Captain Spaulding | |
---|---|
Firefly (film series) character | |
First appearance | House of 1000 Corpses (2003) [1] |
Last appearance | 3 from Hell (2019) |
Created by | Rob Zombie |
Portrayed by | Sid Haig |
In-universe information | |
Full name | Johnny Lee Johns |
Alias |
|
Gender | Male |
Spouse | Mama Firefly |
Children | Baby Firefly |
Captain Spaulding (born Johnny Lee Johns and also known as "Cutter") [2] is a fictional character created by Rob Zombie. The character first appeared in Zombie's 2003 horror film House of 1000 Corpses , portrayed by Sid Haig. Haig reprised his role as Spaulding in the sequels The Devil's Rejects (2005) and 3 from Hell (2019). Haig also voiced Spaulding in the 2009 animated film The Haunted World of El Superbeasto . [3] The character is depicted as a vulgar and murderous clown.
In House of 1000 Corpses, Spaulding is portrayed as the proprietor of a gas station and fried chicken eatery that also houses a roadside attraction known as Captain Spaulding's Museum of Monsters and Madmen. In The Devil's Rejects, he is revealed to be the patriarch of the Firefly family. The character, and Haig himself, have been called icons of modern horror cinema. [4] [5] [1] [6]
Captain Spaulding has a lengthy criminal history, and earned the nickname "Cutter" for stabbing a man to death. [2] Spaulding met Eve Wilson, also known as Mama Firefly, in 1947, and they had a daughter named Vera-Ellen (also known as Baby Firefly). [2] Years later, Spaulding met Otis B. Driftwood and invited him to become a member of their family. [2]
In House of 1000 Corpses , Spaulding is portrayed as the proprietor of a gas station in Texas that also sells fried chicken. [7] The establishment also harbors a roadside haunted house attraction known as Captain Spaulding's Museum of Monsters and Madmen. [7] At the beginning of the film, the establishment is targeted by robbers, whom Spaulding kills. [7] Later in the film, when a group of four people visit his establishment and learn of the local legend of Dr. Satan, Spaulding directs them in the path of the murderous Firefly family. [7] Spaulding's ties to the Firefly clan are kept ambiguous throughout most of the film. [7]
In The Devil's Rejects , Spaulding is revealed to be the patriarch of the Firefly family. [7] In the film's opening sequence, Mama Firefly is taken into custody when the Firefly home is subjected to a search and destroy mission by Sheriff John Wydell and a number of state troopers, [2] but Spaulding is elsewhere during the raid. [8] In prison, Wydell stabs Mama Firefly to death as revenge for the murder of his brother George Wydell, whom she fatally shot in the previous film. [7] [9] Spaulding, Otis, and Baby are eventually captured by Wydell and brought to the Firefly house, where Wydell tortures them. [9] Wydell sets the house on fire and leaves Otis and Spaulding to die, while he hunts Baby for sport outside. Tiny, another member of the Firefly clan, intervenes, killing Wydell and saving the trio. [7] Spaulding, Otis, and Baby escape in a 1972 Cadillac Eldorado belonging to Spaulding's half-brother Charlie Altamont, [10] [ additional citation(s) needed ] and are shot by authorities while speeding towards a police barricade. [11] [12]
In 3 from Hell , Spaulding, Otis, and Baby are revealed to have just barely survived the shootout with the police, and are put on trial and imprisoned shortly after their recovery. A decrepit Spaulding is executed by lethal injection sometime later, leading to Otis and Baby attempting an escape.
Spaulding was originally supposed to have a bigger role in 3 from Hell, but Sid Haig's real-life health issues stopped him from completing the role as it was written, forcing Zombie to greatly reduce his role. [13]
In the commentary for House of 1000 Corpses, director Rob Zombie describes Spaulding as a "lovable asshole", and ensured that the character's motivations and connection to the Firefly family would be ambiguous in the film. Spaulding is described in the script for House of 1000 Corpses as a "crusty-looking old man in a filthy clown suit and smeared make-up". Just as several characters from the series are named after characters from Marx Brothers films, Spaulding is named for Groucho Marx's character Captain Jeffrey T. Spaulding from the 1930 film Animal Crackers . [14] [15] [16]
Captain Spaulding has been referred to as a modern icon of horror cinema, and Haig himself has been called a "horror icon" for his portrayal of Spaulding. [4] [5] [1] [6]
In describing Spaulding for his review for The Devil's Rejects, film critic Roger Ebert wrote: "He is a man whose teeth are so bad, they're more frightening than his clown makeup. He plays such a thoroughly disgusting person, indeed, that I was driven to www.sidhaig.com to discover that in real life Sid looks, well, presentable [...] This was a relief to me, because anyone who really looked like Captain Spaulding would send shoppers screaming." [17]
House of 1000 Corpses is a 2003 American black comedy horror film written, co-scored, and directed by Rob Zombie in his directorial debut, and the first film in the Firefly film series. It stars Sid Haig, Bill Moseley, Sheri Moon, Karen Black, Rainn Wilson, Chris Hardwick, Tom Towles, Erin Daniels, Jennifer Jostyn, Walton Goggins, and Dennis Fimple in his final role. The plot centers on a group of teenagers who are kidnapped and tortured by a psychotic family during Halloween after traveling across the country to write a book.
Captain Jeffrey T. Spaulding is a fictional character in the Broadway musical Animal Crackers and the film of the same name. He was originally played by actor Groucho Marx, one of the Marx Brothers, in both productions. Despite his middle name being Edgar, he is known as Jeffrey T. Spaulding; his first name is also spelled as "Geoffrey" in parts of the film.
Rob Zombie is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, filmmaker, and actor. His music and lyrics are notable for their horror and sci-fi themes, and his live shows have been praised for their elaborate shock rock theatricality. He has sold an estimated 15 million albums worldwide.
Matthew McGrory was an American actor. At 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m), he was recognized as the tallest actor by Guinness World Records. He portrayed physically imposing characters throughout his career, including Tiny Firefly in the horror films House of 1000 Corpses (2003) and The Devil's Rejects (2005) and Karl the Giant in the fantasy comedy-drama Big Fish (2003). McGrory also held the Guinness World Records for biggest feet and longest toe.
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The Devil's Rejects is a 2005 American black comedy horror film written, produced and directed by Rob Zombie, and is the second film in the Firefly film series, serving as a sequel to his 2003 film House of 1000 Corpses. The film is centered on the run of three members of the psychopathic antagonist family from the previous film, now seen as villainous protagonists, with Sid Haig, Bill Moseley, and Zombie's wife Sheri Moon Zombie reprising their roles, and Leslie Easterbrook replacing Karen Black as the matriarch.
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