Biography
Standing 5' 10 1/2", character actor Bruno VeSota enjoyed a lengthy, diverse, and notable career in acting and directing across stage, radio, film, and television. Born Bruno William VeSota on March 25, 1922, in Chicago, Illinois, he was the second of three sons to Lithuanian immigrants Kasmir and Eleanora VeSota. His acting journey began in the 7th grade at St. George's, a Catholic parochial school, where he debuted as the villain in the children's play "Christopher's Orphans." At 19, VeSota studied acting, makeup, and directing at Chicago's Hobart Theatre, making his directorial debut with "Richard III" and later directing a range of works from classics to comedies.
In the 1940s, VeSota briefly worked in Lithuanian radio before spending a longer period in English-language radio, even voicing Winston Churchill in a radio production. He joined the Actors Company of Chicago and continued stage performances. By 1945, he was involved in live television in Chicago, directing over 2,000 live TV programs and acting in around 200 more. VeSota relocated to Hollywood in 1952, beginning his film acting career in 1953.
He gained cult fame for his frequent, memorable roles in low-budget Roger Corman exploitation films. Notably, he portrayed Yvette Vickers' furious cuckolded husband in the B-movie classic "Attack of the Giant Leeches." Other significant roles included a vile junkyard owner selling stolen car parts in "The Choppers," a bartender in "The Haunted Palace," a hapless night watchman in "The Wasp Woman," a pretentious coffeehouse patron in the dark comedy "A Bucket of Blood," the eccentric Mr. Donald Duck from Duluth in "Single Room Unfurnished," a nervous innkeeper in "The Undead," a Russian spy in "War of the Satellites," a minister in "Hell's Angels on Wheels," a sophisticated gangster in "Daddy-O," and a rough loan enforcer in "Carnival Rock."
VeSota narrated the low-budget film "Curse of the Stoned Hand" for cult filmmaker Jerry Warren and contributed makeup and a small role in Curtis Harrington's eerie "Night Tide." He made a cameo in Steven Spielberg's TV horror film "Something Evil." As a director, VeSota helmed three films: the lurid crime drama "The Female Jungle," the entertaining alien invasion movie "The Brain Eaters," and the comedic spoof "Invasion of the Star Creatures."
On television, VeSota had a recurring role as a bartender in several episodes of the popular Western "Bonanza." His guest appearances spanned numerous shows, including "Kojak," "McMillan and Wife," "Hogan's Heroes," "Mission: Impossible," "It Takes a Thief," "Hondo," "Branded," "My Mother the Car," "The Wild Wild West," "The Untouchables," and "Leave It to Beaver." VeSota and his wife Genevieve had six children. Bruno VeSota passed away from a heart attack at age 54 on September 24, 1976.
