Bruce MacLeish Dern (born June 4, 1936) is an American actor. He is the father of actress Laura Dern and was formerly married to actress Diane Ladd.

He is generally regarded as a talented actor who has suffered from typecasting due to having had a series of roles as "psycho" characters early in his film career. Nevertheless, in his 60s, he continues to be a sought after performer.

Probably his best-known role was as the lone astronaut in Silent Running. He also appeared in the multi-Oscar-winning Coming Home with Jane Fonda. He is an alumnus of New Trier Township High School East, Winnetka, IL. One of select few to kill John Wayne on the silver screen (see the movie The Cowboys (1972)). He even received death threats out of it. He had two daughters by Diane Ladd. His eldest daughter, born in 1961, drowned at 18 months of age, years before his second child, Laura Dern, was born in 1967. His grandfather, George Dern, was former Governor of Utah & FDR's first Secretary of War. He is the nephew of poet Archibald Macleish.

Filmography

• Down in the Valley (2005)
• Believe in Me (2005)... Ellis Brawley
• The Hard Easy (2005)... Gene
• Monster (2003)... Thomas
• Hard Ground (2003) (TV)... Nate Hutchinson
• Masked and Anonymous (2003)... The Editor
• The Glass House (2001)... Begleiter
• All The Pretty Horses (2000)... The Judge
• The Haunting (1999)... Mr. Dudley
• Small Soldiers (1998) (voice)... Link Static
• Last Man Standing (1996)... Sheriff Ed Galt
• Mullholland Falls (1996) (uncredited)... The Chief
• Wild Bill (1995)... Will Plummer
• The 'burbs (1988)... Mark Rumsfield
• 1969 (1988)... Cliff
• Uncle Tom's Cabin (1987) (TV)... Augustine St. Claire
• The Driver (1978)... The Detective
• Posse (1975)... Jack Strawhorn
• The Great Gatsby (1974)... Tom Buchanan
• They Shoot Horses, Don't They (1969)... James
• Support Your Local Sheriff! (1969) Joe Danby
• Hang 'Em High (1968) Miller, Cooper Hanging Party
• Hush... Hush Sweet Charlotte (1964)... John Mayhew
• Marnie (1964)... Sailor