Line #1 Creator/BruceCampbell


1	%%
2	%% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=16675865380.44648000
3	%% Please do not replace or remove without starting a new thread.
4	%%
5	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mv5boty2mtg0otezov5bml5banbnxkftztgwnzq3ntcwmje_v1.jpg]]
6	[[caption-width-right:300:''"[[Film/ArmyOfDarkness Shop smart! Shop S-Mart!]]"'']]
7	%%
8	->''"I prefer a much looser style. Any time a writer thinks he has all the answers to how someone should talk or react or end a scene, it’s a spontaneity-killer. Creator/SamRaimi will write a script, and then during a take, he will shout out new lines that he wants you to say while the camera is rolling. He’s that spontaneous. I love that. That is the world I grew up in, and that I understand. I don’t get making sure you get every word right in some stupid speech just because a writer sat there and did it."''
9
10	First of all, it's Bruce ''freaking'' Campbell ([[MemeticMutation not a]] [[UsefulNotes/HugoAward Hugo]]).
11
12	Shooting to popculture infamy with his role as the [[ChainsawGood chainsaw-handed]], [[ThisIsMyBoomstick shotgun-wielding]], [[DeadpanSnarker one-liner-spouting]] [[Characters/EvilDeadAshWilliams Ash Williams]] in the Creator/SamRaimi-directed ''Franchise/EvilDead'' film series, Bruce Lorne Campbell (born June 22, 1958) is one of the most sought-after B-movie/character actors in Hollywood. His roles tend to aim towards the [[RuleOfCool comedically awesome badass]], and his very manly [[LanternJawOfJustice chin]] only makes him more famous.
13
14	Campbell's other roles were often found in television work, where he held the lead role in the steampunk-inspired action-comedies ''Series/TheAdventuresOfBriscoCountyJr'' and ''Series/JackOfAllTrades'', and a many-times recurring role as Autolycus, the King of Thieves in Raimi's ''[[Series/XenaWarriorPrincess Xena: Warrior Princess]]'' and ''[[Series/HerculesTheLegendaryJourneys Hercules]]'' television series. In fact, his most high-profile work usually comes from bit parts in Raimi's various productions, but even outside of that ProductionPosse he is almost constantly involved with one project or another. One exception was his long-running role in ''Series/BurnNotice'' as an over-the-hill (but still wily) [[UsefulNotes/NavySeals Navy SEAL]] named Sam Axe.
15
16	He is ComicBook/SpiderMan's most powerful, implacable foe. His cameos in Creator/SamRaimi's [[Film/SpiderManTrilogy film trilogy]] are considered some of the funniest [[OneSceneWonder moments]] of those films: the wrestling ring announcer (and bestower of Spidey's official name) in the first film, the obnoxious usher who stops Peter from attending Mary Jane's play in the second (thereby making him the first character to defeat Spider-Man), and as the French maitre d' who helps Peter propose in the third. Campbell also does voice work for that franchise, providing the voice of the Narrator in all three ''Spider-Man'' video games; his role in those games appears to be only [[HarpoDoesSomethingFunny partly scripted]], as Campbell shows his trademark dry delivery and a distinct flair for ad-libbed and off-the-cuff humor. Regardless of the franchise's 2012 reboot, Campbell's voice returns in the ''VideoGame/TheAmazingSpiderMan'' licensed game, this time as a full-fledged villain.
17
18	His autobiography, ''If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a B-Movie Actor'', was published in 2002 and despite the name, it is actually a memoir that mostly deals with his early life, the ''Evil Dead'' series, and his observations about the unrecognized rank-and-file people who make Hollywood work. Part two of his autobiography, ''Hail to the Chin: Further Confessions of a B-Movie Actor,'' was published in 2017 and details his personal life post 2002, and his work on ''Burn Notice,'' ''Bubba Ho-Tep,'' ''My Name is Bruce,'' and other projects, including the first season of ''Ash vs Evil Dead.'' Another book, ''Make Love!: The Bruce Campbell Way'' is currently in hardcover and paperback. It is a fictional account of how he nearly became an A-list actor, as well as his ruminations on the concept of romantic love.
19
20	Not to be confused with the [[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0132259/ composer of the same name]].
21	----
22	!!Works Include:
23	[[AC:Advertising]]
24	* [[https://youtu.be/Yg6bZSM48vU The advertisements]] [[https://youtu.be/nOjDIfRLgo4 he did for Old Spice.]]
25	[[AC:Film - Animation]]
26	* Rod "Torque" Redline in ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars 2}}''.
27	* The mayor in ''WesternAnimation/CloudyWithAChanceOfMeatballs''
28	* Fugax in ''WesternAnimation/TheAntBully''.
29	* Chicken Bittle in ''WesternAnimation/AquaTeenHungerForceColonMovieFilmForTheaters''.
