Andrew Bruce Boa (10 July 1930 – 17 April 2004) was a Canadian actor, who found success playing the token American in British films and television, usually playing military types. Boa's most notable film role is in The Empire Strikes Back (1980) as General Carlist Rieekan. On television, his most notable role is probably as the brash, plain-speaking American guest, Mr. Harry Hamilton, in the Fawlty Towers episode "Waldorf Salad".

Early life Bruce Boa was born on 10 July 1930 in Port Stanley, Ontario,Library and Archives Canada; Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Seventh Census of Canada, 1931; Folder Number: T-27260; Census Place: Elgin West, Ontario, Canada; Page Number: 4 the second of three children of Ila (née Phinn) and Andrew Boa, a clergyman. His older sister was Jungian analyst and author Marion Woodman, and his younger brother was Fraser Boa, also a Jungian analyst, who died in 1992. Boa attended the University of Western Ontario, graduating in 1952 with a degree in theology, then spent a brief period playing professional football for the Calgary Stampeders in 1952.

After travelling through Central America and Europe, he began his acting career in England in 1956 and settled there permanently in the 1960s. In a 1959 interview, when he was aged 29, he said he had also written poetry, a novel and film scripts, and hoped to make a living combining writing and acting.

Career Boa's film credits include Man in the Middle (1964), The Adding Machine (1969), Who? (1973), The Cherry Picker (1974), The Omen (1976), Silver Bears, Superman, Carry On Emmannuelle (1978), A Touch of the Sun, The London Connection, A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square (1979), Silver Dream Racer (1980), Ragtime (1981), Octopussy (1983), Return to Oz (1985), and Screamers (1995). He also played the Marine colonel in Full Metal Jacket (1987) who chastises Matthew Modine's character over having a peace pin on his lapel while having "Born To Kill" written on his combat helmet.

On television, he appeared in Thriller (1975), in 1977 Come Back, Little Sheba, an episode of Laurence Olivier Presents, opposite Laurence Olivier and Joanne Woodward. Other television credits include: Fawlty Towers, The Avengers, Out of the Unknown, The Champions, The Troubleshooters, The Saint, Ace of Wands, Special Branch, The Onedin Line, Z-Cars, The New Avengers, The Professionals, The Omega Factor, Dempsey and Makepeace, Astronauts, Hart to Hart, Remington Steele, Howards' Way, the 1979 miniseries A Man Called Intrepid, the 1988 television film The Bourne Identity, Tales of the Unexpected, As Time Goes By, Road to Avonlea, Kavanagh QC, Bulman and Warship.

Death Boa died from cancer on 17 April 2004 in Surrey, England.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes 1960 Man in the Moon Roy Film debut 1964 Man in the Middle Major Lawson 1968 The Mini-Affair American Newman 1969 Can Heironymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness? Car Salesman Uncredited The Adding Machine Detective 1970 The Revolutionary Guest at Party 1974 The Cherry Picker Dr. Softman Who? Miller 1976 The Omen Thorn's Aide 1977 Silver Bears American Banker 1978 Carry On Emmannuelle US Ambassador Superman Joint Chief of General Staff Extended Version, Uncredited 1979 The London Connection Colonel Unidentified Flying Oddball Air Force Officer Uncredited A Touch of the Sun Jim Coburn A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square Morgan Stanfield 1980 The Ninth Configuration Sergeant in Combat Shack The Empire Strikes Back General Carlist Rieekan Silver Dream Racer 2nd TV Reporter 1981 Ragtime Jerome 1983 Octopussy General Peterson 1984 Scream for Help Surgeon The Razor's Edge Henry Maturin 1985 Water US Advisor Return to Oz Policeman 1986 The American Way Colonel Parker Ping Pong American Tourist 1987 Full Metal Jacket POGE Colonel 1988 Hawks Byron Deckermensky 1989 Slipstream Guard Supervisor Murder Story Corrigan 1990 The Serpent of Death Bartlet 1991 White Light Clay Avery 1993 For the Moment Mr. Anderson The Neighbor Bishop 1995 Screamers Secretary Green Final film

