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Russ Tamblyn

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Russ Tamblyn
Tamblyn in 2010
Born
Russell Irving Tamblyn

(1934-12-30) December 30, 1934 (age 89)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupations
  • Actor
  • dancer
  • artist
Years active1948–present
Spouses
  • ​
    ​
    (m. 1956; div. 1957)​
  • Elizabeth Kempton
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1960; div. 1979)​
  • Bonnie Murray
    ​
    (m. 1981)​
Children2, including Amber Tamblyn
FatherEddie Tamblyn
RelativesDavid Cross (son-in-law)
Websitewww.russtamblyn.com

Russell Irving Tamblyn (born December 30, 1934), also known as Rusty Tamblyn, is an American film and television actor and dancer.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Tamblyn trained as a gymnast in his youth. He began his career as a child actor for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Tamblyn appeared in the musical Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954). He subsequently portrayed Norman Page in the drama Peyton Place (1957), for which he earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. In West Side Story (1961), he portrayed Riff, the leader of the Jets gang.

Throughout the 1970s, Tamblyn appeared in several exploitation films and worked as a choreographer in the 1980s. In 1990, he starred as Dr. Lawrence Jacoby in David Lynch's television drama Twin Peaks, reprising the role during its 2017 revival.

Early life

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Tamblyn was born December 30, 1934, in Los Angeles, California,[1] to actors Sally Aileen (Triplett) and Edward Francis "Eddie" Tamblyn.[2] His younger brother, Larry Tamblyn, was the organist for the 1960s band the Standells.[3]

Tamblyn was a hyperactive child with a penchant for gymnastics and performing. He took the stage during intermissions at the local movie theater and gave tumbling performances.[4] When he was 13, Tamblyn lived in North Hollywood, studied dramatics under Grace Bowman and dancing at the North Hollywood Academy, owned and operated by his parents.[5]

Career

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1948–1952: Child acting

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Tamblyn wanted to be a circus performer and was skilled in acrobatics and dancing as a child. He developed a musical act that involved singing, dancing, juggling and comedy.[6]

Tamblyn's first professional job came when he was ten years old and was cast by actor Lloyd Bridges in a play Bridges was directing called The Stone Jungle alongside Dickie Moore.[5] During the play's run Tamblyn was seen by several talent scouts and an agent, who signed him. The agent arranged for Tamblyn to audition for a role in The Boy With Green Hair (1948), and he was given a small part.[7]

He appeared as young Saul in Cecil B. DeMille's 1949 version of Samson and Delilah. "That was a big break for me", he later said. "After that I worked a lot."[7]

Tamblyn appeared in Reign of Terror, then was given a role in The Kid from Cleveland (1949), billed third (as "Rusty Tamblyn") after stars George Brent and Lynn Bari,[4] and in What Happened to Jo Jo? (1950).[4]

Tamblyn played the younger Bart Tare (played as an adult by John Dall) in the film noir Gun Crazy (1950) and Elizabeth Taylor's younger brother in Father of the Bride (also 1950) and its sequel, Father's Little Dividend (1951) at MGM. He appeared in Captain Carey, U.S.A. (1950), The Gangster We Made (1950), As Young as You Feel (1951), Cave of Outlaws (1951), Retreat, Hell! (1952), and The Winning Team (1952).[8]

1953–1962: MGM and leading roles

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

MGM was impressed by Tamblyn's performance in Retreat, Hell! and signed him to a long-term contract.[9] He called this "the second big break" of his career.[8]

His first role under the contract was as a young soldier in boot camp in Take the High Ground! (1953), directed by Richard Brooks.[10] His training as a gymnast in high school, and abilities as an acrobat, prepared him for his breakout role as Gideon, the youngest brother, in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954).[11] Tamblyn says the director wanted to cast a Broadway dancer but MGM insisted the filmmakers use some contract talent, leading to him and Jeff Richards being used.[8]

Tamblyn was not a trained dancer and always considered himself an actor who danced rather than the other way around,[11] but the film was a big success and established him at MGM. He said "my career really took off" after the film.[8]

Tamblyn was one of many studio contract players in the musical Deep in My Heart (1954). He played Eleanor Parker's brother in the Western Many Rivers to Cross (1955), and was one of several young MGM actors (others included Jane Powell and Debbie Reynolds) in the musical Hit the Deck (1955).[8]

Tamblyn in Peyton Place (1957)

Tamblyn supported older actors in two Westerns: Robert Taylor and Stewart Granger in The Last Hunt (1956), a flop; and Glenn Ford and Broderick Crawford in The Fastest Gun Alive (1956), a big hit, where he performed an extraordinary "shovel" dance at a hoe-down early in the film.[12][13][14] He served (uncredited) as a choreographer for Elvis Presley in 1957's Jailhouse Rock. MGM loaned Tamblyn to Allied Artists for his first star role, The Young Guns (1957). Back at MGM he supported Glenn Ford and Gia Scala in Don't Go Near the Water (1957), a comedy set among members of the U.S. Navy.[3]

20th Century Fox borrowed Tamblyn to play Norman Page in Peyton Place (1957), opposite Lana Turner and Diane Varsi. For his performance he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.[3] Immediately after filming that, Tamblyn went to England to play the title role in the musical Tom Thumb (1958), made for George Pal. When he returned, MGM immediately cast him as the lead in High School Confidential (1958), which was a solid hit.[15]

Tamblyn's career momentum was interrupted when he was drafted into the United States Army in 1958.[16] During his service he was given leave to play a prominent supporting part in Cimarron (1960).

