Bruce Lorne Campbell
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2,839
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150
Film credits
17
Books
1
Award
In 1979, Bruce Campbell and his friends Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert raised $350,000 to make the 1981 film The Evil Dead, which became the best-selling video in England in 1983. Campbell starred in the Evil Dead trilogy and later headlined the 2015 TV series Ash vs Evil Dead. He has also appeared in blockbusters like the Spider-Man films and cult hits like the 2002 film Bubba Ho-Tep. Campbell is also a New York Times bestselling author.
Names, aliases, and relatives of Bruce Campbell — birth name, kin, and personal ties.
Bruce Campbell by the numbers — life, work, and family.
Bruce Campbell — early life, career, personal life, and legacy.
Bruce Campbell grew up in Birmingham, Michigan, after his birth on June 22, 1958. He attended Birmingham Groves High School, graduating in 1976, and briefly studied at Western Michigan University for six months before leaving to pursue acting. Campbell has said the L-shaped scar on his chin came from a fight with his brother Don Campbell. He once worked as a security guard at a beer brewery.
In 1979, Campbell and his Detroit friends Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert raised $350,000 for the low-budget 1981 film The Evil Dead. He starred and co-executive produced, and the film became a cult hit, beating out The Shining as the best-selling video in England in 1983. Campbell co-produced the 1985 film Crimewave and moved to Los Angeles, starring in genre films such as the 1988 Maniac Cop and Moontrap. He rejoined Raimi and Tapert for the 1987 Evil Dead II and the 1992 Army of Darkness.
Campbell moved to television with the 1993 series The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. and made guest appearances on the 1993 Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. He later directed episodes of the 1995 shows Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess. His film roles included the 1995 Congo, the 1996 Escape from L.A., the 2002-2007 Spider-Man trilogy, and the 2002 cult favorite Bubba Ho-Tep. He also directed and starred in the 2007 My Name Is Bruce. From 2007 to 2013, Campbell starred in the USA series Burn Notice. In 2015, he returned to his role as Ash in the Starz series Ash vs Evil Dead.
Bruce Campbell has been married twice. He first married Christine Deveau on March 13, 1983; they divorced in 1989. He married filmmaker Ida Gearon on February 22, 1991; they met on the set of the 1991 film Mindwarp. Campbell has two siblings: his brother Don Campbell, with whom he once fought, and half-brother Mike Campbell. He also has a nephew named Colin Campbell. Campbell is an ordained minister and has officiated weddings. He currently lives in a small town just outside Medford, Oregon.
Bruce Campbell’s role as Ash Williams in the Evil Dead franchise built a dedicated fanbase and a named horror film festival, the Bruce Campbell Horror Film Festival, established in 2014. His autobiography, If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a B Movie Actor, became a New York Times bestseller. Collaborations with Sam Raimi produced some of the most beloved cult films. Campbell’s distinctive chin and his ability to bring humor to horror remain hallmarks of his career. He remains a beloved figure in genre cinema.
The complete filmography of Bruce Campbell — every film, TV show, and documentary credit, ranked by popularity.
Every award, honor, and recognition received by Bruce Campbell — Grammys, hall-of-fame inductions, civic honors, lifetime achievements.
Bruce Campbell's bibliography — every authored, edited, and co-written book, ranked by edition count.
A wall of memorable lines from Bruce Campbell — lyrics, interviews, and off-the-cuff remarks captured over a lifetime.
There Is a Large Element of Me in Every Role I Do. Actors Who Say They Can Dive Inside a Character Are Either Schizophrenic or Lying.
Don’t Aspire to Be a B-movie Director, You’ll Be There Soon Enough.
If You Go to Hollywood, You’ve Already Sold Out. by the Sheer Act of Going There, You’re Saying, ‘I Need to Go There Because This Is the Only Way I Can Get My Movie Made.’ Baloney! Indiana’s the Place to Make Your Movie. Pontiac, Michigan. Whatever. Then You’re Just Making It on the Merits of the Movie. You Don’t Have to Have Any Discussions About What’s Hip Now. Who Can We Get to Do the Soundtrack? You Can Actually Put a Score to Your Movie Instead of a Soundtrack. I Get This Thing All the Time. Filmmakers Go, ‘Can I Send You a Script? You’ll Read It and Attach Yourself and We’ll Package It.’ Why Can’t You Get the Money Based on Nothing, Just the Script? This Whole Packaging Thing Is Out of Control. Then You Get Absurd Casting Because It’s All Packaged by the Same Talent Agency. the Sensibility Is so Bizarre.
It Seemed That My Lot in Life Was to Either Have Big Parts in Small Films or Small Parts in Big Films.
I’m Not Interested in Making a $60-Million Studio Film with a Bunch of 24-Year-olds Telling Me What to Do.
Little-known facts about Bruce Campbell — origins, oddities, and behind-the-scenes details from a public life.
Campbell secured the lead in the 1993 series The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. by performing a self-flip trick during his audition, repeating it at every callback.
