The 1978 Bruce Willis Timeline: from College Drama to New York Auditions

Catch up with The 1978 Bruce Willis Timeline: from College Drama to New York Auditions. Read all about the primary developments in full detail.

Did Bruce Willis earn his degree from Montclair State University?
No. Willis left the university during his junior year in early 1978 to pursue professional theater work full-time in New York City. The university later awarded him an honorary doctorate in humane letters in 1996 in recognition of his career accomplishments.

Which bar did Bruce Willis work at during his early New York acting days?
His most famous post was at the Kamikaze club on West 19th Street in Manhattan. He also worked shifts at the Cafe Central on the Upper West Side, a well-known watering hole for stage actors and theater directors during the late 1970s and early 1980s.

What was Bruce Willis's first professional acting role after moving to Manhattan?
After months of unpaid showcase readings, he landed an ensemble part in the 1979 Off-Broadway production of *Heaven and Earth* at the Lucille Lortel Theatre. His breakthrough arrived five years later when he replaced Ed Harris in the Off-Broadway staging of Sam Shepard's *Fool for Love*.