Bruce Campbell

Last updated

Bruce Campbell
Bruce Campbell 2014 Phoenix Comicon (cropped).jpg
Campbell in June 2014.
Born
Bruce Lorne Campbell

(1958-06-22) June 22, 1958 (age 65)
Occupations
  • Actor
  • filmmaker
Years active1972–present
Spouses
  • Christine Deveau
    (m. 1983;div. 1989)
  • Ida Gearon
    (m. 1991)
Children2
Website bruce-campbell.com

Bruce Lorne Campbell (born June 22, 1958) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is known best for his role as Ash Williams in Sam Raimi's Evil Dead horror series, beginning with the short movie Within the Woods (1978). He has also featured in many low-budget cult movies such as Crimewave (1985), Maniac Cop (1988), Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat (1989), and Bubba Ho-Tep (2002).

Contents

Campbell had the main roles of the television series The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. (1993–1994) and Jack of All Trades (2000), and a recurring role as Autolycus, King of Thieves in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (1995–1999) and Xena: Warrior Princess (1995–1999). He played Sam Axe on the USA Network series Burn Notice (2007–2013) and reprised his role as Ash for the Starz series Ash vs. Evil Dead (2015–2018). He also appeared in The Escort (2015).

Campbell directed, produced, and featured in the documentaries Fanalysis (2002) and A Community Speaks (2004); co-wrote, directed, produced, and featured in the movie Man with the Screaming Brain (2005); and directed, produced, and featured in a parody of his career My Name Is Bruce (2007).

Campbell is known for frequent collaborations with the aforementioned Raimi, his brother Ted, Josh Becker, and Scott Spiegel.

Early life

Bruce Lorne Campbell [1] was born in Royal Oak, Michigan, on June 22, 1958, [2] the son of advertising executive and college professor Charles Newton Campbell and homemaker Joanne Louise (née Pickens). [3] He is of English and Scottish ancestry, [1] and has an older brother named Don and an older half-brother named Michael. [4] His father was also an actor and director for local theater. [3] Campbell began acting and making short Super 8 movies with friends as a teenager. After meeting future moviemaker Sam Raimi while the two attended Wylie E. Groves High School, they became good friends and collaborators. Campbell attended Western Michigan University and continued to pursue an acting career. [5]

Career

Film

Campbell signing a VHS copy of The Evil Dead. Bruce Campbell .jpg
Campbell signing a VHS copy of The Evil Dead .

Campbell and Raimi collaborated with a 30-minute Super 8 version of the first Evil Dead movie, titled Within the Woods (1978), which was initially used to attract investors. [6] He and Raimi got together with family and friends to begin working on The Evil Dead (1981). While featuring as the protagonist, Campbell also participation with the production of the movie, receiving a co-executive producer credit. Raimi wrote, directed, and edited the movie, while Rob Tapert produced. After an endorsement by horror author Stephen King, the movie slowly began to receive attention and offers for distribution. [7] Four years after its original release, it became the most popular movie in the UK. It was then distributed in the United States, resulting in the sequels Evil Dead II (1987) and Army of Darkness (1992). [8]

Campbell was also drawn in the Marvel Zombie comics as his character, Ash Williams. He is featured in five comics, all in the series Marvel Zombies vs. Army of Darkness. In them, he fights alongside the Marvel heroes against the heroes and people who have become zombies (deadites) while in search of the Necronomicon (Book of the Names of the Dead). [9] Campbell also played as Coach Boomer in the movie “Sky High”.

He has appeared in several of Raimi's movies other than the Evil Dead series, notably having cameo appearances in the director's Spider-Man film series. [10] Campbell also joined the cast of Raimi's movie Darkman [11] and The Quick and the Dead , though having no actual screen time in the latter movie's theatrical version. [12] In March 2022, Campbell was announced to have a cameo in Raimi's Marvel Cinematic Universe film Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness . [13]

Campbell often performs quirky roles, such as Elvis Presley for the movie Bubba Ho-Tep . [14] Along with Bubba Ho-Tep, he played a supporting role in Maniac Cop and Maniac Cop 2 , and spoofed his career in the self-directed My Name is Bruce. [15]

Other mainstream movies for Campbell include supporting or featured roles in the Coen Brothers movie The Hudsucker Proxy , the Michael Crichton adaptation Congo , the movie version of McHale's Navy , Escape From L.A. (the sequel to John Carpenter's Escape From New York ), the Jim Carrey drama The Majestic and the 2005 Disney movie Sky High . [16]

Campbell had a major voice role for the 2009 animated adaptation of the children's book Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs , and a supporting voice role for Pixar's Cars 2 . [17]

Campbell produced the 2013 remake of The Evil Dead, along with Raimi and Rob Tapert, appearing in the movie's post-credits scene in a cameo role with the expectation he would reprise that role in Army of Darkness 2. [18] The next year, the comedy metal band Psychostick released a song titled "Bruce Campbell" on their album IV: Revenge of the Vengeance that pays a comedic tribute to his past roles.

