Veteran entertainment critic Glenn Kenney (RogerEbert.com) wrote in Decider about his first-hand experience at Robert’s bar in New York City, where bartender Bruce Willis — aka Bruno — held musical court. With a skill for the harmonica and a decent voice for the blues (which, Kenney admits, translated to an ill-fated attempt at multiple mainstream blues records), Willis often kept patrons entertained. Kenny’s friend, Joe, worked with Willis at the bar while both aspiring performers tried to make their way in the brutal 80’s New York theatre scene.
After booking an off-Broadway show, Joe began to pick up more and more of Willis’ shifts – until the actor would disappear altogether after being offered a role in the series “Moonlighting.” Kenny recounts that Willis treated his colleagues well throughout his career, even booking Joe for an extended run at a comedy club in Haily, Idaho after the actor attempted to purchase the town in the 90s (via Yahoo! News).
Willis’ “Once Upon a Time in Venice” co-star John Goodman (“Monsters Inc.,” “The Big Lebowski”) recounted frequently encountering the actor at a bar called Chelsea Central, also in New York City (via the New York Post). Goodman described Willis to the Post as “the best bartender in New York,” as he would entertain the crowd for hours on end while tending bar.
