Bruce was born in Bloomington, Indiana, and was raised in upstate New York, near Binghamton. He graduated from the prestigious
SUNY Purchase Acting department in 1986, with fellow actors
Edie Falco,
Deirdre Haj and
Matt Malloy. He lives in Minnesota with his wife, Darcy, and three children. He is an active contributor to local theater and film community in the Minneapolis / St. Paul area.