Campbell worked as an executive producer for the 2023 movie Evil Dead Rise . [19]

Television

Campbell at WonderCon in 2013 Bruce Campbell by Gage Skidmore.jpg
Campbell at WonderCon in 2013

Other than cinema, Campbell has appeared in a number of television series. He featured in The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. a boisterous science fiction comedy western created by Jeffrey Boam and Carlton Cuse that played for one season. [20] He played a lawyer turned bounty hunter who was trying to hunt down John Bly, the man who killed his father. He featured in the television series Jack of All Trades , set on a fictional island occupied by the French in 1801. Campbell was also credited as co-executive producer, among others. The show was directed by Eric Gruendemann, and was produced by various people, including Sam Raimi. [21] The show was broadcast for two seasons, from 2000 to 2001. He had a recurring role as "Bill Church Jr." based upon the character of Morgan Edge from the Superman comics on Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman . [22]

From 1996 to 1997, Campbell was a recurring guest actor of the television series Ellen as Ed Billik, who becomes Ellen's boss when she sells her bookstore in season four. [23]

He is also known for his supporting role as the recurring character Autolycus ("King of Thieves") on both Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess , which reunited him with producer Rob Tapert. [24] Campbell played Hercules/Xena series producer Tapert in two episodes of Hercules set in the present. [25] He directed a number of episodes of Hercules and Xena, including the Hercules series finale. [26]

Campbell also obtained the main role of race car driver Hank Cooper for the Disney made-for-television remake of The Love Bug . [27]

Campbell had a critically acclaimed dramatic guest role as a grief-stricken detective seeking revenge for his father's murder in a two-part episode of the fourth season of Homicide: Life on the Street . Campbell later played the part of a bigamous demon in The X-Files episode "Terms of Endearment". [28] He also featured as Agent Jackman in the episode "Witch Way Now?" of the WB series Charmed , as well as playing a state police officer in an episode of the short-lived series American Gothic titled "Meet The Beetles".

Campbell co-featured in the television series Burn Notice , which was broadcast from 2007 to 2013 by USA Network. He portrayed Sam Axe, a beer-chugging, former Navy SEAL now working as an unlicensed private investigator and occasional mercenary with his old friend Michael Westen, the show's main character. When working undercover, his character frequently used the alias Chuck Finley, which Bruce later revealed was the name of one of his father's old co-workers. [29] Campbell was the star of a 2011 Burn Notice made-for-television prequel focusing on Sam's Navy SEAL career, titled Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe . [30]

In 2014, Campbell played Santa Claus for an episode of The Librarians . Campbell played Ronald Reagan in season 2 of the FX original series Fargo . More recently Campbell reprised his role as Ashley "Ash" Williams in Ash vs Evil Dead , [31] a series based upon the Evil Dead series that began his career. Ash vs Evil Dead began airing on Starz on October 31, 2015, and was renewed by the cable channel for second [32] and third seasons, [33] before being cancelled. [34]

In January 2019, Travel Channel announced a new version of the Ripley's Believe It or Not! reality series, with Campbell serving as host and executive producer. The 10-episode season debuted on June 9, 2019. [35]

Voice acting

Campbell is featured as a voice actor for several video games. He provides the voice of Ash in the four games based on the Evil Dead movies series: Evil Dead: Hail to the King , Evil Dead: A Fistful of Boomstick , Evil Dead: Regeneration and Evil Dead: The Game . [36] He also provided voice talent in other titles such as Pitfall 3D: Beyond the Jungle , Spider-Man , Spider-Man 2 , Spider-Man 3 , The Amazing Spider-Man , [37] and Dead by Daylight . [38]

He provided the voice of main character Jake Logan for the PC game, Tachyon: The Fringe , the voice of main character Jake Burton for the PlayStation game Broken Helix and the voice of Magnanimous for Megas XLR . Campbell voiced the pulp adventurer Lobster Johnson in Hellboy: The Science of Evil and has done voice-over work for the Codemaster's game Hei$t , a game which was announced on January 28, 2010 to have been "terminated". He also provided the voice of The Mayor for the 2009 movie Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs , the voice of Rod "Torque" Redline in Cars 2 , the voice of Himcules in the 2003 Nickelodeon TV series My Life as a Teenage Robot , and the voice of Fugax in the 2006 movie The Ant Bully . [37]

Despite the inclusion of his character "Ash Williams" in Telltale Games' Poker Night 2 , Danny Webber voices the character in the game, instead of Bruce Campbell. [39]

He has a voice in the online MOBA game, Tome: Immortal Arena in 2014. [40] Campbell also provided voice-over and motion capture for Sgt. Lennox in the Exo Zombies mode of Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare . [41]

Writing

In addition to acting and occasionally directing, Campbell has become a writer, starting with an autobiography, If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a B Movie Actor, published in June 2001. [42] The autobiography was a successful New York Times Best Seller. [43] It describes Campbell's career to date as an actor in low-budget movies and television, providing his insight into "Blue-Collar Hollywood". [42] The paperback version of the book adds details about the reactions of fans during book signings: "Whenever I do mainstream stuff, I think they're pseudo-interested, but they're still interested in seeing weirdo, offbeat stuff, and that's what I'm attracted to". [42]

Campbell's next book Make Love! The Bruce Campbell Way was published on May 26, 2005. The book's plot involves him (depicted in a comical way) as the main character struggling to make it into the world of A-list movies. [44] He later recorded an audio play adaptation of Make Love with fellow Michigan actors, including longtime collaborator Ted Raimi. This radio drama was released by the independent label Rykodisc and spans 6 discs with a 6-hour running time.

