Bruce Armstrong

Bruce Armstrong in the 1970s

Bruce Armstrong (1934-2014) was a Canadian actor, stage magician, and author. He appeared in the Jim Henson Hour special Lighthouse Island (second half of the second episode) as a tavern patron. His character is unnamed in dialogue but listed in the credits as Carl. Armstrong's face is obscured deliberately and his voice dubbed by Jerry Nelson, but he performs an on-camera magic trick by making fire appear in the palm of his hand.

Born in Montreal, Armstrong spent the bulk of his career in Nova Scotia, where he moved in 1966. He acted frequently in CBC radio broadcasts from Halifax and was a regular utility player on the prohibition comedy The Rum Runners (1967-1969), heard in roles ranging from a bashful organist to authority figures. Other radio credits included the CBC Maigret series, a 1975 Frankenstein adaptation, and the 1980s horror anthology Nightfall.

On TV, he wrote and hosted the children's variety series Max Museum as Uncle Max. He taught and lectured on magic and compiled and edited the book Encyclopedia of Suspensions and Levitations. Apart from magic, Armstrong wrote books about Nova Scotia and natural preservation, including Sable Island (1981) and Sanctuary: Halifax's Parks & Public Gardens (1996).

in Lighthouse Island