William Moseley (born November 11, 1951) is an American actor, primarily known for his performances in horror films. His best-known roles include Chop Top in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986), Otis B. Driftwood in Rob Zombie's Firefly trilogy, Luigi Largo in Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008), and The Magician in Alleluia! The Devil's Carnival (2015). He had a recurring role as camp cook Possum on the HBO TV series Carnivàle (2003–05). He has also released records with guitarist Buckethead in the band Cornbugs, as well as featuring on the guitarist's solo work.
Bill Moseley | |
|---|---|
 Moseley in 2023 | |
| Born | William Moseley November 11, 1951 Stamford, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Yale University |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, musician |
| Years active | 1980–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
Early life
editMoseley was born in Stamford, Connecticut, and grew up in Barrington Hills, Illinois.[1] He is the son of Virginia Gillette (Kleitz), a journalist, and S. D. Moseley (Spencer Dumaresq Moseley), who was a member of the Yale Corporation, All-American captain and center of the 1942 Yale football team, and chairman and chief executive of the Railway Express Agency.[2][3][4] His grandfather, George Moseley, also played football at Yale and was an All-American. He is a graduate of Yale University.
For a period of time, Moseley operated as a journalist, writing for such magazines as Omni,[5] National Lampoon and Psychology Today.
Acting career
editAt the age of 29, Moseley got his first film role in Alan Rudolph's Endangered Species as a cab driver. In 1985's Osa he played a character named "Quilt Face." His third role has become one of his most well known; he appeared as Chop Top in Tobe Hooper's The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, after Tobe Hooper saw him in the independent short, The Texas Chainsaw Manicure.[5] In 2000 he reprised his role as Chop Top in All American Massacre, which was directed by Tobe Hooper's son William, but the film was never released to the public.[6]
Two years after TCM 2, he played Frank in 1988's Mamba. Also in 1988 appeared as a soldier in the remake of the Steve McQueen film The Blob. He next played Darrell in the film Pink Cadillac starring Clint Eastwood.[7] He then played the lead role of Ricky Caldwell in Silent Night, Deadly Night 3: Better Watch Out!.[8]
In 1990, Moseley appeared in four films: Crash and Burn, The First Power, The End of Innocence, and, playing Johnny, in Tom Savini's remake of George A. Romero's 1968 zombie film, Night of the Living Dead.[8] In 1993, he had a small role in the cult hit Army of Darkness as the Deadite Captain.[8] A year later, he was featured in the video game Corpse Killer. In 1995, he did voiceover work for Anders Jacobsson's horror comedy film Evil Ed.
He would not, however, have another role as popular as Chop Top until 2003, when he starred as the maniacal Otis B. Driftwood (named after Groucho Marx's character from A Night at the Opera) in Rob Zombie's directorial debut House of 1000 Corpses. As Otis, he again became an icon in the horror community. In 2005, he reprised the role of Otis in the sequel The Devil's Rejects and in 2009 he played Otis in a voice cameo in Rob Zombie's animated film The Haunted World of El Superbeasto.[9] Moseley's performance in Rejects inspired an independent campaign for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination, which failed. He played in other Rob Zombie films such as Halloween and the Grindhouse fake trailer segment Werewolf Women of the SS.
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In 2008, Moseley played the role of Luigi Largo in Repo! The Genetic Opera.[9] In this futuristic, genetic opera, he was able to network with Nivek Ogre of Skinny Puppy and ohGr, subsequently appearing on ohGr's new album Devils in my Details. He mainly speaks at the beginning or ending of the songs in vivid, poetic rants. He appears on Eyecandy, Feelin' Chicken, Psychoreal, Timebomb, Smogharp, and Witness. Additionally, in 2008, Moseley appeared as a telemarketer in the music video for Combichrist's Sent to Destroy".
Moseley contributed songs to the 2008 soundtrack of Vampira: The Movie, a documentary by Kevin Sean Michaels on Maila Nurmi, in which he also stars. It was released on Collectables Records, a division of Alpha Video.
He appears as Kozlowski in Robert Lieberman's 2009 thriller film The Tortured,[10] and in 2012 played as The Magician in The Devil's Carnival.[11]
Moseley has also provided voice-over recordings for the Florida-based heavy metal band – Generichrist and also British goth-metal band Sinnergod on the track "Overture" which features on their 2013 debut album Seven Deadly Sinphonies.