30
31	[[AC:Film - Live-Action]]
32	* Dr. Ivan Hood in ''Film/AlienApocalypse''.
33	* Jonathan Wexler in ''Film/BlackFriday2021''
34	* Music/ElvisPresley[=/=]Sebastian Haff in ''Film/BubbaHoTep''
35	* Short appearance in ''Film/{{Congo}}''.
36	* One of the many disguises of ''Film/{{Darkman}}'', along with providing several dubbed ADR lines and screams. He was ''supposed'' to play the title character [[ExecutiveMeddling but the suits interfered with that.]]
37	* He dubbed the voice for the characters Raimi and Comdr. Carpenter in ''Film/TheDeadNextDoor''.
38	* ''Film/EscapeFromLA'', as the Surgeon General of Beverly Hills.
39	* The ''Franchise/EvilDead'' series, as [[Characters/EvilDeadAshWilliams Ash Williams]].
40	** An uncredited role as an unnamed priest in ''Film/EvilDeadRise'' who is also stated to be Ash.
41	* Smitty in ''Film/TheHudsuckerProxy'' (a joint effort by Creator/SamRaimi and Creator/TheCoenBrothers).
42	* Short appearance as a cop in ''Film/{{Intruder}}''.
43	* Mechanic Hank Cooper in the 1997 remake of ''Film/TheLoveBug''.
44	* ''Film/ManWithTheScreamingBrain'', which he co-wrote, directed, and starred in
45	* Jack Forrest in ''Film/ManiacCop'' and ''Film/ManiacCop2''.
46	* He co-starred in the 1992 film ''Mindwarp'', produced by ''Fangoria'' magazine.
47	* ''Film/{{Moontrap}}''
48	* ''Film/MyNameIsBruce'', AsHimself. [[AdamWesting Sort of]].
49	* Coach Boomer in ''Film/SkyHigh2005''
50	* Virgil in the 1997 movie of ''Series/McHalesNavy''.
51	* A cameo appearance in all three of Raimi's ''Film/SpiderManTrilogy'' films, and sometime LemonyNarrator in the accompanying video games.
52	* ''Film/{{Tornado}}'', as Jake Thorne.
53	* ''Film/OzTheGreatAndPowerful'' as a guard of the Emerald City.
54	* A short cameo in ''Film/FromDuskTillDawn2TexasBloodMoney'' as a character killed by bats in a movie within the movie.
55	* ''Film/{{Timequest}}''
56	* ''Film/BurnNoticeTheFallOfSamAxe'': A prequel movie about his ''Series/BurnNotice'' character
57	* ''Film/SundownTheVampireInRetreat'' as a descendant of the vampire hunter Van Helsing.
58	* ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness'' as "Pizza Poppa", a vendor of pizza balls on Earth-838.
59
60	[[AC:Live-Action Television]]
61	* ''Series/TheAdventuresOfBriscoCountyJr''
62	* ''Series/AmericanGothic1995'': "Meet the Beetles" as Lt. Jack Drey.
63	* ''Series/BurnNotice'', where it is worth noting his character's name is Sam Axe, and often goes by the cover identity of [[MemeticBadass Chuck Finley]].
64	* ''[[Series/Charmed1998 Charmed]]'' as Agent Jackman.
65	* ''Series/{{Ellen}}'' as Ed Billik
66	* ''Series/HomicideLifeOnTheStreet'': "Justice" (two-part episode) as Jake Rodzinsky
67	* ''Series/LoisAndClark'' - three episodes as Bill Church Jr.
68	* ''Series/TheXFiles'': "[[Recap/TheXFilesS06E07TermsOfEndearment Terms of Endearment]]" as Wayne Weinsider
69	* ''Series/JackOfAllTrades''
70	* The recurring role of Autolycus in ''Series/XenaWarriorPrincess'' and ''Series/HerculesTheLegendaryJourneys''.
71	* SantaClaus in ''Series/TheLibrarians2014''
72	* ''Series/{{Timecop}}'', episode "The Future, Jack, the Future"
73	* ''Series/{{Fargo}}'', as UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan
74	* ''Series/AshVsEvilDead'' as Ashley J. Williams
75
76	[[AC:Tabletop Games]]
77	* Wrote the foreword for the ''TabletopGame/{{Deadlands}}'' Player's Guide.
78
79	[[AC:Video Games]]
80	* Reprised his role of Ash in a trio of licensed ''Franchise/EvilDead'' games: ''VideoGame/EvilDeadHailToTheKing'', ''VideoGame/EvilDeadAFistfulOfBoomstick'' (which came complete with a [[TauntButton controller button]] dedicated to spouting one liners),''VideoGame/EvilDeadRegeneration'', which featured a [[SnarkyNonHumanSidekick loud-mouthed, undead sidekick]] played by [[ProductionPosse Ted Raimi]], and ''VideoGame/EvilDeadTheGame'', with most of the original actors from the movies and the series reprising their roles. He also reprised his role as Ash in ''Videogame/DeadByDaylight''. He was going to reprise Ash as a GuestFighter in ''VideoGame/MortalKombat11'' but this didn't happen [[WhatCouldHaveBeen for various reasons]]. He would reprise his role again in ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyModernWarfareII''.
