Bruce Willis

A relaxed, raffish performer whose ironic style and working-class persona have made him a fan favorite, Bruce Willis was a Jersey boy living large in the Big Apple before shooting to stardom as private investigator David Addison on TV's successful "Moonlighting" (ABC, 1985-89). The 1980s were wild, awash in booze and drugs, and while the devil-may-care bartender was right in the middle of their surreal after-hours swirl, he was also developing some legitimate acting chops. Having landed his first Off-Broadway role in "Heaven and Earth" (1977), he spent the next seven years paying his dues as a model, acting sometimes extremely far off Off-Broadway, appearing ever so briefly in movies (blink and you'll miss him in "The First Deadly Sin" 1980 and "The Verdict" 1982) and showing up occasionally as a guest on TV (e.g., "Hart to Hart" ABC, "Miami Vice" NBC). His big break came in 1984 when he replaced Ed Harris in Sam Shepard's Off-Broadway hit "Fool for Love", which in turn earned him an audition for "Desperately Seeking Susan" (1985). Though he didn't get that part, he remained an extra day in Hollywood to throw his hat in the "Moonlighting" ring. Arriving in combat fatigues and sporting a punk haircut, he eventually beat out the other 3000 hopefuls, despite his unconventional look.