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Russ Tamblyn
Russ Tamblyn in 2019.jpg
Tamblyn in 2010
Born
Russell Irving Tamblyn

(1934-12-30) December 30, 1934 (age 90)
Occupation
  • Actor
  • dancer
  • artist
Years active 1948–present
Spouse(s)
  • Venetia Stevenson
    (m. 1956; div. 1957)
  • Elizabeth Kempton
    (m. 1960; div. 1979)
  • Bonnie Murray
    (m. 1981)
Children 2, including Amber Tamblyn
Parent(s)
  • Eddie Tamblyn (father)
Relatives David Cross (son-in-law)

Russell Irving Tamblyn (born December 30, 1934), also known as Rusty Tamblyn, is an American actor and dancer. He has appeared in many films and TV shows.

Born in Los Angeles, California, Tamblyn was a talented gymnast when he was young. He started acting as a child for the movie studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). He became famous for his roles in the musical Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) and the drama Peyton Place (1957). For Peyton Place, he was even nominated for an Academy Award! He also played Riff, the leader of the Jets gang, in the classic musical West Side Story (1961).

Later in his career, Tamblyn worked as a choreographer, which means he created dance routines. In 1990, he starred as Dr. Lawrence Jacoby in the TV show Twin Peaks. He returned to this role when the show came back in 2017.

Early Life and Interests

Russ Tamblyn was born on December 30, 1934, in Los Angeles, California. His parents, Sally Aileen and Eddie Tamblyn, were also actors. His younger brother, Larry Tamblyn, was a musician in the band the Standells in the 1960s.

As a child, Russ was very energetic and loved gymnastics and performing. He would often perform tumbling acts during intermissions at local movie theaters. When he was 13, he lived in North Hollywood and studied acting and dancing. His parents owned and ran the North Hollywood Academy where he learned these skills.

Acting Career Highlights

Starting as a Child Actor (1948–1952)

When he was young, Russ dreamed of being a circus performer. He was very good at acrobatics and dancing. He even created a musical act that included singing, dancing, juggling, and comedy!

Actor Lloyd Bridges discovered Russ when he was just 10 years old after seeing him in a play. Russ's first movie role was a small part in The Boy With Green Hair (1948). After that, he appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, a very popular TV show.

At 13, he was in a stage play called The Stone Jungle. He also got a bigger role in the movie The Kid from Cleveland (1949), where he was credited as "Rusty Tamblyn." He played young Saul in Samson and Delilah (1949) and was Elizabeth Taylor's younger brother in Father of the Bride (1950) and its sequel, Father's Little Dividend (1951).

Becoming a Star at MGM (1953–1962)

The movie studio MGM was impressed with Russ's acting and signed him to a long-term contract. His gymnastics skills helped him get his big break in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954). In this musical, he played Gideon, the youngest brother. Even though he didn't see himself as a trained dancer, the movie was a huge hit and made him a well-known actor at MGM.

Russ Tamblyn and Gia Scala 1957
Russ Tamblyn and Gia Scala in Don't Go Near the Water (1957)

Russ appeared in other musicals like Hit the Deck (1955). He also acted in Westerns, including The Fastest Gun Alive (1956), where he performed an amazing "shovel" dance. He even helped create dance moves for Elvis Presley in the 1957 movie Jailhouse Rock.

Russ Tamblyn on Peyton Place set
Russ Tamblyn in Peyton Place (1957)

In 1957, Russ played Norman Page in Peyton Place. His performance earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He then starred in the musical Tom Thumb (1958), playing the tiny main character. His career was paused when he joined the United States Army in 1958.

After returning from the army, Russ took on one of his most famous roles: Riff, the leader of the Jets street gang, in West Side Story (1961). He also appeared in two large-screen movies, The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm and How the West Was Won (both 1962).

Television and Later Films (1963–Present)

After his success in West Side Story, Russ decided to focus more on his art and took fewer movie roles. He appeared in TV shows like The Greatest Show on Earth (1963) and Channing (1963).

He played a Viking in The Long Ships (1965) and starred in the Japanese monster movie War of the Gargantuas (1966). He also guest-starred on TV shows like Tarzan (1966) and Iron Horse (1967). Around this time, he became more interested in art than acting.

In the 1980s, Russ worked as a choreographer and also appeared in films like Human Highway (1982) and Commando Squad (1987).

Russ Tamblyn at the 1990 Annual Emmy Awards cropped
Russ Tamblyn at the 1990 Emmy Awards

From 1990 to 1991, Russ starred as Dr. Lawrence Jacoby in the popular TV series Twin Peaks. He continued to act in various films and TV shows, including Babylon 5 (1994). He also appeared on the soap opera General Hospital with his daughter, Amber Tamblyn. In 2004, they worked together again in the show Joan of Arcadia, where he played God. They also appeared together in the film Django Unchained (2012).

More recently, Russ has had roles in movies like Drive (2011) and Hits (2014). He also returned to his role as Dr. Lawrence Jacoby in the 2017 revival of Twin Peaks.

Personal Life

Russ Tamblyn has been married three times. He married actress Venetia Stevenson in 1956, but they divorced a year later. In 1960, he married Elizabeth Kempton. He has two daughters, China Faye Tamblyn and actress and author Amber Tamblyn. Amber was born in 1983 to his third wife, Bonnie Murray.