Sam Raimi and other directors consider Campbell to have the best head shot in the business.
Campbell attended high school with Sam Raimi and John Cameron and has remained close friends with them.
Though Sam Raimi originally wanted Campbell for the lead in the 1990 film Darkman, the producers declined, but Campbell appears at the end as Final Shemp.
In the 1996 film Fargo and the 2003 film Intolerable Cruelty, Campbell played soap actors in uncredited roles.
Campbell filmed a cameo in the 1995 film The Quick and the Dead that was ultimately cut; Sam Raimi had written the scene to give Pat Hingle more to do, and Campbell was on set visiting.
For the 2002 film Bubba Ho-Tep, Campbell recorded a full-length DVD commentary in character as Elvis.
Campbell met his current wife, filmmaker Ida Gearon, on the set of the 1991 film Mindwarp.
Until the mid-1990s, Campbell appeared in every Sam Raimi project, but his scenes were cut from the 1995 film The Quick and the Dead.
Campbell was the first choice for the role of Louis Creed in the 1989 film Pet Sematary, but it went to Dale Midkiff.
At one point, Campbell worked as a security guard at a beer brewery.
The L-shaped scar on Campbell’s chin resulted from a fight with his brother Don Campbell.
Campbell once ran a blog on his official website focusing on politics and the film industry, but it has since been discontinued.
Campbell has worked with Joel and Ethan Coen multiple times, including two uncredited appearances as a soap opera actor.
He was considered for the role of Ian Malcolm in the 1993 film Jurassic Park, which eventually went to Jeff Goldblum.
Campbell attended Western Michigan University for only six months before leaving to continue his acting career.
On July 26, 2003, Campbell suffered minor injuries in a car accident near Ashland, Oregon, when he was hit by a man charged with DUI.
Campbell’s autobiography is called If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a B Movie Actor.
Campbell once baby-sat Ted Raimi, the younger brother of Sam and Ivan Raimi.
Campbell is considered the best Reverse Actor in Hollywood, a film technique frequently used by director Sam Raimi.
Campbell’s favorite movie is the 1957 film The Bridge on the River Kwai.
Campbell is an ordained minister and has officiated weddings.
Campbell was considered for the role of Agent Doggett on The X-Files; he later made a guest appearance on the show.
Campbell currently resides in a small town just outside Medford, Oregon.
He was considered for the role of Edward Lewis in the 1990 film Pretty Woman, which went to Richard Gere.
At the 2009 Fan Expo in Toronto, a fan gave Campbell a hand-made doll of his character from the 1992 film Army of Darkness; Campbell stated he would cherish it forever.
Campbell auditioned for the role of Shooter McGavin in the 1996 film Happy Gilmore.
Campbell was offered the role of Edgar in the 1997 film Men in Black but declined in favor of the 1996 film Tornado!.
The New York City punk band Eleventh Hour included a song titled Bruce about Campbell on their third album.
Campbell turned down a role in the 2009 film Drag Me to Hell because of his commitment to the 2007 series Burn Notice.
He was considered for the role of John Nada in the 1988 film They Live, which went to Roddy Piper.
Campbell was considered for the role of Jack Traven in the 1994 film Speed, which eventually went to Keanu Reeves.
The Bruce Campbell Horror Film Festival, organized by Campbell, has been held annually since 2014 at the Muvico Theater in Rosemont, Illinois, with guests like Tom Holland, Eli Roth, Sam Raimi, and Rob Tapert.
Campbell was originally cast as the lead in the 1985 film Crimewave, but the studio wanted a more Hollywood actor; Sam Raimi gave him the supporting role of Renaldo the Heel, which he expanded.
Campbell ranked number 22 on Tropopkin’s Top 25 Most Intriguing People list.
John Carpenter’s first choice for the role of Montoya in the 1998 film Vampires was Bruce Campbell.
Campbell screen-tested for the lead role in the 1996 film The Phantom.
Campbell was set to voice Ash Williams in the 2019 video game Mortal Kombat 11, but contractual disputes prevented the character’s inclusion.
Campbell graduated from Birmingham Groves High School in 1976.
Campbell is frequently linked with Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert due to their collaboration on the entire Evil Dead franchise.
Campbell is the son of Charlie Campbell.
Campbell is of Clan Campbell.
On April 18, 2004, Campbell announced the winner of the 2nd Annual SPACEY Awards for Favorite Horror Movie, which was the 2002 film 28 Days Later.
In his autobiography, Campbell disclosed that he unsuccessfully auditioned for a cameo in the 1991 film Barton Fink.
At one time, Campbell’s literary agent was John Hodgman, who later gained fame as an author, actor, and Daily Show correspondent.
Campbell was the visual inspiration for the main character in the 1990 video game The Adventures of Rad Gravity, when he was 32 years old.
Campbell has stated that his personal favorite role was Brisco County, Jr., and he considered the series’ single season the best year of his career.
Quick answers to the questions readers ask most about Bruce Campbell.
Celebrities similar to Bruce Campbell — same craft, ranked by reach.
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