Douglas William Bradley[1] (born 7 September 1954)[2] is an English actor and author, best known for his role as the lead Cenobite "Pinhead" in the Hellraiser film series and for narration on various Cradle of Filth albums.
Doug Bradley | |
|---|---|
 Bradley in 2012 | |
| Born | Douglas William Bradley 7 September 1954 |
| Other names | Douglas Bradley, Bill Bradley, Charles Stead |
| Education | Quarry Bank High School |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1973–present |
| Spouse | Steph Sciullo |
| Website | www |
Early life
editBradley was born in Liverpool[3] and attended Quarry Bank High School.[4]
Career
editBradley is best known for playing the role of Pinhead, the lead Cenobite, in the first eight Hellraiser films, as well as Captain Elliot Spencer in two of the films, Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988) and Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth (1992).[5] He is one of only six actors to play the same horror character at least six consecutive times, the others being Christopher Lee (who portrayed Count Dracula), Robert Englund (who portrayed Freddy Krueger), Warwick Davis (who portrayed the Leprechaun), Brad Dourif (who portrayed Chucky) and Tobin Bell (who portrayed John Kramer/"Jigsaw").[6] Due to his eventual skill at application and removal of the Pinhead appliances and costume, he has been credited in some of the Hellraiser films as an assistant make-up artist named Bill Bradley, using his middle name.[7]
Bradley appeared as a gym teacher in an advertisement for Direct Line insurance in the UK. He has performed narrations on several songs by Cradle of Filth, an English extreme metal band. The first was 2000's "Her Ghost in the Fog", as well as "Death Magick for Adepts" and "Tortured Soul Asylum", from the album Midian. However, he could not appear in the music video and was replaced by actor David McEwen.[citation needed]
Bradley also appeared on "Swansong for a Raven" and "Satyriasis" from the band's 2004 album, Nymphetamine. In 2006, he lent his narrations to "Rise of the Pentagram" and "Tonight in Flames" from the album Thornography. Continuing in this vein, Bradley has contributed guest vocals to Cradle of Filth's 2008 album Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder, on all songs except "Tragic Kingdom".[citation needed] He returned for their 2021 album, Existence is Futile, on the songs "Sisters of the Mist" and "Suffer Our Dominian".
Bradley has appeared in many short horror films, such as Red Lines and On Edge. He is a member of the UK animation company Renga Media, makers of the independent Dominator films and shorts, dividing job roles between producer and voice actor. He voiced the Loc-Nar in the short animated crossover Heavy Metal vs. Dominator, in which characters from the Dominator universe meet and fight with characters from the film Heavy Metal 2000.[citation needed]
After his roles in the Hellraiser films and the 1990 horror film Nightbreed, 2006 saw Bradley star in Pumpkinhead: Ashes to Ashes and 2008 saw Bradley once again returning to Clive Barker's cinematic universe by way of a featured appearance in Book of Blood. He had a small guest star appearance in the 2008 black comic horror The Cottage. In 2010, he starred in the Anglo-Spanish horror film Exorcismus,[8] and he joined the Nazi zombie horror The 4th Reich in March 2010.[9]
In 2011, he played a man called the Doctor in the British film noir Jack Falls. In June 2011, it was announced that Bradley would be providing a voice-over for an independent film called Lucifer's Unholy Desire,[10] as well as performing in the film The Reverend.[citation needed] In 2012, he played "Maynard" in the fifth film of the Wrong Turn series, Wrong Turn 5: Bloodlines.[11] In 2013, he performed in the indie film Scream Park.[citation needed]
Bradley voiced the Sith Emperor for the massively multiplayer online role-playing game Star Wars: The Old Republic, based in the Star Wars universe.[1]
In 2018, Bradley joined Blackcraft Wrestling as “The Preacher”, a cult leader who acts as a General Manager type figure to the promotion.
In 2020, he created a YouTube channel on which he reads books and poems out loud. He returned on Cradle of Filth's 2021 album Existence Is Futile, providing narration for the track "Suffer Our Dominion" and the bonus track "Sisters of the Mist".[12]
In 2022, Bradley voiced the character Goayre Heddagh alongside actor Tim Curry in the animated horror film Dagon Troll World Chronicles.
