Mention the name Bruce Campbell to a crowd of people and one of two responses will follow. The first is a rousing cheer of B-movie worship as hardcore cinemaphiles celebrate the man who annihilated zombies in the ‘Evil Dead’ trilogy, was a mummy-killing-Elvis in ‘Bubba Ho-Tep’ and battled the Old West like none other as Brisco County Jr. in the television show of the same name.

The other response? Blank stares and possible drool.

The truth is, everyone has probably seen Bruce Campbell in something, whether they know it or not. Disregard the indie horror work that gained him a cult following, and he’s still a familiar face (and an even more familiar chin). Campbell was the snooty ticket taker in ‘Spider Man 2,’ swashbuckling king-of-thieves Autolycus in ‘Hercules’ and ‘Xena’ and a voice in the recent animated film, ‘The Ant Bully.’ The man has been around the Hollywood block, even if he traveled most of it through dark alleyways. Currently, Campbell is roaming the country, dispensing monster- killing advice and promoting the paperback release of his latest book, ‘Make Love *The Bruce Campbell Way.’ The Daily Orange interviewed Campbell over the phone in advance of his stop in Syracuse tonight.

The Daily Orange: You have always chosen very odd roles, things that other actors might not be so keen on playing. Why is that?

Bruce Campbell: It appeals to me that many other actors wouldn’t want to play those parts. Anyone can play the lead guy. ‘Come on, let’s go, run!’ That’s a bore. I’m more attracted to off-beat stuff, that’s the way it goes.

DO: As Ash in the ‘Evil Deads,’ you used a lot of weapons in your zombie-killing massacre. What’s been your favorite?

BC: The weapon of words, my friend, the weapon of words.

DO: And if you were really fighting Zombies in reality, what weapon would you like to have?

BC: The weapon that would eliminate that question. That’s a dumb question.

DO: Thanks, I tried hard on that one.

BC: No problem.

DO: Have you ever been to Syracuse before?

BC: Several times

DO: And what do you think of it?

BC: I love Upstate New York. It’s great. There are lots of places to walk. And all my relatives are from either Tennessee or New York, so I have a primitive DNA connection to Upstate New York.

DO: Your tagline recently has been Bruce ‘Don’t Call Me Ash’ Campbell. Does it annoy you that you’re forever associated with the character?

BC: I don’t really care one way another. I thought it looked good in the name. It’s like a nickname. Some people like George ‘Skippy’ Mcfee. I’m Bruce ‘Don’t Call Me Ash’ Campbell. If I was a gunslinger, that would be my name.

DO: You carry the reputation of being ‘the greatest B-movie star of all time.’ Do you feel it’s true?

BC: I don’t make up those determinations, so it’s impossible for me to say that’s true or not. It’s all perception. A great portion of the world has no idea who I am. I live in rural Oregon where people could care less who you are and I go around more or less unrecognized. When I go to a convention it’s a different thing, because I’m there for that.

DO: As someone who is both involved and had a sideline view, what do you think of Hollywood today?

BC: I like the business, I like the industry. Yeah, I would like to see movies improve a little bit. I would like to see more indies come out. When you are making an ‘A’ movie you are compressing it to the things people will like. When you make a ‘B’ movie, they are not apologetic about the hokey writing or homemade quality … You’re not shaving out the highs and the lows. ‘B’ movies are not for everyone, but ‘B’ is for better. That’s why you will have fans. There are a lot of ‘A’ movies that wish they had the following ‘B’ movies have. ‘Armageddon’ wishes they had the following that ‘Evil Dead’ has.

DO: I bet that’s true.

BC: Yeah, but more people see ‘Armageddon’ because it appeals to a large audience. ‘Evil Dead’ appeals to about four people, but they sure like it.

DO: You are going to be the fourth member of the ‘Aqua Teen Hunger Force,’ Chicken Bittle the Chicken Nugget, in the upcoming movie. Where did that come from?

BC: These things come from nowhere; they come from paper. As an actor the phone just rings or the e-mails come in. It’s one of those cases; I think someone was just looking for me.

DO: You ever watch the show?

BC: No, I’ve never seen it. But to be fair, that’s true for a lot of things I do. Actors don’t know when things are airing. A lot of time I don’t know when something is airing. Then someone will call me up and say, ‘Hey I saw what you did! … Eh, it was alright.’

DO: In your latest novel, ‘Make Love …,’ you, very playfully, rip on a lot of people in Hollywood.

BC: Yeah, baby.

DO: Have you gotten any negative feedback, or can Hollywood take a joke?

BC: In the book, I am easily the biggest idiot in the book. So Richard Gere has nothing to worry about. They are all going to be fine. In case anyone bothers to look, it says right on the front: a novel.

DO: You are now touring for the paperback ‘Director’s Cut’ of the book. What’s new in it?

BC: There’s all new chapters man … probably 60 pages of new material. It’s a way to flesh it out a little bit. Plus, it’s $10 cheaper than the hard cover, $14.95. For you cheap college students, there’s your reason right there to buy it. And it’s got lots of pretty pictures.

DO: What do you think of college towns and students?

BC: I like college kids because they are a little more interested in trouble and controversy and making fun of things. They are a good breeding ground for torment.

DO: Any advice for students at Syracuse University trying to break into the business?

BC: Lead, don’t follow. Make people copy you, don’t copy something else … Be original, it’s the only way you are going to wind up doing anything.

DO: So how does one make love the Bruce Campbell way?

BC: Fictionally.

IF YOU GO

What: Bruce Campbell Q&A/Autograph session + Screenings of ‘Army of Darkness’ and ‘The Evil Dead.’

Where: The Palace Movie Theatre – 2384 James St.

When: Tonight, 6 p.m.

Price: $15

Published on September 4, 2006 at 12:00 pm