Tamblyn's best-known musical role came as Riff, the leader of the Jets street gang in West Side Story (1961).[3] He then appeared in two MGM Cinerama movies, The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm, again for Pal, and How the West Was Won (both 1962).

Tamblyn played Luke Sannerson in The Haunting for Robert Wise, who had made West Side Story. Tamblyn said he originally turned down the role as he disliked the part but agreed to do it when MGM threatened to put him on suspension. He then played "Smitty" Smith in MGM's Follow the Boys (both 1963).[17]

1963–1976: Television and independent films

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Tamblyn was unable to consolidate his position as a leading man, and later said he "dropped out" after his West Side Story success and devoted himself to art, refusing movie roles, as well as the role of Gilligan in the TV series Gilligan's Island.[18]

In the 1960s he appeared in the TV series The Greatest Show on Earth ("Silent Love, Secret Love"; 1963), and Channing ("The Last Testament of Buddy Crown"; 1963). Tamblyn played a Viking alongside Richard Widmark and Sidney Poitier in The Long Ships (1965). Also in 1965 he appeared in Burke's Law ("Who Killed Rosie Sunset?") and Days of Our Lives.[19]

Tamblyn had the starring role in the low-budget MGM Western Son of a Gunfighter (1965) and starred in the 1966 Japanese kaiju film War of the Gargantuas. He guest starred on Tarzan ("Leopard on the Loose", 1966), and Iron Horse ("Decision at Sundown", 1967). Tamblyn later said he became "bored" with acting around this time and more interested in art.[11]

Tamblyn starred in the notorious biker movie Satan's Sadists (1969) for Al Adamson. He followed it with Scream Free! (1969), The Last Movie (1971), The Female Bunch (1971), and Dracula vs. Frankenstein (1971) for Adamson.[citation needed]

He appeared on TV in Cade's County ("Ragged Edge", 1972), Win, Place or Steal (1973), The World Through the Eyes of Children (1975), The Quest ("The Captive", 1976), The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams ("The Skyrider", 1978), and Nero Wolfe ("Before I Die", 1981). He was also in Black Heat (1976).[citation needed]

At the same time he worked in exploitation, Tamblyn also worked in the construction industry and computer software.[11]

1978–1989: Choreography and film

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Tamblyn played the supporting role in Neil Young's 1982 Human Highway while also credited for screenplay and choreography. Tamblyn is credited as director, choreographer and actor for Young's Greendale concert tour.[20] He choreographed a play, Man with Bags, in 1983.[21]

Tamblyn appeared in the TV series Fame, Commando Squad (1987) for Fred Olen Ray, The Phantom Empire (1988), Necromancer (1988), B.O.R.N. (1988), The Bloody Monks (1988), and an episode of Quantum Leap. He was in Aftershock (1990) and Wizards of the Demon Sword (1991) for Fred Olen Ray.

1990–2004: Twin Peaks and other work

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Tamblyn at the 1990 Annual Primetime Emmy Awards

In 1990–91, Tamblyn starred as Dr. Lawrence Jacoby on the David Lynch-created series Twin Peaks (alongside his West Side Story co-star Richard Beymer, who played Ben Horne);[22] his scenes in the 1992 prequel film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me were cut.

He appeared in Running Mates (1992), Little Devils: The Birth (1993), Cabin Boy (1994), Desert Steel (1995), and Babylon 5. He appeared on stage in Los Angeles in Zastrozzi.[23] His work drifted back to straight to video: Starstruck (1995), Rebellious (1995), Attack of the 60 Foot Centerfold (1995) and Invisible Mom (1996) for Fred Olen Ray, Johnny Mysto: Boy Wizard (1997), My Ghost Dog (1997), and Little Miss Magic (1998) for Ray.

Tamblyn appeared on another soap opera, General Hospital, alongside his daughter Amber in 1997 and 2000. In 2004, he appeared with Amber again, playing God in the form of a man walking dogs, in three episodes of Joan of Arcadia.[24] The two also worked together in the films Rebellious, Johnny Mysto: Boy Wizard, and The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret. In Quentin Tarantino's film Django Unchained, they were billed respectively as "Son of a Gunfighter" and "Daughter of a Son of a Gunfighter", alluding to his leading role in the 1965 western Son of a Gunfighter.