In 2012, it was announced that Russ was writing a book about his life called Dancing On The Edge, which was released in 2024. In 2014, he had heart surgery and has since recovered.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1948 The Boy with Green Hair Classmate Uncredited
1949 Reign of Terror Pierre's Oldest Son Uncredited
1949 The Kid from Cleveland Johnny Barrows Credited as Rusty Tamblyn
1949 Samson and Delilah Saul
1950 Gun Crazy Bart Tare at 14 Credited as Rusty Tamblyn
1950 Captain Carey, U.S.A. Pietro Credited as Rusty Tamblyn
1950 The Vicious Years Tino
1950 Father of the Bride Tommy Banks Credited as Rusty Tamblyn
1951 Father's Little Dividend Tommy Banks
1951 As Young as You Feel Willie McKinley Credited as Rusty Tamblyn
1951 Cave of Outlaws Young Peter Uncredited
1952 Retreat, Hell! Private
1952 The Winning Team Willie Alexander Credited as Rusty Tamblyn
1953 Take the High Ground! Paul Jamison
1954 Seven Brides for Seven Brothers Gideon Pontipee
1954 Deep in My Heart Lazar Berrison, Jr. Uncredited
1955 Many Rivers to Cross Shields
1955 Hit the Deck Danny Xavier Smith
1956 The Last Hunt Jimmy
1956 The Fastest Gun Alive Eric Doolittle
1956 The Young Guns Tully Rice
1957 Don't Go Near the Water Ensign Tyson
1957 Peyton Place Norman Page
1958 High School Confidential! Tony Baker/Mike Wilson
1958 Tom Thumb Tom Thumb
1960 Cimarron The Cherokee Kid
1961 West Side Story Riff
1962 The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm The Woodsman ('The Dancing Princess') / Tom Thumb
1962 How the West Was Won Confederate deserter
1963 Follow the Boys Lt (JG) "Smitty" Smith
1963 The Haunting Luke Sannerson
1964 The Long Ships Orm
1965 Son of a Gunfighter Johnny Ketchum
1966 War of the Gargantuas Dr. Paul Stewart
1967 The Cool Ones Whiz-Bam Dancer Uncredited
1969 Satan's ... Anchor
1969 Scream Free! Link
1971 Dracula vs. Frankenstein Rico
1971 The Female Bunch Bill
1971 The Last Movie Member of Billy's Gang
1974 Win, Place or Steal Raymond
1975 The World Through the Eyes of Children Devil
1976 Black Heat Ziggy
1982 Neil Young: Human Highway Fred Kelly Also writer and choreographer
1985 The Fantasy Film Worlds of George Pal Himself Documentary
1987 Commando Squad Anchor
1988 Necromancer Charles DeLonge
1988 B.O.R.N. Hugh
1988 The Phantom Empire Bill Direct-to-DVD
1989 The Bloody Monks Frank
1990 Aftershock Hank Franklin
1991 Wizards of the Demon Sword Ulric
1992 Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me Dr. Lawrence Jacoby Scenes deleted
1993 Little Devils: The Birth Doc Clapton
1994 Cabin Boy Chocki
1994 Desert Steel Tate
1995 Starstruck Wheeler
1995 Rebellious Old Guy
1995 Attack of the 60 Foot Centerfold Gas Attendant
1996 Invisible Mom Dr. Woorter Direct-to-DVD
1997 Johnny Mysto: Boy Wizard Blackmoor Direct-to-DVD
1998 Little Miss Magic Brenden Moran
2000 Special Envoys
2002 Cinerama Adventure Himself Documentary
2011 Drive Doc
2012 Django Unchained Son of a Gunfighter
2014 Hits Russ
2015 Chatty Cattie Bruce

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1963 The Greatest Show on Earth Tom Tuttle Episode: "Silent Love, Secret Love"
1963 Channing Hal Langley Episode: "The Last Testament of Buddy Crown"
1965 Burke's Law Maximillian Episode: "Who Killed Rosie Sunset?"
1965 Gunsmoke Billy Waters Episode: "He Who Steals"
1966 Tarzan Bell Episode: "Leopard on the Loose"
1967 Iron Horse Kehoe Episode: "Decision at Sundown"
1969 The Name of the Game John Earl Episode: "A Hard Case of the Blues"
1972 Cade's County Brewster Episode: "Ragged Edge"
1976 The Quest Kelly Episode: "The Captive"
1978 The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams Milton Wright Episode: "The Skyrider"
1981 Nero Wolfe Police Detective Episode: "Before I Die"
1986–1987 Fame Russ / Michael Taftner 3 episodes
1987 Rags to Riches Roger Episode: "Vegas Rock"
1989 Quantum Leap Bert Glasserman Episode: "Thou Shalt Not..."
1990–1991 Twin Peaks Dr. Lawrence Jacoby 15 episodes
1992 Running Mates Frank Usher Television film
1994 Babylon 5 Capt. Jack Maynard Episode: "A Distant Star"
1997 Nash Bridges Jim the Penman Episode: "The Counterfeiters"
1997 General Hospital Nurses ball dancer 1 episode
1998 My Ghost Dog Vito Television film
1999 Inherit the Wind Ed Morse Television film
2000 General Hospital Dr. Rose 2 episodes
2004 Joan of Arcadia Dog Walker God 3 episodes
2010–2012
2016
The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret Chuck Margaret / Billy the Cheesegrater 9 episodes
2017 Twin Peaks Dr. Lawrence Jacoby 6 episodes
2018 The Haunting of Hill House Dr. Montague Episode: "The Bent-Neck Lady"

Awards and Nominations

Awards and nominations
Award Category Year Title of work Result
Academy Award Best Actor in a Supporting Role 1957 Peyton Place Nominated
Golden Globe Award Most Promising Newcomer - Male 1956 Hit the Deck Won (shared with Ray Danton)
Golden Laurel Award Top Male Musical Performance 1959 Tom Thumb Nominated

See also

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