- Not to be confused with Bruce Van Pelt from the Season 6 episode, Al Bundy, Shoe Dick
Bruce is a businessman who tries to date Peggy Bundy after she separates from Al Bundy in the three part episode, "Breaking Up is Easy to Do".
He is played by actor Alan Thicke.
Appearance[]
He appears to be a man in his 40s and is shown wearing a suit and tie, due to his job as the owner of several used car dealerships in the area, as well as to show off his wealth. He is also shown to be rather egotistical and materialistic, boasting about his looks and his wealth while acting like he is the funniest man in the room.
Background[]
Bruce is first introduced when he notices Peggy at a singles bar that Kelly Bundy and Marcy D'Arcy brought her to. As she tries to unbutton her top, he comes to her and mentions how beautiful she is, before talking about his own beauty and wealth. Later, Bud and Kelly are shown eating candy that Bruce sent to Peggy, causing them to say that they don't care about their real father, and believe Bruce is destined to be their new stepdad.
Sometime later, he, along with Marcy and Jefferson D'Arcy have a quiet dinner together at the Bundy residence, where the three of them spit out Peggy's home cooking when she's not looking. Marcy convinces Jefferson to talk to Bruce in the hopes that he might be able to get a job at one of his dealerships. Though he begins to choke on Peggy's food, which causes Jefferson to jump into action and perform abdominal thrusts to save him. But from Marcy's and Peggy's perspective, they think that Jefferson is engaging in sex with Bruce to ensure he gets the job. Once Peggy sees that Bruce was in fact choking and spit out her food across the living room, she thinks that he hated the food. He convinces her that the food is good, but he doesn't want to see her slave away in the kitchen. He then promises that if the Year End Yugo-palooza sale at his dealership goes well, he'll take her to Paris to eat there.
A few moments later, Al, with Bonbons and flowers in hand, decides to visit Peggy, after Marcy convinced him that Peggy actually wanted him to come by for dinner. Marcy then brings Bruce over to meet Al and take a picture to celebrate the awkward moment, claiming that she can use it for the D'Arcy's Christmas card. Bruce then admits it is an awkward moment, but then changes his tune as he boast that he is self-centered. Al quickly changes his tune as well and tries to convince everyone there that he actually came by to see Lucky Bundy and leaves the bonbons with him.
A few nights later, Bud and Kelly dress up to impress Bruce. Though he thought that they were in Brazil to save the rainforest, Bud and Kelly try to kiss up to him. But, seeing that they are in their 20s and still live with Peg in a "split level port-a-potty" , he plans to kick the two of them out so they can finally take responsibility for their own lives, much to their shock. Bud then tells Kelly to hug him and steal his wallet. Peggy comes down and asks if they are still dating, since Kelly hugged him for a little too long. He assures Peggy that they are, but it is making him think that the experience would make a great letter for Penthouse magazine.
Bud and Kelly then try to convince Peggy that Bruce isn't right for her because he want them to take responsibility for themselves. They also try to convince her that Bruce is really a woman and touched Bud inappropriately, which caused Peggy to say "You wish!" to Bud. She tells the kids that while Bruce doesn't have the animalistic charm that Al did, Bruce can provide her with a lifestyle of leisure filled with maids and traveling. Bruce overhears this and tells her that he actually expects her to do the cooking and cleaning if they are going to be married. While he notes that they can still go out and travel, it will be only during their dating period, as he tell hers, "But as we say in the car business, you don't have to kiss ass once you've closed the deal!". He then tries to convince her that he is a "top-of-the-line model" that doesn't stay on the showroom floor for very long and that while Peggy is a very attractive woman, "we can't turn your odometer back!".
Bud decides to defend her and proceeds to beat Bruce up. A dizzy and injured Bruce then suggests that they can call him if they are in the market for a used car, before Bud finally throws him out onto the porch. As Bud and Kelly celebrate, Peggy begins to cry as she realizes how much she misses Al.