The most memorable Bruce Willis roles

Bruce Willis' initial Hollywood success came on television, but his first starring film role came in this 1987 Blake Edwards romantic comedy. The movie was panned by critics but opened No. 1 at the box office in the United States. The rather mild-mannered Walter finds himself amid a disastrous first date with the intoxicated Nadia (Kim Basinger).

One of Willis's earliest television appearances came on NBC's popular Miami Vice in 1984. In the show's first season, Willis played Tony Amato, an international arms dealer abusive to his wife. Amid Willis' vast acting legacy, this could very well be his most disgusting character. Tony gets what he rightfully deserves in the end.

Over the years, Willis has lent his voice to various projects. His most notable voiceover work was as the inner voice of Mikey, whose sarcastic, wise-crack remarks and observations began in the womb and made the Kirstie Alley- and John Travolta-led 1989 rom-com Look Who's Talking an unexpected box office hit. That opened the door for the sequel, Look Who's Talking Too (1990), when Mikey is a toddler dealing with a new baby sister (Roseanne Barr).

A highly underrated performance from Willis' acting legacy came in this Wes Anderson coming-of-age comedy-drama about young pen-pals who come together and adventure on an isolated New England beach. Willis' Captain Sharp is there to help look for the pair when they disappear. The Captain is a typical Wes Anderson character, unintentionally quirky and eccentric but ultimately likable.

Looking back, 2006 was busy for Willis. He was part of eight films that year. One of those was 16 Blocks, directed by Richard Donner. Jack Mosely is a jaded New York City detective assigned to bring a witness Eddie Bunker (Mos Def) from custody to a courthouse. That task spans 16 blocks. The trek is far from easy, and Jack's life is completely turned upside down. There's plenty of action and twists, and the chemistry between the mustached Willis and rapper Mos Def is commendable.

During his career, Willis went from playing comedic roles to being an A-list action film star. Art Jeffries is a respectable character within that mix. Though critics panned the film, Willis fares well as an undercover FBI agent who finds himself protecting an autistic boy from a government trying to kill him. 

Willis came together with director Barry Levinson and Hollywood heavyweights Billy Bob Thornton and Cate Blanchett for this 2001 comedy-drama. All three stars shine in an underrated story about a pair of convicts (Willis and Thornton) who breaks free of prison, find a creative way to rob banks, and become part of a love triangle with Blanchett's character, Kate. 

It was inevitable at some point during Willis' action film career that he would be asked to save the world. But, doing so as a prominent deep-core driller along with his band of misfit underdog employees? It's a Michael Bay film, so the plot is expected to be far-fetched and involves plenty of explosions. Professional critics didn't like the film, but international moviegoers certainly did ($553 million worldwide gross). Harry is a rough-around-the-edges boss and father but has compassion and, ultimately, the heart of a hero.

Willis comes through in this Frank Miller/Robert Rodriguez neo-noir crime movie from 2005. He was part of an ensemble cast, including Jessica Alba, Benicio del Toro, Rutger Hauer, and Mickey Rourke. John Hartigan is a veteran Sin City police officer with a bad heart. In one last pursuit, Hartigan thwarts a serial killer through some creative shooting and saves a young girl's life.

Some might have struggled with keeping up with this Rian Johnson science-fiction action-thriller from 2012. The premise features contract killers known as "loopers" going back in time to take care of those victims who put them in that position. There are two versions of Joe. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays the younger one, and Willis is the older one. It's even more intriguing when the two meet up. 

As we've seen, Willis and sci-fi have had their moments together. In Armageddon, Willis' character was asked to save the world. One year earlier, in the 23rd Century of The Fifth Element, that task falls into the lap of his cab-driver-turned-potential-planet-saver Korben Dallas. While reviews were all over the board, the movie made more than $263 million at the box office and kept Willis' place as an elite Hollywood action star.

Willis has worked with some of Hollywood's elite directors during his career. In 1992, he teamed with Robert Zemeckis for this dark fantasy comedy. Ernest Menville is a plastic surgeon whose life doesn't necessarily turn out as planned but is the source of affection for two women (played by Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn) who drink a potion that promises eternal youth. The movie received lukewarm reviews upon release, but it's become a cult classic.

Brad Pitt proves to be the unintended star of the film, but Willis delivers a strong performance as a physically and emotionally battered prisoner sent back in time to find the cure for a virus that's wiped out most of the human world. It's fair to call Willis' effort rivetingly disturbing and highly entertaining. 

One of Willis' earliest film roles from 1989 is an example of his versatility as an actor. Willis earned a Golden Globe nomination for his turn as Emmett Smith, a Vietnam War veteran dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder in a small Kentucky town. Good ol' boy Emmett offers a solid blend of comedic and highly dramatic moments. It's a Willis character that should be more widely appreciated.

For better or worse, Willis had become an action star by the early 1990s. One of the better moments was this 1991 action-comedy-drama co-starring Damon Wayans. Critics were lukewarm on the movie, which underachieved at the box office. However, there are plenty of memorable sarcastic lines from Willis' Joe Hollenbeck, a disgruntled, jaded disgraced former Secret Service agent who is now a middle private investigator. His wife is indifferent to their marriage, and his daughter hates him, but Joe trudges on while trying to solve the murder of a stripper he's hired to protect.

In Season 6, Willis gave a memorable three-episode performance as Paul Stevens, the widowed father of Ross' girlfriend Elizabeth (Alexandra Holden). Paul is rough on Ross, not approving his dating his much younger daughter. Meanwhile, Paul and Rachel hook up, thus bringing about a softer, less manly side to his ruggedly handsome exterior. Willis earned his second Primetime Emmy Award for the role. 

Willis' Malcolm Crowe, the stoic and heartbroken child psychologist whose current patient can famously "see dead people," is part of a memorable surprise ending of M. Night Shyamalan's highly praised and widely popular supernatural psychological thriller. It's one of Willis' more reserved yet arguably most powerful characters. It earned him a People's Choice Award and opened doors for him to take on more complex tough-guy roles.

Amid the genius of Pulp Fiction, there are many memorable performances. However, Butch Coolidge is among the best ever to roam Quentin Tarantino's film universe. The boxer refuses to take a dive, then has quite the adventure of getting out of town before gangster Marcellus Wallace (Ving Rhames) comes for his money. As decent as Butch is in the ring, he's better with a sword just as long as he had his dead father's watch.

The entertainment world's true introduction to Bruce Willis. The wise-cracking, sarcastic detective ran the Blue Moon Detective Agency with Maddie Hayes (Cybil Shepherd). The role of David Addison from 1985-89 earned Willis a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Though Willis' comedic contributions make it more of a "dramedy" that would become popular during 1990s television. From here, Willis focused his attention on the big screen.

This character likely defines his legacy. We were first introduced to New York City Police Detective John McClane in 1988's Die Hard, when he saved hostages, including his then-wife, from the deliciously evil Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman). From there, McClane thwarts an attack on Washington's Dulles International Airport in Die Hard 2. The action and fun continue in Die Hard with a Vengeance, Live Free or Die Hard, and Good Day to Die Hard. We'll also throw his cameo from the 1993 spoof Loaded Weapon I in for good measure. John McClane is a Hall of Fame action character.