In addition to his books, Campbell also wrote a column for X-Ray Magazine in 2001, an issue of the popular comic series The Hire , and comic book adaptations of his Man with the Screaming Brain. Most recently he wrote the introduction to Josh Becker's The Complete Guide to Low-Budget Feature Filmmaking.

In late 2016, Campbell announced that he would be releasing a third book, Hail to the Chin: Further Confessions of a B Movie Actor, which will detail his life from where If Chins Could Kill ended. Hail to the Chin was released in August 2017, and accompanied by a book tour across the United States and Europe. [45]

Campbell maintained a weblog on his official website, where he posted mainly about politics and the movie industry, though it has since been deleted. [46]

Bruce Campbell Horror Film Festival

Since 2014, the Bruce Campbell Horror Film Festival, narrated and organized by Campbell, was held in the Muvico Theater in Rosemont, Illinois. The first festival was originally from August 21 to 25, 2014, presented by Wizard World, as part of the Chicago Comicon. [47] The second festival was from August 20 to 23, 2015, with guests Tom Holland and Eli Roth. [48] The third festival took place over four days in August 2016. [49] Guests of the event were Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert and Doug Benson. [50]

Personal life

Campbell married Christine Deveau in 1983, and they had two children before divorcing in 1989. He met costume designer Ida Gearon while working on Mindwarp , and they were married in 1992. [51] They reside in Jacksonville, Oregon. [51]

Campbell is also ordained and has performed marriage ceremonies. [52]

Filmography

Key
Denotes works that have not yet been released

Film

YearFilmRoleDirectorNotes
1977 It's Murder! Cop on Bicycle Sam Raimi
1978 Within the Woods Bruce Sam Raimi Short film; also executive producer
Shemp Eats the MoonShemp MaloneJohn CameronShort film; also producer
1979 Attack of the Helping Hand The Hamburger Helper Helping Hand / The Pillsbury Doughboy Scott Spiegel Uncredited roles
Short film; also cinematographer
1980The Blind WaiterThe Blind Waiter Josh Becker and Scott Spiegel Uncredited role
Short film
1981 The Evil Dead Ash Williams Sam Raimi Also executive producer
1982 Cleveland Smith: Bounty Hunter Cleveland Smith Josh Becker Short film
Blood Simple investor trailerJulian Marty Joel and Ethan Coen Short film
1983 Going Back Brice Chapman Ron Teachworth
1985 Crimewave Renaldo 'The Heel' Sam Raimi Also co-producer
Thou Shalt Not Kill... Except Video newscaster Josh Becker Uncredited cameo
Also story writer
1987 Evil Dead II Ash Williams Sam Raimi Also co-producer
1988 Maniac Cop Jack Forrest William Lustig
1989 Intruder Officer Howard Scott Spiegel
Moontrap Ray TannerRobert Dyke
Easy Wheels David O'MalleyProducer
The Dead Next Door Raimi & Commander Carpenter J. R. Bookwalter Voices
1990 Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat Robert Van Helsing Anthony Hickox
Maniac Cop 2 Jack Forrest William Lustig
Darkman Final Shemp Sam Raimi Cameo
1991 Lunatics: A Love Story Ray Josh Becker Also producer
1992 Eddie Presley Asylum Attendant Jeff Burr Cameo
Waxwork II: Lost in Time John Loftmore Anthony Hickox
Mindwarp StoverSteve Barnett
The Nutt House Adam Rifkin Writer
Army of Darkness Ash Williams Sam Raimi Also co-producer
1994 The Hudsucker Proxy Smitty Joel and Ethan Coen
1995 Congo Charles Travis Frank Marshall
The Quick and the Dead Wedding Shemp Sam Raimi Deleted scene
The Demolitionist Raffle Winner Robert Kurtzman Uncredited cameo
1996 Fargo Soap opera actor on TV Joel and Ethan Coen Uncredited cameo
Escape from L.A. Surgeon General of Beverly Hills John Carpenter
1997In the Line of Duty: Blaze of GloryJeff Erickson Dick Lowry
Menno's Mind Mick Dourif Jon Kroll
Running Time Carl Josh Becker
McHale's Navy Virgil Bryan Spicer
1998 The Ice Rink Actor Jean-Philippe Toussaint
1999 From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money Barry Scott Spiegel Direct-to-DVD
2000 Icebreaker Carl Greig David Giancola
Timequest William RobertsRobert Dyke
2001 Hubert's Brain ThompsonPhil RobinsonVoice
Short film
The Majestic Roland the Intrepid Explorer Frank Darabont Cameo
2002 Spider-Man Ring Announcer Sam Raimi Cameo [53]
Hatred of a Minute Michael KallioProducer
Bubba Ho-Tep Elvis Presley Don Coscarelli
Serving Sara Gordon Moore Reginald Hudlin
Fanalysis HimselfHimself Documentary; also producer
2003DrugsBruceChad PeterDirect-to-DVD
Intolerable Cruelty Soap opera actor on TV Joel and Ethan Coen Uncredited cameo
2004 The Ladykillers Humane Society Worker Joel and Ethan Coen Uncredited cameo
Comic Book: The Movie Himself Mark Hamill Direct-to-DVD
A Community Speaks HimselfHimself & Ida GearonDocumentary; also producer and editor
Spider-Man 2 Snooty Usher Sam Raimi Cameo [53]
2005 Man with the Screaming Brain William ColeHimselfAlso writer and producer
Sky High Tommy Boomowski / Coach Boomer / Sonic Boom Mike Mitchell
2006 The Woods Joe Fasulo Lucky McKee
The Ant Bully Fugax John A. Davis Voice
2007 Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters Chicken Bittle Matt Maiellaro and Dave Willis Voice
Spider-Man 3 Maître d' Sam Raimi Cameo [53]
My Name Is Bruce Faux Bruce CampbellHimselfAlso producer
2009 Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs Mayor Shelbourne Phil Lord and Chris Miller Voice
White on Rice Muramoto Dave Boyle Voice
2011 Cars 2 Rod "Torque" Redline John Lasseter and Brad Lewis Voice
2012 The Color of Time GoodyVarious
2013 Oz the Great and Powerful Winkie Guard Sam Raimi Cameo
Evil Dead Ash Williams Fede Álvarez Uncredited cameo; also producer
2015 The Escort Charles CooperWill Slocombe
2021 Black Friday Jonathan Wexler Casey Tebo Also producer
18½ President Richard Nixon Dan Mirvish Voice
2022 Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Pizza Poppa Guy Sam Raimi Cameo [13] [53]
2023 Evil Dead Rise Priest (Ash Williams) [54] [55] Lee Cronin Voice; uncredited cameo; also executive producer [19]
TBAHighly FunctionalChili YoungfieldMarc ForbyPost-production

