Russell Arms facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Russell Arms
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Arms in 1956
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| Born |
Russell Lee Arms
February 3, 1920 Berkeley, California, U.S.
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| Died | February 13, 2012 (aged 92) Hamilton, Illinois, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actor, singer |
| Years active | 1942–1985 |
| Spouse(s) |
Barbara J. McGinnis
(m. 1966; div. 1974)
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Russell Lee Arms (February 3, 1920 – February 13, 2012) was an American actor and singer. He was best known for singing on the popular TV show Your Hit Parade in the 1950s. He also acted in many films and television shows.
Contents
Russell Arms: Actor and Singer
Early Life and First Steps
Russell Arms was born in Berkeley, California, on February 3, 1920. He learned how to act at the famous Pasadena Playhouse. He started his career working on radio shows, including at a station called WNEW in New York City.
During World War II, Russell began acting in small roles in movies. He worked for a big movie studio called Warner Bros.. His very first movie was The Man Who Came to Dinner in 1942. After that, he worked as a "freelance" actor, meaning he wasn't tied to one studio. He often appeared in Westerns.
Becoming a TV Star
Russell Arms became very well known from 1952 to 1957. This was because he was a singer on a popular TV show called Your Hit Parade.
Singing on Your Hit Parade
Your Hit Parade was an NBC television series. It showed the most popular songs of the week. Russell and other singers would perform the top seven songs. He and Eileen Wilson were the last surviving main singers from the show for many years. Russell even wrote a book about his experiences called My Hit Parade... and a Few Misses.
His Hit Song: "Cinco Robles"
As a singer, Russell Arms had a big hit song in 1957. It was called "Cinco Robles (Five Oaks)". This song became very popular. It stayed on the music charts for 15 weeks and reached number 22. In the same year, he released an album called Where Can A Wanderer Go. He also sang on a quiz show called The Hidden Treasure Show.
Acting on Popular TV Shows
Even though he was famous for singing, Russell Arms was also a talented actor. He appeared in many TV dramas.
He was a guest star three times on the detective show Perry Mason. He played different characters in episodes like "The Case of the Credulous Quarry" and "The Case of the Greek Goddess".
In 1961, he appeared in an episode of the long-running Western series Gunsmoke. He played a dishonest lawman who tried to keep money from stagecoach robbers. For the next 20 years, he continued to act in other TV shows. These included the sitcom Ichabod and Me in 1962 and the drama Gibbsville in 1976.
A newspaper story in 1958 mentioned something interesting about Russell. It said that he started as an actor but became a singer "by accident." He then found it hard for people to believe he could act! He said he was working to prove them wrong.
His Life Off-Screen
Russell Arms and his second wife, Mary Lynne, lived in Palm Springs, California, for many years. Later, they moved to Hamilton, Illinois. Russell Arms passed away there on February 13, 2012. He was 92 years old.
