Born June 22, 1958 (the youngest of 3 brothers) in Royal Oak, Michigan. As a child, Bruce watched "Lost in Space" (1965) on TV, and ran around dressed as Zorro. He got the acting bug at age 8; his dad was performing in local community theater. At 14, Bruce got to play the young prince in "The King and I" and even got to sing. He went on to appear in several community theater productions, including "South Pacific". However, he was also interested in directing, and shot super-8 flicks with a neighborhood pal. Perhaps through fate, he met future director Sam Raimi in a high school drama class in 1975. Soon, along with Sam, and now a bunch of other high school pals, Bruce filmed about 50 super-8 movies. During the summer of 1976, he was an apprentice in northern Michigan at Traverse City's Cherry County Playhouse, a summer-stock company. Bruce worked 18-hour days putting up sets, being assistant stage manager, doing errands, etc. No money, but it was a learning experience (it was show biz). He attended Western Michigan University and took theater courses. Bruce became a production assistant for a company that made commercials in Detroit. In the early part of 1979, with buddy Sam Raimi, he decided to become a pro filmmaker. Armed with a super-8 horror film Within the Woods (1978) which then showed potential investors, they raised $350,000 to make The Evil Dead (1981) which Bruce co-produced and starred in as "Ash". Four years later, the completed film became the best-selling video of 1983 in England, and New Line Cinema got it a US release. Around this time, he married his first wife, and they had 2 kids. They raised 10 times as much cash for the sequel Evil Dead II (1987) again co-produced by Bruce and starring him as "Ash". He moved to L.A. In 1990, while filming Mindwarp (1992), he met his future second wife (costume designer Ida Gearon) on the set. In 1992, he rejoined Sam, and Bruce co-produced and starred as "Ash" in the 3rd of the Evil Dead trilogy, Army of Darkness (1992) for Universal Studios. On TV, Bruce directed many episodes of "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" (1995). Bruce also acted as the recurring character "Autolycus", the King of Thieves; he portrayed this villain with zest in both "Hercules: The LegendaryJourneys" (1995) and "Xena: Warrior Princess" (1995). Bruce's latest television venture was starring as the title rogue of "Jack of All Trades" (2000). Everybody loves Jack. And everybody's heard of him -- "There ain't a French or pirate rogue who don't know Jack!".
Spouse: Ida Gearon (1991 - present)
Christine Deveau(March 13, 1983 - 1989) (divorced) 2 children
Trade Mark:
His role of Ash from the Evil Dead films and video games
His large jaw bone, giving him the nickname "The Chin"
Brash and surly but witty and likeable characters
Unflappable confidence
His unique flair for ad-libbed and off the cuff humour
Sarcastic one liners with extremely dry delivery
Trivia:
The L-shaped scar on his chin came from fighting with his brother, Don Campbell.
Son of Charlie Campbell.
He baby-sat Ted Raimi, the younger brother of Sam Raimi and Ivan Raimi.
Often associated with Sam Raimi and Robert G. Tapert.
Thought by Sam Raimi and other directors to take "the best head shot in the business."
Was considered for the role of Agent Doggett on "The X-Files" (1993).
Attended Western Michigan University for six months before leaving to continue his already budding acting career. [1976]
Now lives in a small town just outside of Medford, Oregon.
Screen-tested for the lead role in The Phantom (1996).
26 July 2003 - Received minor injuries in a car accident near Ashland, Oregon. He was hit by a man who was charged as DUI.
Considered to be the best "Reverse Actor" in Hollywood.
Announced the winner of the 2nd Annual SPACEY Awards on April 18th, 2004 for "Favorite Horror Movie" - 28 Days Later... (2002).
In Fargo (1996) and Intolerable Cruelty (2003), he is uncredited for playing soap actors.
Recorded a full length commentary for Bubba Ho-Tep (2002) in character as Elvis.
He won the audition for the lead role in "The Adventures of Brisco County Jr." (1993) by grabbing the back of his shirt collar and flipping himself. He then had to repeat the trick at every callback, totaling about 5 or 6 flips!.
Long time friend and frequent collaborator Sam Raimi originally wanted him to play the lead role in Darkman (1990) but the producers refused to cast him because they didn't think he could handle it. He appears at the end of the film as "Final Shemp".
Has been used several times by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen (including twice as an uncredited soap opera actor).
Was the first choice to play Louis Creed in Pet Sematary (1989).
#22 on Tropopkin's Top 25 Most Intriguing People [Issue #100]
Favorite movie is The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
He appeared in every project of Sam Raimi's (including both TV shows) until the mid-'90s, when his scenes were cut from The Quick and the Dead (1995).
Auditioned for the role of "Bruce Wayne/Batman" in Batman Forever (1995).
Has expressed an interest in working with Kevin Smith.
He met his current wife (Ida Gearon) on the set of Mindwarp (1992).
Attended high school and remains close friends with director Sam Raimi and producer John Cameron.
1976 graduate of Birmingham Groves High School, Birmingham, Michigan.
Second cousin of actor, Billy Campbell.
Married his second wife in the same wedding chapel where Ronald Reagan married Nancy Davis.
Once worked as a security guard at a beer brewery until a co-worker realized he was in The Evil Dead (1981).
Brisco County Jr was Bruce Campbell's favourite role.
Is of Scottish descent.
Personal Quotes:
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.
[When asked what he would want with him if stuck on a deserted island] "A continent."
[about Assault on Dome 4 (1996) (TV) and Moontrap (1989)]: The movies that are the easiest to make are the hardest to watch.
[about his fans] Thanks for being very loyal . . . they're very well-informed and they're very loyal. Tell 'em I'll need them on that opening weekend.
[About the Evil Dead trilogy] For me, the first film was frankly about learning how to act. I can watch [The Evil Dead (1981)] from about halfway on without cringing . . . When Army of Darkness (1992) came around, we decided to make a different type of movie altogether and made an action-adventure picture with the same imbecile.
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.
I can't vouch for the script because they never gave us full scripts for Spider-Man (2002). They would only give you the pages, and they all had serial numbers, and if it ever wound up on the Internet, they would sue you and murder you and take your children.
[on why he turned down the chance to reprise his role in a sequel to Bubba Ho-Tep (2002)]: Don Coscarelli is a very passionate filmmaker. We got to a few points that we couldn't reconcile. I want to keep our friendship, so we parted ways. So I'm not part of that project.
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.
Salary:
Army Of Darkness (1992) $500,000
Running Time (1997) $5,000
Character Bio
Handsome with a good-natured grin, Sam (Bruce Campbell) is a former Navy Seal, Military Intel Operative, and all-around Cold Warrior. In his prime he was point man on an array of armed conflicts the world over. He worked with Michael many times during those heady days. When Michael reconnects with him in Miami, Sam has embraced his post-espionage days by letting loose. Once, he loved the threadbare world of secret surveillance in the communist bloc, or forward recon in the touch-and-go Middle East.
Now, he has moved on to mojitos, sugar mommas and bikini watching in the bars and on the sands of South Beach. He's reliable and consistent, in the way that you can count on a former SEAL to dig up solid intel and execute missions with stealthy aplomb. Despite his predilection for rich divorcées and cocktails, he has been an invaluable asset to Michael, even during his brief stint as an informant for the FBI. No matter what their past has been, Michael needs Sam's friendship, partnership, and expertise, now more than ever.