and not meant to be taken literally, in an interview with Vanity Fair.
June 2007: Republican Ideologies
In several June 2007 interviews, Bruce Willis declared that he maintains some Republican ideologies.
2007: Pinkville film canceled
Due to the 2007 Writers Guild of America strike, Oliver Stone's Pinkville film, in which Bruce Willis was slated to play U.S. Army general William R. Peers, was canceled.
2007: Willis leaves Cheyenne Enterprises
In 2007, Bruce Willis left Cheyenne Enterprises, a motion picture production company he co-founded, to be run solely by Arnold Rifkin after Live Free or Die Hard.
2008: No Contributions or Public Endorsements
In 2008, Bruce Willis did not make any contributions or public endorsements in the presidential campaign.
March 21, 2009: Marriage to Emma Heming
On March 21, 2009, Bruce Willis married Emma Heming in Turks and Caicos. The couple remarried in a civil ceremony in Beverly Hills six days later to make it legally binding.
2012: Birth of daughter with Emma Heming
In 2012, Bruce Willis and Emma Heming had a daughter.
2012: Negative Opinion of Mitt Romney
In the 2012 presidential election, Bruce Willis expressed a negative opinion of Mitt Romney.
2014: Birth of second daughter with Emma Heming
In 2014, Bruce Willis and Emma Heming had their second daughter.
March 30, 2022: Retirement announcement due to aphasia diagnosis
On March 30, 2022, Bruce Willis's family announced his retirement from acting following his diagnosis of aphasia. The Golden Raspberry Awards subsequently retracted its category dedicated to his performances.
2022: Retires from Acting
In 2022, Bruce Willis retired from acting due to aphasia.
February 16, 2023: Diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia
On February 16, 2023, Bruce Willis's family announced his diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia, noting the progression of his condition and its impact on his communication abilities, while also expressing hope for increased awareness about the disease.
2023: Diagnosed with Frontotemporal Dementia
In 2023, Bruce Willis was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia.