81	* ''VideoGame/Pitfall3DBeyondTheJungle'', as Harry Pitfall jr.
82	* Voices the PlayerCharacter Jake Logan in ''VideoGame/TachyonTheFringe''; listening to him calling you a little bitch when you cheat is one of the funniest parts of the game.
83	* Also voiced the PlayerCharacter Jake Burton in ''VideoGame/BrokenHelix''.
84	* Voiced the LemonyNarrator who gives tutorials in the ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'' games based on the Creator/SamRaimi movies, as well as the Xtreme Reporter in the game adaptation of ''VideoGame/TheAmazingSpiderMan''.
85	* Voiced and lent his likeness to Captain Lennox in ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyAdvancedWarfare'''s ''Exo Zombies'' mode.
86
87	[[AC:Webcomics]]
88	* The HypotheticalCasting of ''Webcomic/LegostarGalactica'' begins with him as [[TheCaptain Captain]] [[OnlySaneMan Bob]] [[DeadpanSnarker Smith]].
89
90	[[AC:Western Animation]]
91	* A parody of himself in the form of Magnanimus in ''WesternAnimation/MegasXLR''
92	--> '''Coop''': He's just a big head... with tiny arms and legs!
93	* Voiced VillainOfTheWeek [[JerkJock Himcules]] in ''WesternAnimation/MyLifeAsATeenageRobot''.
94	* Uncle Phil in ''WesternAnimation/TheReplacements''
95	* [[spoiler: Eugene's father]] King Edmund in ''WesternAnimation/TangledTheSeries''
96	[[AC: References in other works]]
97	* {{Nerdcore}}'s ode to horror movies (done by MC Lars, YT Cracker, Schaffer the Dark Lord, and [=Zealous1=]) is entitled "Do The Bruce Campbell".
98	* {{Music/Psychostick}} wrote a musical love letter to the man, referencing his Evil Dead and other works, simply titled "Bruce Campbell".
99
100	!!Tropes associated with Bruce Campbell's roles:
101	* ButtMonkey: Awesome as he might be, it's worth noting how a lot of his characters, especially under Sam Raimi, take a lot of punishment and humiliation.
102	* ChainsawGood: The TropeCodifier.
103	* TheCharmer: One of his most notable traits, not only are most of the characters he plays {{Loveable Rogue}}s, but he himself is quite charming and friendly.
104	* DeadpanSnarker: Almost every word that comes out of his mouth is laced with good-natured sarcasm.
105	* EnmityWithAnObject: As revealed in ''If Chins Could Kill'', Bruce is not fond of "The Classic", the 1973 Oldsmobile Delta 88 that Sam Raimi [[CreatorThumbprint puts in every film]]. He notes with distinct relish that he was quite fond of the fact that, to set up an appropriate shot in ''Film/SpiderMan1'', he had the car ''sawed in half'', which elicited a funny rant from Raimi regarding this trope (and yes, Raimi had it repaired).
106	** From the same book, Campbell recalls that, on the set of ''Crimewave'', he had The Classic, one of several cars used for a specific sequence, gutted as a prank when production staff noted it was the only one with the correct interior for a certain shot, prompting Raimi's stubborn insistence to Campbell that "you will never kill the Classic".
107	* EruditeStoner: Bruce is a strong advocate for the legalization of marijuana and has had a medical marijuana card in his residence of Portland, Oregon since 2005. He's also a very smart guy and obviously quite funny.
108	* LanternJawOfJustice: To the point his autobiography is called ''If Chins Could Kill''.
109	* LargeHam: A staple of his roles.
110	* ThePornomancer: Many of his roles have him as quite the ladies' man even as [[SilverFox an older man]], capable of getting a woman to drop her panties and sleep with him with a wink and some smooth talk. Even when he isn't he tends to find himself around the female form quite often.
111	-->'''WebVideo/TheRageaholic''': (on his appearance in ''Film/EscapeFromLA'') Let's see: working opposite of Creator/KurtRussell in a Creator/JohnCarpenter film, being paid millions to savage Creator/ValeriaGolino's cans in [[MsFanservice her prime]]? I don't know womb-rending liquid macheesmo is coursing through your veins, Mr. Campbell, but bottle that shit and sell it!
112	* ProductionPosse: Aside from his work with his high-school friend Creator/SamRaimi, who co-founded the production company Creator/RenaissancePictures with him and Robert Tapert, he's also worked often with the Creator/CoenBrothers.
113	* ThisIsMyBoomstick: TropeNamer
114	----
115	->''...Groovy.''

Context Creator / BruceCampbell