Bruce Campbell Does Know 'Jack'

Cult Movie Hero Dismisses Fame, Proud Of Working-Class Status

CONTEST: This 'Spinal Tap' Giveaway Goes To 11!

When seasoned acting veteran Bruce Campbell was cast as the lead in the syndicated television series "Jack of All Trades," the producers were obviously on to something: Both on screen and off, Campbell has it all covered.

To many, Campbell (along with longtime friend and director Sam Raimi) is known as the square-jawed, wisecracking cult hero Ash Williams. He's the chainsaw-wielding good guy who used words like "groovy" while he battled evil spirits, deadites and other unworldly things in the 1982 horror classic "The Evil Dead" and its sequels, "Evil Dead 2" in 1987 and "Army of Darkness" in 1991.

But Campbell's dominating presence hasn't been lost on countless other viewers over the years. In addition to more than 30 film roles, he's been known as the thieving Autolycus on the syndicated smashes "Xena: Warrior Princess" and "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys," played Ellen DeGeneres' boss on "Ellen," and shot up the Old West in the title role in "The Adventures of Brisco County Jr."

These days, Campbell is bringing his trademark leading-man charisma to the syndicated TV adventure-comedy "Jack of All Trades." In a role seemingly tailor-made for him, Campbell embodies the role of Jack Stiles, a 19th century American spy stationed in the East Indies in order to thwart Napoleon's colonizing efforts.

And while "Jack" can be informative in its take on history, its main thrust is to entertain. That's why the cast includes actors like Verne "Mini-Me" Troyer cast in the recurring role of Napoleon.

"Granted, we push the envelope sometimes, but it's my feeling that is there is room for ridiculousness on television," Campbell told me in a recent interview. "It's a bit of a throwback between a '60s television show and bawdy British humor."

Whatever role he plays, it seems as though Campbell has always been an appealing character. But what's great about Campbell is that he's stayed true to himself since the evil spirits haunted his native Michigan woods in 1982 for "Evil Dead."

Part of Campbell's honesty includes being true to his fans, too. When his busy schedule allows it, he's at conventions to shake hands, tell stories and sign autographs. He also has a much-visited Web site where he takes e-mails, waxes poetic on his career and lets people know what he's working on and where he's going to be next.

"If someone wants to get in a car and drive 400 miles to Cherry Hill, N.J., I'm there," Campbell says. "I put it all up on my Web site, so if fans want to find me, they can. If they want to stab my eyes out, that's the place to do it."

If it sounds like brutal honesty, well, it is. And that's what made this interview with Campbell so refreshing. He pulls out all the punches, so get ready to duck. After all, he is the guy who's known for using a chainsaw as his right hand.

'Dead' On Arrival

The day I talked with Campbell, his likeness was just beginning to adorn toy shelves in the form of his Ash character from "Army of Darkness." It's part of McFarlane Toys' Movie Maniacs series, which is not exactly know for its family appeal. Very much like his character in the film, this action figure is, needless to say, bloody.

Roughly, the figure is about the same size as the "mini-Ashes" that terrorized him in the film. This time around, though, the pesky little likeness of himself doesn't faze him as much.

"It's too surreal, but it really doesn't mean anything to me," Campbell says. "It's cool and it's great, but it's really just like a picture of yourself, but as a character. I don't know how to relate to that."

While the action figure bears little significance for Campbell, the demand for having Ash immortalized in plastic 18 years after the first film's debut testifies to the character's staying power. Campbell thinks that people have continually "kissed his Ash" because of the character's irreverence.

"Ash is very different from your basic leading man," Campbell says. "Most of the Movie Maniacs are bad guys. But he's a good guy, and I'm glad to be associated with that. It's great that the lead character, the good guy, can still be considered cool, extreme, ridiculous and weird.

"Normally, a film like ('The Evil Dead') wouldn't be fully financed by a studio. Right from the get-go, you could never have a character do the stuff that Ash does. He wouldn't be allowed to be arrogant and make huge mistakes."

Perhaps the most often asked question of Campbell by fans is if and when a fourth installment of "The Evil Dead" series will be made. And while the last film has achieved the same cult status as the previous two, Campbell says the answer is no, mainly because "Army of Darkness" did not make enough money to justify another sequel.

While fans will no doubt be disappointed that there will not be another "Evil Dead" movie, they should at least be excited to hear that they'll be able to step into Ash's shoes in October for a new video game, "Evil Dead: Hail To the King" -- which Campbell provides the voice for.

"That's the next best thing," Campbell says. "It will satisfy those people who cannot get enough because it's fresh stuff. It's new, and it's the same."

The Art Of Acting

One trait that attracts most viewers to Campbell's work is that he is reminiscent of an old-fashioned leading man. Whether it is through his characterizations of Ash, Autolycus, Brisco County Jr. or Jack Stiles, Campbell has a dashing air about him. If he had been around in the 1920s, he would have been a great silent-movie star (then, of course, he wouldn't have had any trouble adjusting to "talkies").