He later made appearances in Texas Chainsaw 3D and American Exorcist.[9]
In 2019, Moseley appeared in Gothic Harvest with Lin Shaye and Sofia Mattsson, directed by Ashley Hamilton. He also reprised his role as Otis B. Driftwood in 3 From Hell. Horror Fuel magazine reports that Moseley will star in the horror film Jasper alongside Michael Berryman, Kane Hodder and Bill Oberst in 2022.
He recorded voiceovers for Ice Nine Kills' 2021 horror film-themed album The Silver Scream 2: Welcome to Horrorwood.
Music career
editMoseley (as Chop Top) was the lead singer of Cornbugs, a three-man band he had between 1999 and 2007 with avant-garde rock/metal guitarist Buckethead and Deli Creeps' drummer, Pinchface. He also contributed vocal parts to the songs I Come in Peace (as a news reporter) and Onions Unleashed (as Onions) from Buckethead's album Giant Robot (1994) and Jowls from Buckethead's album Monsters and Robots (1999), also as Chop Top.
Moseley, along with Rani Sharone, released albums No Way Down and The Devil Rides West, calling themselves Spider Mountain.[12]
In 2017, Moseley released the album Bill & Phil: Songs of Darkness and Despair with Pantera frontman Philip Anselmo.[13]
Personal life
editMoseley is married to actress Lucinda Jenney, with whom he has a daughter.[14][15] He previously dated model Lisa Lindsay-Hogg. Moseley and Lindsay-Hogg's daughter, Jane Moseley, is a model, painter and sculptor based in Los Angeles.[16][17]
In popular culture
editA sample of Moseley shouting "dog will hunt!" in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 is used in the hit Primus song "Jerry Was a Race Car Driver".
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Endangered Species | Cab Driver | |
| 1986 | The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 | Chop Top | |
| 1986 | Osa | Quilt Face | |
| 1987 | Nightmare Angel | Dr. William de Freis | Short Film |
| 1988 | The Blob | Soldier in Sewer | |
| 1988 | Fair Game | Frank | |
| 1989 | Pink Cadillac | Darrell | |
| 1989 | Silent Night, Deadly Night 3: Better Watch Out! | Ricky | Direct-to-video |
| 1990 | The First Power | Bartender | |
| 1990 | Crash and Burn | Quinn | Direct-to-video |
| 1990 | The End of Innocence | Man on the Hill | |
| 1990 | Night of the Living Dead | Johnny | |
| 1991 | White Fang | Luke | |
| 1992 | Inside Out 2 | Dave | Segment: "I've Got a Crush on You" |
| 1992 | Honey, I Blew Up the Kid | Federal Marshal | |
| 1992 | Army of Darkness | Deadite Captain | |
| 1993 | Mr. Jones | Worker | |
| 1995 | Prehysteria 3! | Director | Direct-to-video |
| 1995 | Evil Ed | "Loose Limbs" Killer | Voice |
| 2000 | The Convent | Officer Ray | |
| 2000 | All American Massacre | Bloody Bobby | Unreleased |
| 2002 | Essence of Echoes | Dr. Hilcott | |
| 2003 | House of 1000 Corpses | Otis B. Driftwood | |
| 2003 | Vicious | Walace | Direct-to-video |
| 2005 | The Devil's Rejects | Otis B. Driftwood | |
| 2006 | Evil Bong | Bong World Patron | |
| 2006 | Fallen Angels | Westin | |
| 2006 | Thr3e | Slater | |
| 2006 | A Dead Calling | Chief Murken | Direct-to-video |
| 2007 | Grindhouse | Dr. Heinrich Von Strasser | Segment: "Werewolf Women of the SS" |
| 2007 | Home Sick | Mr. Suitcase | |
| 2007 | Halloween | Zach 'Z-Man' Garrett | |
| 2008 | A Perfect Place | Eddie | Short film |
| 2008 | Babysitter Wanted | Chief Dinneli | |
| 2008 | Repo! The Genetic Opera | Luigi Largo | |
| 2008 | Alone in the Dark II | Dexter | Direct-to-video |
| 2008 | The Alphabet Killer | Carl Tanner | |
| 2008 | House | Stewart | |
| 2009 | The Devil's Tomb | Professor Duncan | Direct-to-Video |
| 2009 | The Haunted World of El Superbeasto | Otis Driftwood | Voice |
| 2009 | Blood Night: The Legend of Mary Hatchet | Graveyard Gus | |
| 2009 | Dead Air | Logan | |
| 2009 | The Graves | Caleb 'Cookie' Atwood | |
| 2010 | 2001 Maniacs: Field of Screams | Mayor George W. Buckman | |
| 2010 | Anderson's Cross | Mr. Daniels | |
| 2010 | Godkiller: Walk Among Us | Dr. West | Voice |
| 2010 | The Tortured | John Kozlowski | |
