Jeffrey Donovan (L) and Bruce Campbell arrive on the red carpet Hulu’s New York Comic Con After Party at The Lobster Club in 2017. Campbell announced Monday that he is battling cancer. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
March 2 (UPI) — Evil Dead legend Bruce Campbell announced on social media Monday that he is battling cancer.
The 67-year-old actor — whose credits include Bubba Ho-Tep, Burn Notice, Ripley’s Believe it or Not and Hysteria — did not disclose what type of cancer he has, but he did describe it as “treatable, not curable.”
“I apologize if that’s a shock — it was to me too,” he wrote, adding that his upcoming jobs and public appearances would have to take a “back seat to treatment.”
“Fear not, I am a tough old son-of-a-bitch and I have great support, so I expect to be around a while. As always, you’re the greatest fans in the world and I hope to see you soon!”
Campbell announced in 2018 he was done playing Ash Williams, the demon hunter he depicted in three Evil Dead horror-comedy movies dating back to 1981 and three seasons of the Starz TV show Ash vs. Evil Dead, which ran 2015 to 2018.
“I am hereby retiring from that portrayal,” Campbell wrote at the time.
“I followed Ash from his formative years thru his mid-life crisis and decline. What a thrill! What a privilege!” he added. “We had a great resurgence with the help of Starz (kudos not jeers, folks). They made it possible for 15 more hours of Evil Dead-ness in your life — the equivalent of 10 more features! Is Ash dead? Never. Ash is as much a concept as a person. Where there is evil in this world, there must be one to counter — man or woman, it matters not. Thanks for watching.”
He has continued to serve as a producer on subsequent installments in the franchise.
His most recent screen appearance was in Send Help.