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1983GenerationsAlan Stuart Soap opera
1987 Knots Landing Joel BensonEpisode: "Say Uncle"
1993–1994 The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. Brisco County, Jr. 27 episodes
1995 Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Bill Church Jr.3 episodes
American Gothic Lt. DreyEpisode: "Meet the Beetles"
1995–1999 Hercules: The Legendary Journeys Autolycus 10 episodes; also directed 7 episodes
1996 Homicide: Life on the Street Jake RodzinskyEpisodes: "Justice Parts 1 & 2"
Tornado! Jake Thorne Television film
Assault on Dome 4 Alex WindhamTelevision film
1996–1997 Ellen Ed Billik8 episodes
1996–1999 Xena: Warrior Princess Autolycus 8 episodes; also directed 2 episodes
1997 Weird Science Gene the GenieEpisode: "I Dream of Gene"
The Love Bug Hank CooperTelevision film
Goldrush: A Real Life Alaskan Adventure Pierce Thomas 'PT' Madison
1998 Timecop Agent Tommy MaddoxEpisode: "The Future, Jack, the Future"
1998–1999 Hercules: The Legendary Journeys Rob Tapert2 episodes
1999 The X-Files Wayne WeinsiderEpisode: "Terms of Endearment"
2000 Jack of All Trades Jack Stiles / Daring Dragoon22 episodes; also co-executive producer
2001 Beggars and Choosers Jack2 episodes
The Legend of Tarzan Max Liebling (voice)Episode: "Tarzan and One Punch Mullargan"
2002 Charmed FBI Agent Woody JackmanEpisode: "Witch Way Now?  [ hu ]"
Terminal Invasion JackTelevision film
2003 Duck Dodgers Pork Piggler (voice)Episode: "K-9 Kaddy/Pig of Action"
My Life as a Teenage Robot Himcules (voice)Episode: "Daydream Believer/This Time with Feeling"
2004 Megas XLR Magnanimous (voice)2 episodes
2005 Alien Apocalypse Dr. Ivan HoodTelevision film
2006 Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go! Captain Shuggazoom (voice)2 episodes
Touch the Top of the WorldEd WeihenmayerTelevision film
Robot Chicken Himself / Red Power Ranger / Car Chase Reporter (voices)Episode: "Dragon Nuts"
2006–2009 The Replacements Phil Mygrave / Gordo Glideright (voices)6 episodes
2007 El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera The Industrialist (voice)Episode: "Burrito's Little Helper/Crouching Tigre, Hidden Dragon"
2007–2013 Burn Notice Sam Axe 111 episodes
2011 Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe Television film; also executive producer
2013 1600 Penn Doug GilchristEpisode: "Skip the Tour"
2014 Psych Dr. Ashford N. SimpsonEpisode: "A Nightmare on State Street"
The Librarians Santa Claus Episode: "And Santa's Midnight Run"
2015 Fargo Ronald Reagan [56] 2 episodes
Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja The Creep (voice)Episode; "Ball's Well That Friend's Well"
2015–2018 Ash vs Evil Dead Ash Williams 30 episodes; also executive producer [57]
2018–2020 Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure King Edmund (voice)7 episodes
2018 Lodge 49 Gary Green3 episodes
2019 Ripley's Believe It or Not! Himself (host)10 episodes; also executive producer
2020–2021 The Last Kids on Earth Chef (voice)11 episodes
2021AdoptedJohn VossUnaired pilot
A.P. Bio John GriffinEpisode: "Tons of Rue"
Archer McGinley (voice)Episode: "Dingo, Baby, et Cetera"
One December NightSteve BedfordTelevision film
2022My Southern Family ChristmasEverett BergeronTelevision film [58]
2023 Impractical Jokers Himself (guest host)Episode: "Bruce Campbell"
2023DiscontinuedHimself (host)Streaming series, 2 episodes as of December 6
TBAHysteria!Chief Dandridge [59]