| 2011 | Spider Mountain: No Way Down | Ranger Bill | Short, direct-to-video |
| 2011 | Exit Humanity | General Williams | |
| 2011 | Night of the Little Dead | Kickstand | Short film |
| 2012 | Rogue River | Jon | |
| 2012 | Highway to Hell | Lemmas | Direct-to-video |
| 2012 | The Devil's Carnival | The Magician | |
| 2012 | The Inflicted | Mr. O'Hara | |
| 2012 | Dead Souls | Sheriff Depford | |
| 2013 | House of the Witchdoctor | Peter Van Hooten | |
| 2013 | Texas Chainsaw 3D | Drayton Sawyer | |
| 2014 | Disciples | Dread | |
| 2014 | Charlie's Farm | John Wilson | |
| 2015 | Almost Mercy | Pastor Johnson | |
| 2015 | Old 37 | Darryl | |
| 2015 | The Art of Villainy | M?ster Nobody | Short film |
| 2015 | Night of the Living Dead: Origins 3D | Johnny | Voice |
| 2016 | Smothered | Soggy Christian | |
| 2016 | The Devil's Carnival: Alleluia! | The Magician | |
| 2016 | Alcoholist | Grey Speckled Man | |
| 2016 | The Horde | Jacob Sutter | Direct-to-video |
| 2016 | The Possession Experiment | Father Mark Campbell | |
| 2016 | Slayer: Pride in Prejudice | Nazi Father | Short, direct-to-video |
| 2017 | Death House | Giger | |
| 2017 | Boar | Bruce | |
| 2018 | Minutes to Midnight | Gimple | |
| 2018 | Cynthia | Buttercup | |
| 2018 | The Church | Pastor James | |
| 2018 | Crepitus | Crepitus | |
| 2018 | American Exorcist | Mr. Snowfeather | |
| 2019 | Shed of the Dead | Doc | |
| 2019 | Exorcism at 60,000 Feet | Garvan | |
| 2019 | To Your Last Death | Pavel | |
| 2019 | 3 from Hell | Otis B. Driftwood | |
| 2019 | In Search of Darkness | Himself | Documentary |
| 2019 | Gothic Harvest | Detective Hollis | |
| 2019 | Big Top Evil | Mr. Kharver | |
| 2019 | Slayer: The Repentless Killogy | Nazi Dad | |
| 2020 | I Am Fear | Steve Mcreedy | |
| 2020 | In Search of Darkness: Part II | Himself | Documentary |
| 2021 | Prisoners of the Ghostland | The Governor | |
| 2022 | Sin Eater | Father Dunn | |
| 2022 | Dead by Midnight (Y2Kill) | Jasper | |
| 2022 | Nite Flirt | The Caller | Short Film |
| 2023 | Hayride to Hell | Farmer Sam | |
| 2023 | The Fetus | Maddox/Father of Alessa | |
| 2023 | Natty Knocks | Abner Honeywell | |
| 2024 | They Turned Us Into Killers | TBA | [18] |
| 2024 | Stream | Jimmy | [19] |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Freddy's Nightmares | Buzz | Episode: "Black Tickets" |
| 1989 | Tour of Duty | Sgt. Jones | Episode: "Terms of Enlistment" |
| 1991 | Father Dowling Mysteries | Kane / Larry Webster | Episode: "The Priest Killer Mystery" |
| 1993 | Up All Night | Himself | Episode: "Vice Academy"; uncredited |
| 1994 | Blood Run | Hank | Television film |
| 1995 | Fallen Angels | Customer #1 | Episode: "A Dime a Dance" |
| 1996 | Unsolved Mysteries | David Young | Episode: #9.9 |
| 2002 | Point of Origin | Task Force Officer | Television film |
| 2002 | Live from Baghdad | Rex | Television film |
| 2003 | The Practice | Jake Spooner | Episode: "Victims' Rights" |
| 2004 | ER | Charlie | Episode: "Forgive and Forget" |
| 2003–2005 | Carnivàle | Possum | 8 episodes |
| 2007 | Days of Our Lives | Joel | 3 episodes |
| 2010–2019 | Without Your Head | Himself | 4 episodes |
| 2012–2013 | Holliston | Crazy Max | 5 episodes |
| 2014 | Z Nation | General McCandles | Episode: "Full Metal Zombie" |
| 2014 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | Bernie | Episode: "In Dreams" |
| 2015–2017 | Adam Green's Scary Sleepover | Himself | 3 episodes |
| 2017 | Uncle Grandpa | Additional Voices | Episode: "Uncle Grandpa's Odd-yssey" |
| 2019 | Slasher | Homeless Guy | 2 episodes |
Music videos
edit| Year | Title | Role | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | "Hip to Be Scared" | Captain Harris | Ice Nine Kills |
| "Assault & Batteries" | |||
| "Rainy Day" | |||
| "Funeral Derangements" | |||
| 2022 | "The Shower Scene" | ||
| 2023 | "Welcome to Horrorwood" | ||
| "Meat & Greet" |
References
edit- ^ "Horror Month: Interview with Bill Moseley (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2)". June 20, 2015.