Television

Year Title Role Notes1958–1960ITV Television PlayhouseVarious4 episodes1958–1961Armchair TheatrePsychologist/Brewster2 episodes1959The Four Just MenCop/ConnollyBBC Sunday Night TheatreUnknown1 episodeInterpol CallingDriver (uncredited)Episode: "The Man's a Clown"1962Studio 4 Dr. BairdEpisode: "Flight into Danger"Out of This World Monty ArcherEpisode: "Immigrant" The Avengers Bob Slade Episode: "Dead on Course" 1963–1968 The Saint Various 3 episodes1963Zero OneSimonEpisode: "Downdraft" The Third Man Insp. McDonald Episode: "No Word for Danger"Suspense Anaethetist/Dr. Ridgeway2 episodesITV Play of the WeekH.C./Judge WindelmanThe Plane MakersVegraEpisode: "Strings in Whitehall"1964Drama 61-67PotterEpisode: "Studio 64: Better Luck Next Time"EspionageLarryEpisode: "Some Other Kind of Wonderful" The Sullavan Brothers Ashley Episode: "The Man from New York"1965–1969The Troubleshooters Jean-Paul Godin/Bill Douglas7 episodes 1966 Out of the Unknown K.G. Bullen Episode: "Satisfaction Guaranteed"1968Man in a SuitcaseInspector BergsonEpisode: "The Revolutionaries"Detective WesselmanEpisode: "Lesson in Anatomy"1968–1971ITV PlayhouseVarious3 episodes1969The ChampionsAmerican ColonelEpisode: "Autokill"Department S President of the USA (voice)Episode: "The Last Train to Redbridge"Counterstrike GeneralEpisode: "Joker One"1970Ace of Wands Mr. AmericaEpisode: "On and One and One are Four Part Three"1970–1974Special Branch Lester Swift/Evans2 episodes1971–1973ITV Saturday Night TheatreAmerican Tourist/The Client1972BBC Play of the MonthDr. BuchananEpisode: "Summer and Smoke"1972–1974The Onedin LineCaptain Franks/Draygon2 episodes1973Madigan VernEpisode: "The Lisbon Beat"Crown CourtMorton LassSerial: "Sunset of Arms" The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes Freeling Poignton Episode: "The Secret of the Magnifique"WarshipMcFieEpisode: "Hot Pursuit"Marked PersonalRichardson2 episodes 1974 Who Killed Lamb? Professor Friedland TV film 1975 Thriller Hanley Episode: "Good Salary – Prospects – Free Coffin"Whodunnit? Lazlo BretzEpisode: "Too Many Crooks"1976Z-CarsChuck ParkerEpisode: "Kidnap"1976–1977Yanks Go HomeSergeant Gus Pulaski 1977 The New Avengers Mahon Episode: "Trap" 1978 The Professionals John Jerry Patterson Episode: "Heroes" Lillie Joaquin Miller Episode: "The New Helen"Play for TodayArthur BatesEpisode: "Nina" 1979 Fawlty Towers Mr Hamilton Episode: "Waldorf Salad"Leave it to CharlieGlenn RickenbackerEpisode: "Ole Brown Eyes"The Omega FactorMassonEpisode: "After-Image"1980Turtle's ProgressJ.B. Grimsdell1 episode1981Metal MickeySaloon BarmanEpisode: "Marshall Mickey"BBC2 PlayhouseCharlie OakhamptonEpisode: "Virginia Fly is Drowning" 1981–1983 Astronauts Beadle 13 episodes1982A Woman Called GoldaMr. MacyTV film 1983Philip Marlowe, Private Eye Don Luigi Episode: "The Pencil"Hart to Hart William Eady Episode: "Passing Chance"1984LaceMr. Hale2 episodes The First Olympics: Athens 1896 President Francis PattonCold WarriorColonel ElliottEpisode: "What's Good for General Bullmoose" Remington Steele Wallace Carlisle Episode: "Maltese Steele" Ellis Island Doctor Moore TV Mini-series1985The Dirty Dozen: Next MissionUS ColonelTV filmJohn and Yoko: A Love StoryHouston Lawyer 1986 Dempsey & Makepeace Coltrane Episode: "The Burning (2-part)" 1986–1990 Howards' Way Robert Hudson 3 episodes1987–1989Screen TwoChannel President/Dean Webb2 episodes1987The Two Mrs. GrenvillesHunnicuttHold the DreamDale StevensFirst episode 1988 Tales of the Unexpected Mr. Groober Episode: "The Verger" The Bourne Identity Senator Crawford 2 episodes1989Starting Out ChairmanEpisode: "A Piece of the Cake"Anything More Would Be GreedyBrock CashmanEpisode: "Georgian Silver"The Nightmare YearsNick Roosevelt4 episodes1991Deadly Betrayal: The Bruce Curtis StoryAl PodgisTV film1992E.N.G.Dirk JackmanEpisode: "After the Fire" 1992–1993 Road to Avonlea Mr. Harrison 2 episodes 1993 The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles Ambassador Kerens Episode: "Vienna, November 1908"JFK: Reckless YouthAdmiral Dodson2 episodes 1994 Scarlett Minister First episode 1995 As Time Goes By Young Rocky Episode: "Improvements" 1997 Kavanagh QC Governor Stamford Cotton Episode: "In God We Trust"

References

External links

Bruce Boa BFI