In 2023 Bradley played Batman villain Joe Chill in the CW television show Gotham Knights. The portrayal was different than other live action versions. The episode he was introduced in was titled "A Chill over Gotham".[13]
Writing
editBradley is the author of Sacred Monsters: Behind the Mask of the Horror Actor, which explores the history of masks in society and their applications in horror films.[14]
Personal life
editBradley is a longtime close friend of novelist Clive Barker, the two having met when they attended secondary school. He has worked with Barker in various projects since the early 1970s,[15] most notably Hellraiser, which is adapted from Barker's novella The Hellbound Heart. He lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,[16] and is married to Steph Sciullo.[17]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Hellraiser | Pinhead | |
| 1988 | Hellbound: Hellraiser II | ||
| 1990 | Nightbreed | Dirk Lylesberg | |
| 1992 | Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth | Pinhead, Captain Elliot Spencer | |
| 1993 | Shepherd on the Rock | James Culzean | |
| 1995 | Proteus | Leonard Brinkstone | |
| 1996 | Hellraiser: Bloodline | Pinhead | |
| 1996 | Killer Tongue | Wig | |
| 1998 | Driven | Eric Myers | |
| 1999 | An Ideal Husband | Brackpool | As Douglas Bradley |
| 2000 | Hellraiser: Inferno | Pinhead | Direct-to-video |
| 2002 | Hellraiser: Hellseeker | Pinhead, Merchant | Direct-to-video |
| 2003 | Dominator | Dr. Payne, Lord Desecrator | Voice role |
| 2005 | Hellraiser: Deader | Pinhead | Direct-to-video |
| 2005 | The Prophecy: Uprising | Laurel | Direct-to-video |
| 2005 | Hellraiser: Hellworld | Pinhead | Direct-to-video |
| 2008 | The Cottage | Villager with Dog | |
| 2008 | Ten Dead Men | The Narrator | |
| 2009 | Book of Blood | Tollington | |
| 2009 | Umbrage | Jacob | |
| 2010 | Exorcismus | Padre Ennis | as Douglas Bradley |
| 2011 | Jack Falls | The Doctor | |
| 2011 | The Reverend | Reverend Andrews | |
| 2012 | The Infliction | Agent Wilson | |
| 2012 | Deer Crossing | Sheriff Lock | |
| 2012 | Lucifer's Unholy Desire | Rev. McDowell | Voice role |
| 2012 | Wrong Turn 5: Bloodlines | Maynard | Direct-to-video |
| 2012 | Scream Park | Mr. Hyde | |
| 2013 | Shame the Devil | Victor | |
| 2014 | Nerd Love | Doug Bradley | |
| 2016 | Howard Lovecraft and the Frozen Kingdom | Nyarlathotep | Voice role |
| 2017 | Howard Lovecraft and the Undersea Kingdom | Voice role | |
| 2018 | Howard Lovecraft and the Kingdom of Madness | Voice role, Direct-to-video | |
| 2019 | Back Fork | Sheriff | |
| 2021 | Alien Danger 2! With Raven Van Slender | General Legs | Voice Role |
| 2022 | Corrective Measures | Senator Zechariah | |
| 2022 | The Barn Part II | Walter Daniels | |
| 2022 | The United States of Horror: Chapter 2 | Narrator | Voice role |
Short film
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Salome | King Herod | |
| 1978 | The Forbidden | ||
| 1999 | On Edge | Dr. Matthews | |
| 2002 | Red Lines | Teacher | |
| 2008 | To The Devil His Due | John Armstrong | |
| 2010 | The Hairy Hands | Voice role | |
| 2013 | A Hand to Play | Mr. Trent |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | The Bill | Pete Henderson | Episode: "Friends and Neighbours" |
| 1992 | USA Up All Night | Pinhead | Episode: "Glitch!/Eating Raoul" |
| 1993 | Inspector Morse | Clergyman Williams | Episode: "Twilight of the Gods" |
| 1995 | The Big Game | Harry Woolf | Television film |
| 1996 | Jim's Gift | Mr. Winthrop | Television Film |
| 1998 | Archangel Thunderbird | Dr. Churchill | Television Film |
| 1999 | Honky Sausages | Honky Doctor | 1 episode |
| 2000, 2010 | Doctors | Graham Sharpe, Greg Steel / Doc Jones | Episodes: "God's Will" and "The Living Gaylights" |
