Being friends with writer and director Sam Raimi definitely seems to have its perks. That’s certainly been the case for talented actor Bruce Campbell (AKA “The Chin”), who has shared a decades-long friendship and film career with Raimi. From a starring role in the Evil Dead franchise to a cameo in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the two seem to be barely able to make a film without each other.
But not all of his cameos have been in Raimi’s films. In fact, Campbell has a pretty long list of fun and surprising appearances under his belt that include films, video games, and television.
Final Shemp in Darkman (1990)
When Raimi envisioned his 1990 film Darkman, he’d pictured Campbell in the main role. Eventually, it ended up going to Liam Neeson, who played protagonist Peyton Westlake AKA “Darkman”. Still, he made sure that Campbell got a chance to show up in the closing scene of the movie. Westlake takes off into the crowded streets, slips on his final mask —
And it’s Campbell! While the scene is technically a serious one, the film is so over the top and campy that there’s something still deeply comedic about the scene.
Asylum Attendant in Eddie Presley (1992)
Bubba Ho-Tep wasn’t Campbell’s first foray into a story about Elvis. That honor goes to 1992’s Eddie Presley, a film about an Elvis impersonator who has a breakdown. He describes his time in a mental health facility where he’s watched by two attendants played by none other than Quentin Tarantino and Bruce Campbell.
While the scene isn’t necessarily gut-busting, there’s something surprising and amusing to see Campbell and Tarantino star as orderlies in a series of overwrought scenes. Not to mention the fact that frequent collaborator Sam Raimi’s brother Ted also makes an appearance.
Announcer in Spider-Man (2002)
Raimi’s Spider-Man starts things off, as Campbell appears in all three of the films, each time as a different role. His first role is the Wrestling Announcer in Spider-Man. Once Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) gets his web-slinging superpowers, he decides to take his skills to the wrestling arena and make some money doing cage matches.
The announcer is none other than Campbell, who is at his smarmy best here, dressed in a truly absurd animal print blazer and sporting a pair of glasses. But his one-off moment is important – he gives Peter the name “The Amazing Spider-Man”.
Theater Usher in Spider-Man 2 (2004)
The Chin shows up again in Spider-Man 2, but this time as an usher at a theater. Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst) has made her theater debut and Peter tries to make it on time to see her in the play. Sadly, his crime-fighting duties get in the way, and he ends up arriving at the theater after the play has started.
Enter Campbell as an incredibly pompous usher. After watching Peter struggle through the door, he thwarts his attempts at seeing MJ perform. The doors are closed which means no one can be seated. “It helps maintain the illusion.”
Tour Guide in Spider-Man 2: The Game (2004)
After the release of the movie, Spider-Man 2: The Game became available for most systems. Like any videogame, it starts with a tutorial level. In the case of this title, though, the tutorial level also comes complete with a wise-cracking, deeply sarcastic voice following the player around and telling them what to do.
It’s pretty obvious by the time he says, “You following me? Well, stop following me or I’ll have you arrested,” who this very special tour guide is. Since then, Campbell voiced characters in several games, including the recent Evil Dead: The Game.
Maître d’ in Spider-Man 3 (2007)
Finally, by the third Spider-Man, Peter is ready to ask MJ to marry him. He has the whole scene set: beautiful restaurant, the ring, and he’s talked to Campbell’s maître d’ to ensure it’s delivered at the right time. Only things aren’t going exactly as planned for Peter, and the couple ends up having it out.
Campbell is at his slick-backed best, and the role helps break up the seriousness of the scene. He and several other members of the waitstaff keep popping up, realizing it’s the wrong moment, and receding. It’s a hilarious back and forth.
Winkie The Gatekeeper in Oz the Great and Powerful (2013)
Another Raimi picture, Oz the Great and Powerful is a prequel to the technicolor masterpiece The Wizard of Oz. The movie follows the transformation of Oscar Driggs (James Franco) from a real-world con artist to the eventual Oz, the man behind the curtain. Along the way, he and his friends eventually end up entering the fabled Emerald City.
But they’ve got to sneak past a surly and suspicious gatekeeper named Winkie. It may be hard to see beyond the makeup and prosthetics, but the gatekeeper being whacked by a cane is Campbell. His role is minor, but it’s another funny cameo.
Dr. Ashford N. Simpson in Psych (2014)
Psych was a show never short on cameos and pop culture references. So, it’s not a surprise that Campbell shows up in the season 8 episode “A Nightmare on State Street”. The episode deals heavily in horror movie tropes and sees Gus (Dule Hill) suffer from a series of terrible nightmares.
The name is most definitely a nod to Campbell’s role as Ash from The Evil Dead, and he and the rest of the cast have fun making nods to the film throughout — he even throws out an Ash style “come get some!”
Photo Model in Spine Chillers (2016)
Josh Becker’s web series Spine Chillers is goofy, low-budget horror show fun. Most episodes are short and feature great music and bad wigs, but the overall effect is entertaining to watch. In the episode “The Wraith”, paranormal investigator Raoul O’Hara (Paul Harris) takes on a case that involves a lonely widow and her haunted computer.
She keeps getting weird messages and at first, she and some friends think it’s someone messing with her. They start combing through a database of people using “facial recognition”. In a blink and you’ll miss it moment, one of the people is Campbell.
Pizza Poppa in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
Would it be a Raimi movie without him? Not in this universe. Or any of the universes in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, because Campbell shows up on one alternative Earth as Pizza Poppa. He runs into Doctor Strange and America Chavez, the latter of which steals some of his pizza.
It ends in a hilarious confrontation wherein he’s cursed by Strange to punch himself in the face. Which he does, repeatedly, for three weeks. In the after-credit scene, he is finally released from the spell. Painful? Yes. Funny? Also yes.
