# Bruce Cunningham — His Family character guide > Bruce Cunningham in His Family by Ernest Poole. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** Bruce, Bruce Cunningham, little Bruce **First appearance:** 0002-i ## Snapshot Edith's husband, a receiver with a briar pipe and a science for moving families, scared to death and hiding it behind droll competence. ## Who they are Bruce works at his desk with an old briar pipe, greeting his father-in-law with a nervous smile that betrays his dread of Edith's coming ordeal. He jokes that moving the family isn't a job but a science and he has his degree — then goes to his wife and comes back with his dark features a little more drawn. Business will suffer from three days off, a muscle twitches in his face, but he shoulders the trip anyway, the way Roger once did, and the resemblance is not lost on anyone. ## Relationships ### [Roger Gale](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/his_family_se/characters/roger_gale) _rivalry_ Bruce is a competitive rival of Roger, frequently clashing over business and personal matters. ### [Edith Gale](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/his_family_se/characters/edith_gale) _romantic_ Bruce is romantically involved with Edith, creating tension with her family due to his questionable reputation. ### [Deborah Gale](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/his_family_se/characters/deborah_gale) _rivalry_ Bruce and Deborah are antagonists, with Deborah disapproving of his influence over Edith and his character. ### [Allan Baird](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/his_family_se/characters/allan_baird) _rivalry_ Allan and Bruce are rivals, often in opposition due to their competing interests in the Gale family's affairs. ### [Roger Gale](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/his_family_se/characters/roger_gale) _rivalry_ Bruce is a competitive rival of Roger, frequently clashing over business and personal matters. ### [Edith Gale](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/his_family_se/characters/edith_gale) _romantic_ Bruce is romantically involved with Edith, creating tension with her family due to his questionable reputation. ### [Deborah Gale](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/his_family_se/characters/deborah_gale) _rivalry_ Bruce and Deborah are antagonists, with Deborah disapproving of his influence over Edith and his character. ### [Allan Baird](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/his_family_se/characters/allan_baird) _rivalry_ Allan and Bruce are rivals, often in opposition due to their competing interests in the Gale family's affairs. ### [Deborah Gale](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/his_family_se/characters/deborah_gale) _rivalry_ Bruce and Deborah are antagonists, with Deborah disapproving of his influence over Edith and his character. ### [Edith Gale](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/his_family_se/characters/edith_gale) _romantic_ Bruce is romantically involved with Edith, creating tension with her family due to his questionable reputation. ### [Roger Gale](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/his_family_se/characters/roger_gale) _rivalry_ Bruce is a competitive rival of Roger, frequently clashing over business and personal matters. ### [Allan Baird](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/his_family_se/characters/allan_baird) _rivalry_ Allan and Bruce are rivals, often in opposition due to their competing interests in the Gale family's affairs. ## In the story ### [His Family](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/his_family_se/chapters/his-family) Dies in a car accident. ### [Chapter II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/his_family_se/chapters/ii) Mentioned as driving himself hard downtown; visited Roger that evening and discussed 'engineering'. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/his_family_se/chapters/v) Mentioned as having died; Roger reflects on him as almost a son. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/his_family_se/chapters/vi) Nervous about Edith's childbirth; discusses the high cost of modern child-rearing and his recent car purchase; shares a bond with Roger. ### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/his_family_se/chapters/viii) Mentioned as the son who died; Roger laments that Bruce is not alive to take over the business. ### [XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xiii) Dines with Roger at his club and advises against interference in Deborah and Baird's relationship. ### [XV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xv) Roger's son-in-law, a builder; agrees to take Johnny into his office for architectural training. ### [XVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xvi) Dines with Laura and Hal monthly, finds the meals tense, and conspires with Roger and Edith to push Deborah toward marriage. ### [XIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xix) Talks with Deborah about staying close; plans parties and looks for a dance teacher; insists on fixing his car after the theater, leading to a crash. ### [Chapter XX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xx) Struck by a car and fatally injured; he makes final arrangements and bids his family goodbye. ### [XXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xxiii) Deceased; his death and dying words to Edith are recalled by George and Roger, shaping the family's grief. ### [XXXV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xxxv) Grave with pneumonia, high fever, struggles to breathe, and is attended by night and day nurses. ### [XXXVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xxxvi) Recovering from a serious illness; his crisis passes early in the chapter. ### [XXXVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/his_family_se/chapters/xxxviii) Sits in Betsy's lap looking at a picture book; mentioned as part of the family group. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/his_family_se/characters/bruce_cunningham - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/his_family_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/his_family_se/characters