Therefore, it shouldn't come as a big surprise that it's the actors from that era whom Campbell respects the most. Oddly enough, it's not the charisma that he respects most about them -- it's their work ethic.

"I really enjoy a lot of the classic, old-time actors. I think the reason a lot of those guys were so good was because they worked all the time," Campbell says.

"I write a quarterly column in Wicked magazine, and the most recent one is all about Hollywood youth. (The problem these days is), just as soon as actors figure out their craft, is the time that Hollywood usually dumps them.

"I listed a lot of classic performances from actors. Robert Duvall was 53 in 'Tender Mercies' and, Clint Eastwood -- well, he didn't exactly catch on with 'Revenge of the Creature.' It wasn't until his 30s when he did 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,' and we didn't know who the hell he was until then. It shows that acting is the type of thing you've got to keep doing.

"That's why I got into television in a weird sort of way. Because it's really a factory where you can really hone your craft. You're working every day, instead of a feature guy who does one or two movies a year."

Campbell says perhaps the biggest problem with actors today is their fixation with fame. Instead of honing the skill of acting, he says, there's too big a concentration on becoming a "star" -- and that disturbs him.

"Acting and being famous are two different things," he says. "There's really too much time taken on this 'fame' thing. I tend to ignore the whole thing. It's just a waste of time. If you want to be a movie star, you have to look a certain way, act a certain way, pursue certain roles and say 'yes' to certain things. But it doesn't necessarily mean that it's the best for your acting career."

Even though Campbell himself ignores the lures of fame, it doesn't mean that it doesn't still find a way to creep into his life. It affected him again very recently, as he was preparing to direct his second episode of the Pamela Anderson TV series "V.I.P.."

"This whole fame thing has really gone crazy," Campbell says. "At one point the producers were saying, 'Hey, we can get that woman, Susan -- one of the 'Survivors.' Can we put her in a good role?' And I was like, 'She's not an actor, and I can't reward that.'

"That whole concept shows us how screwed up we really are. People finally admit they want to get on that show or Jerry Springer because they want to be famous. An idiot is an idiot -- they just might end up being a rich idiot.

"You have to get your priorities straight. There's the art of acting and the art of becoming famous. And the two don't necessarily intertwine. We have to get back to the basics again, because I think we've gotten really warped about fame, fortune and what it all means."

Confessions Of A B Movie Actor

If Campbell's observations sound refreshing to you (they certainly do to me), then you'll be thrilled to know that his take on Hollywood's distorted view of fame will come full circle next spring with his new book, "Confessions of a B Movie Actor." Campbell says that his "confessions" are not necessarily bites at the hand that feeds him, just nibbles.

"I think somebody needs to tell it straight," Campbell says. "There's a lot about the movie business that is great, cool and wonderful. But there's a lot about it that's warped, twisted, wrong and depressing."

Among the depressing aspects, Campbell says, is the way in which behind-the-scenes people and lesser-known actors are ignored. The book gives him a forum to stand up for the rights of others.

"All we hear about are the famous people," Campbell tells me. "What about the slobs that are working every day on TV shows, writing or getting movies made, and no one hears about it because they're not Bruce Willis?

"We have a culture that's fascinated with just the famous people. So I wanted to put out a book that's by someone who's been in the 'B' ranks. I'm a working-class actor, not a pedigree actor. And there's room for both in our society."

Campbell, of course, is proof positive of that (along with friends and fellow filmmakers Raimi and Rob Tapert) because of the everlasting success of the low-budget "Evil Dead" movie series.

"We've had a lot of fun," Campbell says. "We've done the American dream of raising money, making a movie, getting it shown in theaters and having it be successful."

Another reason why Campbell considers himself a working-class actor is quite simply because he came from a working-class background. He was born and raised near Detroit, and the Midwest work ethic that he took with him to the West Coast still flows through his blood.

"I grew up with friends who worked on an assembly line, and it kills me to think that I've worked with actors who have made $60,000 every 10 days working on a TV show," Campbell says. "That's a lot of money. Sixty thousand dollars is a good year's salary for almost any family, and they're making it every 10 days, yet they're bitching and moaning about how they can't wait to get off the show.

"My feeling is, 'You don't get it, pal. There are people who work on the line at Ford for 30 years screwing bolts, and that's all they do. Get over it, pal. You're the luckiest bastard alive.' It's so easy to lose perspective."

To help Campbell maintain his perspective, his strategy was simple: He made a clean break and moved out of L.A. He now lives in Oregon, and yes, "Evil Dead" fans, he lives in the woods.

"I moved about two years ago," Campbell says. "People in Hollywood are very concerned with their bodies and their look instead of honing their craft. Why not just act in some 99-seat non-equity theater and do some crappy play, instead of whining about your career or agent? Get your ass in gear, man."

