| Biography | Bruce Trent (21 August 1912, St. Helier, Jersey - 19 November 1995, Burgh Heath, Surrey, England) was a British actor and singer.
Trent was one of the British theatres most popular romantic leading men in the 40s and 50s. After singing with local dance groups, in the late 30s he spent two years touring the UK with Jack Hyltons famous showband, before joining Jack Paynes new BBC orchestra in 1940. He left Payne in 1942 in order to co-star with Frances Day, Arthur Riscoe, Jackie Hunter and Bud Flanagan in Cole Porters musical Du Barry Was A Lady at His Majestys Theatre in London. Trent subsequently returned to the West End, and then toured, in The Student Prince, before joining the army and entertaining the troops in the company of the Stars In Battledress.
He was also a guest artist, along with Dorothy Carless, on a BBC broadcast with Glenn Millers Band of the AEF. After the war, Trent took over the leading roles in Carissima (1948) and Brigadoon (1950), as well as starring in London in Rainbow Square (1951), Wish You Were Here (1953) and The Burning Boat (1955, Royal Court Theatre). He also toured in various other productions, including Lilac Time, Goodnight Vienna and The Desert Song. In 1958, Trent joined the all-star cast of Tommy Steele, Jimmy Edwards, Yana, and Ted Durante, in Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein IIs lavish Cinderella at the Coliseum. As the dashing Prince, he sang the shows big ballad, No Other Love, and duetted with Yana on the equally splendid Do I Love You (Because Youre Beautiful).
In later years he continued to tour in numerous revivals, both at home and abroad, notably as Arthur in Camelot in 1966. He also participated in re-recordings of favourite musicals, and was a regular broadcaster on BBC light music programmes. After retiring in the 70s, he worked tirelessly for the Grand Order of Water Rats charity. |