R.I.P. Herman Brix (a/ka/ Bruce Bennett)

I just found out that the great Herman Brix – who later changed his name to Bruce Bennett – passed away on February 24th at age 100.

An Olympic shot-putter and stuntman, Brix was Edgar Rice Burroughs' personal choice to play Tarzan, and starred as the Ape Man in the independently produced serial, The New Adventures of Tarzan. Due to a troubled production, the serial itself, which was shot on location in the jungles of South America, is a bit of a mess, but Brix is a letter-perfect Lord Greystoke: intelligent, erudite, and utterly lethal in a loincloth.

The athletic Brix starred in many great Republic serials, including Daredevils of the Red Circle (a personal fave), The Fighting Devil Dogs (another classic), Shadow of Chinatown, Hawk of the Wilderness, and The Lone Ranger. Later, he changed his name to Bruce Bennett and moved into supporting and co-starring roles in A-pictures, including a most memorable turn in The Treasure of Sierra Madre, with humphrey Bogart and Walter Huston. He appeared with Bogart again in Sahara, and even had a featured role in the 50's cult fave, The Alligator People, alongside Lon Chaney Jr.

His IMDB page has over 140 listed credits, so the man was clearly a hard worker and much in demand over his long and varied career. Here's another tribute.

I think I'll go dig out my VHS of Fighting Devil Dogs and watch a chapter or two in his memory.

Rest in Peace, Brix.