- ^ "Bill Moseley on Instagram: "A salute to my father, Spencer D Moseley, who loved skiing and first brought the family to @vailmtn in 1962. This run's for you, pop!"". Instagram. Archived from the original on December 26, 2021.
- ^ Cook, Joan (May 24, 1991). "S. D. Moseley, 72, Football Star at Yale And Executive, Dies (Published 1991)". The New York Times.
- ^ "VIRGINIA MOSELEY – Obituary". www.legacy.com.
- ^ a b Jaworzyn, Stefan (2012). The Texas Chain Saw Massacre Companion. Titan Books. pp. 131–132. ISBN 978-1-78116-497-6.
- ^ Squires, John (August 29, 2017). "Bill Moseley Played Chop Top in a 'Chainsaw 2' Sequel We May Never See". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
- ^ McIntyre, Gina (January 4, 2013). "'Texas Chainsaw 3D': Bill Moseley reflects on a monster career". Hero Complex. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
- ^ a b c Squires, John (November 4, 2016). "Bill Moseley Clears Up Confusion About 'Army of Darkness' Role". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
- ^ a b c "Bill Moseley Is an American Exorcist". FEARnet. January 31, 2015. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
- ^ "AFM '09: Promo Trailer for Twisted Pictures' 'The Tortured'!". BloodyDisgusting. November 8, 2009.
- ^ "Two Tickets To 'The Devil's Carnival' Please | News Article". FEARnet. March 6, 2012. Retrieved March 19, 2013.
- ^ "Chop Top's BBQ Home Page". Choptopsbbq.com. Retrieved March 19, 2013.
- ^ "Full Stream: Bill & Phil - 'Songs Of Darkness And Despair'". Decibel Magazine. January 18, 2017. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
- ^ Ortiz Garcia, Eric (September 27, 2021). "PRISONERS OF THE GHOSTLAND Interview: Bill Moseley on Crafting Another Memorable Antagonist". Screen Anarchy. Retrieved June 17, 2022.
- ^ Tinnin, Drew (February 1, 2021). "Sundance 2021: Interview – Bill Moseley Talks Working With Nicolas Cage in Sion Sono's PRISONERS OF THE GHOSTLAND". Dread Central. Retrieved June 17, 2022.
- ^ Blasberg, Derek (November 11, 2016). "Meet Jane Moseley, an "It Girl" Straddling the Art and Fashion Worlds". Vanity Fair. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
- ^ Ongley, Hannah (August 29, 2018). "Jane Moseley and her identical twins star in Nike's new sport campaign". i-D. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
- ^ "They Turned Us Into Killers - Swank.com". www.swank.com. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
- ^ Earl, William (July 16, 2024). "Horror Legend Bill Moseley Joins Cast of 'Terrifier' Team's Upcoming Slasher 'Stream' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on July 16, 2024. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
External links
edit
- Chop Top's BBQ, Bill Moseley's official site
- Vampira: The Movie soundtrack featuring Bill Moseley
- Bill Moseley at IMDb
- Interview with Bill Moseley at Eye for Film