Bart Braverman (born February 1, 1946) is an American actor whose career spanned the transition from the final years of the Hollywood studio system to the high-energy television era of the late 1970s. Born Bartley Louis Braverman in Los Angeles, he was the son of a producer and the brother of actor Chuck Braverman, ensuring that the entertainment industry was a constant presence in his early life. While he is most recognizable to modern audiences for his long-running television roles, he actually began his career as a child actor, appearing under the name Bart Bradley in classic 1950s productions.
One of his most notable early appearances came in the 1957 science fiction landmark 20 Million Miles to Earth. In this Ray Harryhausen epic, he played Pepe, the young Italian boy who discovers the mysterious cylinder containing the creature’s egg. His performance provided the vital human curiosity and innocence that sets the entire plot in motion, and his interactions with the legendary stop-motion “Ymir” remain some of the most memorable sequences in early sci-fi cinema. This early success proved he could hold his own in major studio features, a skill he would carry into his adult career.
In the late 1970s, Braverman achieved a new level of fame as a series regular on the ABC primetime hit Vega$. Playing the character of Bobby “Binzer” Borso, the lovable, slightly eccentric assistant to Robert Urich’s private investigator Dan Tanna, he became a fan favorite. His comedic timing and chemistry with Urich provided a lighthearted balance to the show’s action-packed storylines, making Binzer a staple of the series for its entire three-season run. Beyond the neon lights of Las Vegas, he was a prolific guest star on a wide array of iconic programs, including M*A*S*H, The Love Boat, and I Dream of Jeannie, showcasing a versatile range that allowed him to move effortlessly between broad comedy and police drama.
Braverman’s career also included significant work as a voice actor and a performer in various sketch comedy projects, reflecting a creative curiosity that extended beyond standard dramatic roles. Throughout the 1980s and 90s, he remained a steady presence on television, appearing in everything from Hart to Hart to Seinfeld. Today, he is remembered as a performer who successfully navigated the difficult transition from child actor to adult stardom, leaving behind a legacy that includes both a foundational role in science fiction history and a beloved place in the golden age of 1970s television.