Video games

YearTitleRoleNotes
1997 Broken Helix Jake Burton
1998 Pitfall 3D: Beyond the Jungle Pitfall Harry Jr
2000 Tachyon: The Fringe Protagonist
Evil Dead: Hail to the King Ash Williams
2002 Spider-Man Tutorial Narrator
2003 Evil Dead: A Fistful of Boomstick Ash Williams
2004 Spider-Man 2 Tutorial Narrator
2005 Evil Dead: Regeneration Ash Williams
2006 The Ant Bully Fugax
2007 Spider-Man 3 Tutorial Narrator
2011 Army of Darkness: Defense Ash WilliamsGame Closed
Cars 2 Rod "Torque" Redline
2012 The Amazing Spider-Man The Extreme Reporter
2014TOME: Immortal ArenaTutorial NarratorGame Closed
2015 Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare LennoxExo Zombies DLC
2019 Dead by Daylight Ash WilliamsAsh vs Evil Dead DLC
2022 Evil Dead: The Game Also producer [60]
2023 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II
Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0

Accolades

YearAwardCategoryTitleResult
1993 Fangoria Chainsaw Award Best Actor Army of Darkness Won
2003 DVD Exclusive Award Best Audio Commentary (Limited Edition) The Evil Dead Nominated
The Comedy Festival Film Discovery Jury Award for Best Actor Bubba Ho-Tep Won
2004 Chlotrudis Award Best ActorNominated
Fangoria Chainsaw Award Best Actor Won
2005 Fantasporto Film FestivalInternational Fantasy Film Award for Best ActorWon
2007 Ashland Independent Film Festival Rogue AwardWon
2010 Satellite Awards Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film Burn Notice Nominated
2016 Fangoria Chainsaw Award Best Actor on Television Ash vs Evil Dead Won
Saturn Awards Best Actor on Television Won
2017 Fangoria Chainsaw Award Best TV ActorWon
Saturn Awards Best Actor on a Television SeriesNominated
2018Nominated

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Army of Darkness</i> 1992 film by Sam Raimi

Army of Darkness is a 1992 American dark fantasy comedy film directed, co-written, and co-edited by Sam Raimi. The film is the third installment in the Evil Dead film series and the sequel to Evil Dead II (1987). Starring Bruce Campbell and Embeth Davidtz, it follows Ash Williams (Campbell) as he is trapped in the Middle Ages and battles the undead in his quest to return to the present.

<i>The Evil Dead</i> 1981 film by Sam Raimi

The Evil Dead is a 1981 American independent supernatural horror film written and directed by Sam Raimi. The film stars Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss, Richard DeManincor, Betsy Baker, and Theresa Tilly as five college students vacationing in an isolated cabin in the woods, where they find an audio tape that, when played, releases a legion of demons and spirits. Four members of the group suffer from demonic possession, forcing the fifth member, Ash Williams (Campbell), to survive an onslaught of increasingly gory mayhem.

<i>Evil Dead II</i> 1987 film by Sam Raimi

Evil Dead II is a 1987 American comedy horror film directed by Sam Raimi, who co-wrote it with Scott Spiegel. The second installment in the Evil Dead film series, it is considered both a remake and sequel to The Evil Dead (1981). It stars Bruce Campbell as Ash Williams, who vacations with his girlfriend to a remote cabin in the woods. He discovers an audio tape of recitations from a book of ancient texts, and when the recording is played, it unleashes a number of demons which possess and torment him.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam Raimi</span> American filmmaker (born 1959)

Samuel M. Raimi is an American film director, screenwriter and producer. He is best known for directing the first three films in the Evil Dead franchise (1981–present) and the Spider-Man trilogy (2002–2007). He also directed the superhero movie Darkman (1990), the revisionist western The Quick and the Dead (1995), the neo-noir crime thriller A Simple Plan (1998), the supernatural thriller The Gift (2000), the supernatural horror Drag Me to Hell (2009), the Disney fantasy Oz the Great and Powerful (2013), and the Marvel Studios film Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ted Raimi</span> American actor

Theodore Raimi is an American character actor, director and writer. He is known for his roles in the works of his brother Sam Raimi, including a fake Shemp in The Evil Dead, possessed Henrietta in Evil Dead II, and Ted Hoffman in the Spider-Man trilogy. He later reprised his role as Henrietta in the television series Ash vs. Evil Dead, in which he also played the character Chet Kaminski. He is also known for his roles as Lieutenant JG Tim O'Neill in seaQuest DSV his recurring role as the merchant in Legend of the Seeker and Joxer the Mighty in Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.

