Russell Irving "Russ" Tamblyn (born December 30, 1934) is an American film and television actor and dancer, who is arguably best known for his performance in title role of the 1958 tom thumb and the 1961 movie musical West Side Story as Riff, the leader of the Jets gang. He is also known for appearing in such films as Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, The War of the Gargantuas, Peyton Place and The Haunting, as well as for his portrayal of Dr. Lawrence Jacoby in the television drama Twin Peaks.he also stared in black and white movie " the fastes gun"
Venetia Stevenson (divorced), Elizabeth Kempton, Bonnie Murray
Children
Amber Tamblyn, China Tamblyn
Star Sign
Capricorn
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Has often played odd, slightly off-kilter characters
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[on his performance as "Riff" in West Side Story (1961)] Life is so strange. "West Side Story" was one of the high points of my career. Yet, when I first saw it, I was really disappointed in how I came off. Since then, Fred Astaire has told me how much he admired my dancing in it. Now I see it very differently.
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Lives in Santa Monica, California and manages daughter Amber's career. [April 2002]
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Currently playing "Capt. John Green" in Neil Young's multimedia "Greendale" tour. He is also directing and choreographing the production numbers for the tour. [June 2003]
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Currently writing his autobiography "Dancing On The Edge". [November 2011]
Originally auditioned for the part of "Tony" in West Side Story (1961), but was cast as "Riff" instead, while the part of "Tony" went to Richard Beymer.
Has done art work such as painting, drawing and creating collages. His "spacescapes" have been displayed at exhibitions at the Los Angeles County Art Museum and the Los Angeles Institute of Contemporary Art.
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His standout dance sequence while performing the role of Eric in The Fastest Gun Alive (1956) duplicated some of his dance moves from Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) and, in fact, added some athletics that went beyond those original moves.
Has always claimed that his biggest professional disappointment was not getting the title role in the post-Broadway tour of "Barnum". The part went to Tony Orlando, instead.
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Appeared in three episodes of Joan of Arcadia (2003) on which his daughter Amber Tamblyn starred: "Night without Stars", "Do the Math" and "Friday Night".
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In 1997, he made a one-shot guest appearance on General Hospital (1963) in a song-and-dance sketch that featured his daughter, Amber Tamblyn.
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Married three times; all his wives were involved in show business. Venetia Stevenson was a film actress, British Elizabeth Kempton (born 1935) was a Vegas showgirl and present wife, Bonnie Tamblyn, is a folk singer.
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Was a gymnast at North Hollywood High School. A buoyant dancer and tumbler, Tamblyn began acting in films in 1948. His abilities as an acrobat and gymnast led to his being cast in such spectacular and dynamic dance films as Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) among others.
$20 Million