'V.I.P': Very Important Projects

Along with his bevy of acting gigs over the years, Campbell has focused on several other areas of the film and television biz. He recently voiced a role for the animated television series "Tarzan," and will host "Talk Soup" on cable's E! channel Sept. 29. However, what's given Campbell the biggest charge is his work as a director.

Campbell is no stranger to work behind the camera, having directed episodes of both "Xena: Warrior Princess" and "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys." Now in the midst of helming his second "V.I.P" episode, Campbell revels in the incredible amount of work that makes a TV script a reality.

"You're the marshal of the crew, the captain, the cheerleader, all kinds of stuff," Campbell says. "Granted, in television you're showing up in someone else's world -- 'V.I.P.' is in its third season -- so the show is already set up and you have to fit into that mold.

"Still, you don't want to lead the actors astray. These people are relying on you to tell them what to do. Not every actor wakes up every morning knowing exactly how they are going to play a scene or what the blocking is going to be, so you have to have a plan. Preparation is the key thing for me, then you can have fun."

And of course, having fun at it means that Campbell wants to do it more. "Directing really makes your day go fast because you're challenge every side of your brain," he tells me. "As an actor it's a little bit technical, but generally it's about being creative. You don't have to worry about time management and things like that. As a director you do."

Bruce And Sam: The 'Evil' Duo

Of course, the first film director with whom Campbell worked was his longtime friend and associate, Sam Raimi (producer of "Xena," "Hercules" and "Jack of All Trades"). Oddly enough, their first encounter was somewhat uncomfortable. He first saw Raimi in eighth grade as the future director and master of the point-of-view shot sat playing with dolls in the school hallway, dressed up like Sherlock Holmes.

"I went way around him," Campbell deadpans. "I thought, 'This guy's a sicko. It turned out he was doing a video. A friend of his had an old black and white reel-to-reel video recorder because you have to remember, it was around 1972-73. Sam tried to convince me that he was making a movie and that's why he was dressed like that. I realized later that it was probably baloney because he dressed like that anyway."

The two did manage to hit it off, however, about three years later.

"We met in drama class in '75 in high school, and we just had a lot in common. We both loved to screw around," Campbell says.

But it was Raimi's penchant for magic and Campbell's passion for acting that got the film reels rolling. Raimi even got into the "act," too, in the duo's super-8 film productions.

"Sam was in as many super-8 movies as I was -- he's huge ham," Campbell tells me. "He's probably one of the funniest guys you'll ever see on film. He has a classic role in 'Indian Summer' (a summer camp comedy that also stars Bill Paxton, Diane Lane and Alan Arkin). But he ended up getting into directing and fooling around with cameras because it was sort of like magic. He used to be a magician, and movies were the ultimate sleight of hand for him."

Fortunately for Campbell and Raimi, the curtain didn't fall after graduation. Along with Rob Tapert, the team made the short film "Within the Woods," which served as a template for "deader" things to come. The rest, as they say, is history.

"When high school ended, we went, 'Holy crap' -- we never really planned on what we were going to do," Campbell remembers. "So that's how it led into the first 'Evil Dead' movie."

As for the future, Campbell doesn't know when he and Raimi will work together again -- at least directly. Many of the projects that Campbell has done have been under the banner of Raimi's and Tapert's production company, Renaissance Pictures.

"'Hercules' and 'Xena' (were) under his auspices, and I was in his show 'American Gothic,' and he's an executive producer of 'Jack of All Trades.' So I've never really stopped working with Sam," Campbell says. "We've just both gone off and done our own things. I'm sure our paths will cross again."

Coming Soon To Theaters -- And @ The Movies

Comic genius Christopher Guest has without question defined the mockumentary satire genre with the laugh riots "This Is Spinal Tap" and "Waiting for Guffman." Those who discovered those gems will pleased to hear that Guest is unleashing yet another wicked satire, this time a send-up of show-dog owners in "Best in Show." The film features virtually every company actor from "Guffman" (including Fred Willard, Parker Posey, Catherine O'Hara and co-writer Eugene Levy), and Guest says there's a good reason for that: They're all masters of the very difficult skill of improvisation.

"You don't run across actors like this quite frequently," Guest told me in a recent interview. "It isn't if there are 5,000 actors and I can say, 'He's a good actor, therefore he can be in this movie.' If you don't have the skill like these actors have, you can't participate.

"I really like to use the analogy of jazz players who basically stand up on stage and play, yet people don't question that there is no music they are reading from. This is really the same thing, but we're actors and we're really jamming."

• Look for the full interview with Guest in the Oct. 12 @ The Movies column.

Next Week: I talk with actor-turned-director Keith Gordon (Stephen King's "Christine," "Back to School") about working with actor-turned-producer Jodie Foster on his latest directorial effort, the chilling drama Waking the Dead. New on video Sept. 28, "Waking the Dead" features "Almost Famous" star Billy Crudup and Jennifer Connelly, star of the upcoming Fox TV series "The Street."

Hollywood Giveaway

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