<i>Xena: Warrior Princess</i> American–New Zealand fantasy series (1995–2001)

Xena: Warrior Princess is an American fantasy television series filmed in New Zealand, which aired in first-run syndication from September 4, 1995, to June 18, 2001. Critics have praised the series for its strong female protagonist, and it has acquired a strong cult following, attention in fandom, parody, and academia, and has influenced the direction of other television series.

<i>Hercules: The Legendary Journeys</i> 1995 television series

Hercules: The Legendary Journeys is an American fantasy television series filmed in New Zealand, based on the tales of the classical Greco-Roman culture hero Heracles. Starring Kevin Sorbo as Hercules and Michael Hurst as Iolaus, it was produced from January 16, 1995, to November 22, 1999. It ran for six seasons, producing action figures and other memorabilia as it became one of the highest-rated syndicated television shows in the world at that time. It has aired on Once Channel, Sky1, five/5, Heroes & Icons, and Horror.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucy Lawless</span> New Zealand actress (born 1968)

Lucille Frances Lawless is a New Zealand actress. She is best known for her roles as Xena in the television series Xena: Warrior Princess, as D'Anna Biers on the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica series, and Lucretia in the television series Spartacus: Blood and Sand and associated series. Since 2019, she has starred as Alexa in the television series My Life Is Murder.

<i>Within the Woods</i> 1978 short film directed by Sam Raimi

Within the Woods is an 1978 horror short film written, directed and produced by Sam Raimi. Raimi drew inspiration from his earlier short film Clockwork, deciding to produce a proof of concept horror film to help build the interest of potential investors. Raimi cast his friends Bruce Campbell and Ellen Sandweiss as the two protagonists and produced the film for $1,600. Shot on location in a remote cabin in the woods, production was a difficult process because of the low budget. Several of the special effects presented in the film were done in a severely low budget manner, some of which were improvised on set. The film centers around demonic possession and mysterious forces originating from the woods.

Joseph LoDuca is an American television and film score composer best known for his work writing television scores for the series Spartacus, Leverage, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Xena: Warrior Princess, Young Hercules, The Librarians TV series, American Gothic and Jack of All Trades. Originally an accomplished jazz guitarist in the Detroit area, LoDuca frequently provides music for producer/director Robert Tapert, producer/director Sam Raimi, producer/director Dean Devlin and actor Bruce Campbell's films and series. Prior to his work on The Evil Dead, his first film, he released a jazz LP titled Glisten.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ash Williams</span> Fictional character

Ashley Joanna "Ash" Williams is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Evil Dead franchise. Created by Sam Raimi, he is portrayed by Bruce Campbell and is the only character to appear in each entry of the series, including a post-credits and audio cameo in the 2013 and 2023 soft reboot films, respectively. Throughout the series, Ash faces off against "Deadites", evil creatures possessed by the ancient evil of the Kandarian Demon. Ash, since his debut, has been considered a cultural icon and an iconic horror hero. In 2008, Ash was selected by Empire magazine as the 24th greatest movie character of all time, and in 2013, was voted by Empire as the greatest horror movie character ever.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rob Tapert</span> American film producer

Robert Gerard Tapert is an American film and television producer, writer and director, best known for co-creating the television series Xena: Warrior Princess.

<i>Evil Dead</i> American comedy horror franchise

Evil Dead is an American comedy horror franchise created by Sam Raimi consisting of five feature films and a television series. The series originally revolves around the grimoire the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis, an ancient Sumerian text that wreaks havoc upon a group of cabin inhabitants in a wooded area in Tennessee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Verheiden</span> American screenwriter

Mark Verheiden is an American television, movie, and comic-book writer. He was a co-executive producer for the television series Falling Skies for DreamWorks Television and the TNT network.

<i>Xena: Warrior Princess</i> season 1 Season of television series

The first season of the television series Xena: Warrior Princess commenced airing in the United States and Canada on September 4, 1995, concluded on July 29, 1996, and contained 24 episodes. It introduces Gabrielle, the series co-star, beside Xena, previously a secondary character in the TV series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. Gabrielle becomes Xena's greatest ally; her initial naiveté helps to balance Xena and assists her in recognizing and pursuing the "greater good."

<i>Evil Dead</i> (2013 film) 2013 American film by Fede Álvarez

Evil Dead is a 2013 American supernatural horror film directed by Fede Álvarez, who co-wrote the screenplay with Rodo Sayagues. Dubbed a "re-imagining" of The Evil Dead (1981), the film is the fourth installment in the Evil Dead film series. It stars Jane Levy, Shiloh Fernandez, Lou Taylor Pucci, Jessica Lucas, and Elizabeth Blackmore. The story follows a group of five people under attack by deadites in a remote cabin in the woods.

