Bruce WJ Graham

Bruce (William J.) Graham died 08/30/2025 at age 93. The motion picture and television writer/producer resided at 206 Park Street, New Haven, CT. Born June 24, 1932, in Greentown, IN, he was the son of the late Dr. Ralph W. Graham, United Methodist clergyman, and Christine Graham; brother of the late Dr. Jack Graham, Southern Illinois University Dean of Students. He is survived by a nephew, Mark Graham, niece Karen Graham, both of Illinois; and his extended family of Randy and Rose Salazar, son Russell, Danbury, CT; daughter Rachel of Maplewood, NJ. For over fifty years Graham lived in New York City and on Connecticut’s Candlewood Lake. He was an alumnus of Burris High School, Muncie, IN, and a Rector Scholar at DePauw University.

In 1996 Graham retired, after a career in entertainment in Manhattan and Los Angeles, to New Haven where he became an active member of Christ Church Episcopal, the boards of the New Haven Preservation Trust and Yale Summer Cabaret, and a volunteer host at the Yale Center for British Art. He studied painting and sculpture at Southern Connecticut State University’s New Haven Campus and in Paris. His great joy was renovating his New Haven home, an 1813 house on the Yale campus.

In 1976 Graham married the Argentine singer and Buenos Aires television host, Gina Maria Hidalgo, who predeceased him. His longtime companion was interior designer Louis Warth, of New York City, who in 2000 died of Parkinson’s Disease in New Haven while in Graham’s care.

Graham studied at Vienna’s State Academy of Music and Dramatic Art where his professional career as singer/actor began. In New York he performed extensively Off Broadway where he created the title role in Seymour Barab’s opera, “Chanticleer” at the Sullivan Street Playhouse. He sang with the Robert Shaw Chorale, New York Philharmonic’s Schola Cantorum, and Radio City Music Hall Glee Club. He was soloist and company manager for the Ralph Hunter Choir which toured extensively for Columbia Artists Management. Active in several summer stock venues, he was producer at his own theater in Clinton, N.J. for The Acting Company, Philip Burton, Artistic Director, as well as for several New York downtown theaters.

His move from performer into solely business roles began at Carnegie Hall as assistant to Isaac Stern, its president, then as marketing director for the American Symphony Orchestra under Founder, Leopold Stokowski. Entertainment marketing became his chief interest, and he entered the motion picture industry as a publicist for 20Th Century-Fox, then as director of advertising and publicity for ABC’s feature motion picture company. It released “Charly” which won Cliff Robertson an Oscar. Robertson then recruited Graham for his independent production company as producer; that change led to the balance of Graham’s career years as independent film producer and screenwriter—and a long affiliation with Dina Merrill’s feature picture company, Greenroom Enterprises, Inc.

Vitas Hospice cared for Bruce for more than two years. Donations in memory of Bruce Graham can be made out to Vitas Hospice at:

https://wl.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E232399&id=1