| 2001 | Judge John Deed | Inspector Lannon | Episode: "Exacting Justice" |
| 2001 | The Armando Iannucci Shows | Episode: "Time Passing" | |
| 2002 | Paradise Heights | Customs Officer | 1 episode |
| 2005 | The Commander | Tim Gad | Episodes: "Blackdog (Part One)" & "Blackdog (Part Two)" |
| 2005 | No Angels | Mr. Asquith | 2 episodes |
| 2006 | Pumpkinhead: Ashes to Ashes | Doc Fraser | Television film |
| 2018 | Lore | Dr. Robert Knox | |
| 2020 | JJ Villard's Fairy Tales | Kenneth | Voice role, episode: Boypunzel |
| 2021-2022 | Dota: Dragon's Blood | Kashurra, Byssrak | Voice role, 8 episodes |
| 2023 | Gotham Knights | Joe Chill | Episode: "A Chill in Gotham" |
Audio
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Doctor Who: Pier Pressure | Professor Talbot | Audio Drama for Big Finish Productions |
| 2009-2014 | Doug Bradley's Spinechillers | Narrator | Audio books, 13 volumes |
| 2022 | Hollow | Kurtz | Podcast series |
Music video
edit| Year | Title | Artist | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Hellraiser | Motörhead | Pinhead | |
| 2015 | The Misfits: Tour Video Collection | Misfits | Abraham van Helsing | video shown only live on stage |
| 2023 | Blood For The Blood God (Feat. HEALTH) | Gunship (band) | Narrator |
Video game
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Star Wars: The Old Republic | Vitiate the Sith Emperor, Additional voices | Voice role |
| 2014 | Star Wars:The Old Republic - Shadow of Revan | Vitiate the Sith Emperor | Voice role |
| 2021 | Dead by Daylight | The Cenobite | Voice role |
| 2022 | Star Wars:The Old Republic - Legacy of the Sith | Vitiate the Sith Emperor | Voice role |
References
edit- ^ a b "Doug Bradley - Behind The Voice Actors". Retrieved 11 September 2017.
- ^ "Doug Bradly". Hollywood.com. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
- ^ "Interview: 'Hellraiser' star Doug Bradley - Your Move Magazine". 28 October 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
- ^ "Abertoir - Talk by Doug Bradley". Archived from the original on 24 March 2012.
- ^ "Experience Hell on Earth with Doug Bradley in Vegas". 26 June 2012. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
- ^ "Doug Bradley and William Powell discuss bringing Horror Las Vegas". 28 June 2012. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
- ^ Doug Bradley Archived 30 August 2017 at the Wayback Machine, RengaMedia.com; accessed 15 January 2018.
- ^ "Exorcismus Expands Cast and Updates Storyline". 24 May 2012.
- ^ "Doug Bradley Joins The 4th Reich". 8 August 2012.
- ^ "UPDATED: 'Hellraiser' Actor in Town for Local Movie Role". 14 June 2011.
- ^ Owen Williams (27 April 2012). Bradley Takes a Wrong Turn. Empire online.
- ^ "CRADLE OF FILTH Announces 'Existence Is Futile' Album Details, Releases Music Video For 'Crawling King Chaos'". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. 30 July 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
- ^ Overaitis, Joseph (7 March 2023). "Interview with Horror Icon Doug Bradley: Joe Chill in CW's Gotham Knight". GoCollect. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
- ^ Power, Ty. "Behind the Mask of the Horror Actor - Book Review", sci-fi-online.com; retrieved 25 October 2013.
- ^ "Doug Bradley & Nicholas Vince join 'The Hairy Hands'". carrionfilms.co.uk. Carrion Films. 11 November 2009. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
- ^ Bradley, Doug (2018). "The Official Page of Doug Bradley". Doug Bradley. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
- ^ "Doug Bradley (Official Facebook page)". Facebook. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
External links
edit- ^ Overaitis, Joseph (7 March 2023). "Interview with Horror Icon Doug Bradley: Joe Chill in CW's Gotham Knight". GoCollect. Retrieved 8 March 2023.