<i>Ash vs Evil Dead</i> American comedy horror television series

Ash vs Evil Dead is an American comedy horror television series developed by Sam Raimi, Ivan Raimi, and Tom Spezialy for Starz. The series is set in the Evil Dead universe created by Raimi, with Bruce Campbell reprising his role as Ash Williams from the film series. Ray Santiago, Dana DeLorenzo, and Lucy Lawless also star.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam Raimi's unrealized projects</span>

The following is a list of unproduced Sam Raimi projects in roughly chronological order. During his long career, American film director and producer Sam Raimi has worked on a number of projects which never progressed beyond the pre-production stage under his direction. Some of these projects, are officially cancelled and scrapped or fell in development hell.

<i>Evil Dead Rise</i> 2023 American film by Lee Cronin

Evil Dead Rise is a 2023 American supernatural horror film written and directed by Lee Cronin. It is a standalone entry and the fifth installment in the Evil Dead film series. The film stars Lily Sullivan and Alyssa Sutherland as two estranged sisters trying to survive and save their family from deadites. Morgan Davies, Gabrielle Echols, and Nell Fisher appear in supporting roles.

"El Jefe" is the series premiere of the American comedy horror television series Ash vs Evil Dead, which serves as a continuation of the Evil Dead trilogy, the first episodes of its first season. The episode was written by Sam Raimi, Ivan Raimi and Tom Spezialy, and directed by Sam Raimi. It originally aired on the premium channel Starz on October 31, 2015.

