Bruce Campbell is not your typical Hollywood actor. Despite not having much luck receiving starring roles outside of B-movies and television, he has still managed to develop a dedicated cult following thanks to those films in which he did lend his talents to. Among the most famous of his projects are the three Evil Dead films and the 90’s television show “The Adventures of Brisco County Jr.” He also had minor roles in other popular television shows, notably Hercules and Xena. It was while working on Hercules that he began setting down a memoir for his biography “If Chins Could Kill”.

Bruce sets down his life with an amazing memory for detail and a characteristic knack for humor, constantly poking fun at himself and his achievements. Through his story, we get a glimpse into what Hollywood is really like for the beginning actor, and how difficult creating a film can be. Since Bruce has participated in many film projects in a variety of capacities, we also learn what all goes into the making of televised entertainment, and how the independent film scene differs from the Hollywood scene. It’s an interesting read, starting from his childhood antics in urban Detroit, his beginnings as an actor in local theater and homemade super-8 films, his involvement in the first Evil Dead and the subsequent launch of his career.

I’m surprised by how much detail he remembers as he chronicles his past. He tells us of elaborate childhood schemes and pranks, and talks at length about his relationship with the Raimi boys and how they used to get together during their school days to make home movies once Super-8 film became readily available. Then he gives us a detailed account of the work that went into making their first feature-length intended for theaters (Evil Dead), how difficult it was to secure funding and distribution for the project, and even more difficult still, to actually film the thing in a cabin out in the middle of nowhere. He mentions each of his projects, from the successes to the flops, the big roles and the small, and he always comes away with something new from the experience. More interesting still is his account of making television and how different the acting is from making movies. Never though, does his prose devolve into technical jargon; though he knows his trade, he writes his memoir for the commoner.

Indeed, the impression I get most from Bruce is that he doesn’t see himself as a star, but more of a common working man who happens to work in an uncommon profession. Like everyone else, he goes to work and does his best to perform and make whatever project he is working on happen. This gives him a unique perspective on the workings of Hollywood and the making of film and television. Because of his humorous take on his life’s story, this book is a fun read; a real page turner if you happen to be a fan, and an interesting tale of realistically making it from humble beginnings. Definitely not a boring biography.