References

  1. 1 2 Millar, John (July 1, 2012). "Evil Dead star Bruce Campbell is so proud to be a Highlander". Daily Record . Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  2. Wise, Damon (February 14, 2009). "The Mighty Bruce". The Guardian . Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  3. 1 2 CHARLES CAMPBELL – Obituary. Legacy.com (November 7, 2004). Retrieved on August 9, 2017.
  4. Bruce Campbell biography, Yahoo! Movies
  5. "An Interview With Bruce Campbell". IGN. December 18, 2002. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
  6. Becker, Josh (2006). The Complete Guide to Low-Budget Feature Filmmaking. Point Blank. p. 64. ISBN   978-0-8095-5690-8.
  7. Grossberg, Josh (February 22, 2018). "Bruce Campbell Toasts Stephen King For Helping Get Evil Dead 2 Made". SyFyWire. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
  8. Muir, John Kenneth (2004). "The Unseen Force: The Films of Sam Raimi" . Applause. p.  152. ISBN   1-55783-607-8.
  9. Marvel Zombies: The Book of Angels, Demons & Various Monstrosities. Marvel Comics. 2007.
  10. Wake, Matt (October 22, 2020). "Bruce Campbell talks 'Evil Dead,' 'Spider-Man,' 'Xena'". AL.com. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  11. Parker, Ryan (August 20, 2020). "'Darkman' Turns 30: Liam Neeson, Frances McDormand and More Remember the Arduous Making of Sam Raimi's Influential Superhero Film". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  12. Leighton, Susan (March 13, 2019). "Bruce Campbell: What really went down on The Quick and the Dead?". 1428 Elm. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
  13. 1 2 Andrews, Tim (March 15, 2021). Radio Labyrinth Presents - Interviews - Bruce Campbell. Radio Laberynth Podcast via YouTube.
  14. Collis, Clark (August 22, 2017). "Bruce Campbell says he won't play Elvis in Bubba Ho-Tep sequel". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved May 24, 2018.
  15. McIntyre, Gina (December 19, 2008). "Bruce Campbell's spoof hits home in several ways". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved May 24, 2018.
  16. Holden, Stephen (July 29, 2005). "Being Picked Last in Gym, Even if You're a Superhero". The New York Times . Retrieved May 24, 2018.
  17. Cheney, Alexandra (June 24, 2011). "Bruce Campbell on 'Keeping the Pipes Clean' for 'Cars 2′". The Wall Street Journal . Retrieved May 24, 2018.
  18. "Bruce Campbell Confirms He Will Do Army Of Darkness Sequel". ComicBook.com. September 6, 2017.
  19. 1 2 Squires, John (August 24, 2022). "'Evil Dead Rise' Getting a Theatrical Release in April 2023!". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
  20. Butler, Karen (July 15, 2020). "Bruce Campbell announces 'Brisco County Jr.' reunion". United Press International . Retrieved July 15, 2020.
  21. Fries, Laura (January 13, 2000). "Jack of All Trades". Variety . Retrieved May 24, 2018.
  22. Byrne, Craig (September 5, 2017). "The Ten Best Episodes of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman". ComicBook.com. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
  23. Heisler, Steve (February 11, 2009). "Bruce Campbell". The A.V. Club . Retrieved July 31, 2019.
  24. Weisbrot, Robert (2004). Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. Lanham, Maryland: Taylor Trade Publishing. pp. 208–209. ISBN   1-58979-120-7.
  25. Weisbrot 2004, pp. 125–127.
  26. Accinelli, Laura (November 27, 1999). "After 5 1/2 Years, Hercules Has Turned In His Sword". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
  27. Gill, Suzanne (November 28, 1997). "A new Love Bug rolls off the line at Disney". Ludington Daily News . Retrieved June 19, 2015.
  28. Mooney, Darren (2017). Opening The X-Files: A Critical History of the Original Series. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company. p. 112. ISBN   978-1-4766-6526-9.
  29. "Get Burnt DVD commentary feature for episode 3: Fight or Flight". usanetwork.com. Archived from the original on October 4, 2012.
  30. O'Hare, Kate (April 13, 2011). "Bruce Campbell gets 'action hands' in 'Burn Notice: Fall of Sam Axe'". Sun-Sentinel . Retrieved May 24, 2018.
  31. Rhodes, Joe (September 12, 2008). "Bruce Campbell's Prime-Time Moment". The New York Times . Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  32. Patten, Dominic (October 28, 2015). "'Ash Vs Evil Dead' Renewed For Season 2 By Starz Ahead Of Halloween Debut". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved October 28, 2015.
  33. Patten, Dominic (October 7, 2016). "Starz Renews 'Ash Vs. Evil Dead' For Third Season – NY Comic-Con". Deadline. Retrieved October 8, 2016.
  34. Otterson, Joe (April 20, 2018). "'Ash vs. Evil Dead' Canceled at Starz After Three Seasons". Variety. Archived from the original on June 20, 2018. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
  35. Oller, Jacob (January 2, 2019). "Ripley's Believe It or Not! show names Bruce Campbell host". Syfy Wire. Archived from the original on January 2, 2019. Retrieved June 7, 2019.
  36. Squires, John (August 16, 2018). "[Exclusive] Bruce Campbell Will Be Voicing Ash Williams in an Upcoming 'Evil Dead' Game!". Bloody Disgusting . Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  37. 1 2 "Bruce Campbell". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
  38. Crecente, Brian (March 28, 2019). "'Evil Dead's' Ash Coming to 'Dead by Daylight' Voiced by Bruce Campbell". Variety. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  39. "Poker Night 2 (Video Game 2013)". IMDb. Retrieved November 22, 2015.
  40. "KIXEYE – TOME: Immortal Arena".
  41. Chalk, Andy (June 1, 2015). "Bruce Campbell to Star in New Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare DLC". PC Gamer. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
  42. 1 2 3 Campbell, Bruce (June 23, 2001). If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a B Movie Actor. Macmillan. ISBN   978-0-312-24264-0.
  43. "Best Sellers Plus". The New York Times . July 8, 2001.
  44. Campbell, Bruce (October 2015). Make Love! The Bruce Campbell Way. Macmillan. ISBN   9781250099280.
  45. "Newsroom - Bruce-Campbell.com". www.bruce-campbell.com. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
  46. "Bruce Campbell Blog".
  47. "The Awesome Fest Presents: Bruce Campbell's Horror Film Festival @ Chicago Comic Con 2014". Archived from the original on July 24, 2015.
  48. "Second Annual Bruce Campbell Horror Film Festival Scares Up Surprises at Wizard World Chicago".
  49. Collis, Clark (August 22, 2016). "Bruce Campbell's Horror Film Festival: Special Groovy Report". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
  50. Wolfe, Clarke (June 25, 2016). "Everything You Need to Know About Bruce Campbell's Horror Film Festival". Nerdist. Archived from the original on May 25, 2018. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
  51. 1 2 Lee, Luaine (July 11, 2012). "Bruce Campbell Learned to Go With the Flow". Toledo Blade. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
  52. "Bruce Campbell interview: Evil Dead, being ordained, making bombs". Den of Geek . April 5, 2013. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
  53. 1 2 3 4 Jamie Lovett (November 29, 2023). "Bruce Campbell Confirms Spider-Man and Doctor Strange Characters Are Same Person, Reveals New Marvel Talks (Exclusive)". ComicBook.com .
  54. Amin, Arezou (July 24, 2022). "Bruce Campbell on Working with Sam Raimi, 'Evil Dead,' and Pizza Poppa's Backstory". Collider . Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  55. Mottram, James (April 13, 2023). "'Evil Dead Rise': inside the year's scariest horror film". NME . Retrieved April 13, 2023. Lee Cronin: "Bruce came over to Ireland when we were working on the sound and I asked him if he would do this teeny, tiny, little cameo for me. And the fun part is, that's not necessarily Bruce Campbell playing someone else – that could very well be Ash Williams."
  56. Ausiello, Michael (March 24, 2015). "Fargo Elects Bruce Campbell to Play Ronald Reagan in Season 2". TVLine. Archived from the original on February 22, 2017. Retrieved March 25, 2015.
  57. "Bruce Campbell's Ash returns to fight 'Evil Dead'". USA TODAY. October 29, 2015.
  58. "My Southern Family Christmas Bruce Campbell: Everett Bergeron". IMDb. November 24, 2022.
  59. Otterson, Joe (April 21, 2023). "Bruce Campbell Joins Satanic Panic Drama 'Hysteria!' at Peacock (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety . Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  60. Wilson, Mike (December 10, 2020). "[TGA 2020] Bruce Campbell Returns as Ash in 'Evil Dead: The Game'". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved December 10, 2020.