In 2004, the Academy Film Archive preserved the mid-1960s works First Film and Rio Reel by Tamblyn.[25]

2005–present: Later roles

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Tamblyn had supporting roles in Drive (2011), Django Unchained (2012), and Hits (2014). He appeared several times in The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret,[26] and in the revival of Twin Peaks (2017).[27]

Personal life

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Tamblyn married actress Venetia Stevenson in 1956, but they divorced the next year.[28] In 1960 he married Elizabeth Kempton, a showgirl, in Las Vegas.[29][30] In later years, Tamblyn discovered he had a daughter from a 1960s relationship with artist and spiritual practitioner Elizabeth Anne Vigil. That daughter, China Faye Tamblyn, is an artist and heavy metal welder who lives in California. Tamblyn did not meet her until she was a teenager and only after the birth of his second child, actress and author Amber Tamblyn, who was born in 1983 to his third wife, Bonnie Murray.[31]

In 2012, it was announced that Tamblyn was working on an autobiography, Dancing On The Edge.[32] The book was released in 2024.[33]

Tamblyn underwent open heart surgery in October 2014. There were complications afterward and during his rehabilitation, but his health had reportedly improved by February 2015.[34]

Filmography

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Film

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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 Sadists 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[citation needed] 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

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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

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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

References

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  1. ^ Willis & Monush 2010, p. 405.
  2. ^ Cullen, Hackman & McNeilly 2006, p. 1085.
  3. ^ a b c d "Russ Tamblyn Biography". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
  4. ^ a b c Lamparski 1985, p. 172.
  5. ^ a b "N.H. Boy Takes 'Stone Jungle' Coronet Role". Valley Times. North Hollywood, California. April 26, 1948. Retrieved July 10, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "The Life Story of RUSS TAMBLYN". Picture Show (64): 12. June 18, 1955. ProQuest 1879618880. Closed access icon
  7. ^ a b Williams 1991, p. 70.
  8. ^ a b c d e Williams 1991, p. 71.
  9. ^ Hopper, Hedda (October 23, 1955). "Russ tamblyn rose fast the slow way". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 166841115. Closed access icon
  10. ^ Schallert, E. (June 26, 1953). "Norman corwin to script 'Holy Grail'; Tamblyn captures star chance". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 166501763. Closed access icon
  11. ^ a b c d Wheelock, J. (February 20, 1983). "DANCEWATCHING". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 153380686. Closed access icon
  12. ^ Hopper, Hedda (April 9, 1955). "Sinatra and Debbie Reynolds to Co-Star in 'Tender Trap'". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 12.
  13. ^ By, R. N. (February 29, 1956). "Dancer? tumbler? actor?". The Christian Science Monitor. ProQuest 509367110. Closed access icon
  14. ^ Russ Tamblyn's Unforgettable "Shovel Dance" from The Fastest Gun Alive. Turner Classic Movies. July 12, 2024.
  15. ^ Williams 1991, p. 72.
  16. ^ Hopper, Hedda (September 21, 1958). "HE'S IN THE ARMY NOW!". Chicago Daily Tribune. ProQuest 182140007. Closed access icon
  17. ^ Williams 1991, p. 73.
  18. ^ Hughes, Mike (August 2, 1990). "Russ Tamblyn Has 'Peak' Performance". Lansing State Journal. p. 74. Retrieved September 29, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ Williams 1991, pp. 73–74.
  20. ^ Russ Tamblyn's Official Site: Welcome Archived April 21, 2018, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved September 16, 2007
  21. ^ Brown, Joe (August 3, 1983). "Tumblin' Tamblyn". The Washington Post. Closed access icon
  22. ^ Wheelock, Julie (April 6, 1990). "'Twin Peaks' Stars Tamblyn, Beymer Share Twin Experience : Television: Actors at work on ABC series share a common bond . . . their roles in 'West Side Story' almost 30 years ago". LA Times. Archived from the original on April 14, 2018. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  23. ^ Stayton, Richard (September 17, 1993). "Savvy cast can't shed light on 'Zastrozzi'". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 1851816795. Closed access icon
  24. ^ Tribune, M. S. (September 9, 2000). "Russ Tamblyn Joins Daughter on 'GH'". Chicago Tribune. ProQuest 419235985. Closed access icon
  25. ^ "Preserved Projects". Academy Film Archive.
  26. ^ Ferguson, LaToya (January 14, 2016). "Todd Margaret is forever doomed if he does, doomed if he doesn't". The A.V. Club. Onion, Inc. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  27. ^ "Who's who in Twin Peaks Season 3: The Return? A character guide for the confused". Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group Limited. June 13, 2017. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  28. ^ Lamparski 1985, p. 165.
  29. ^ "People: Marriages". The Cincinnati Enquirer. May 10, 1960. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  30. ^ "Milestones". Time. May 23, 1960. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
  31. ^ "Russ Tamblyn doesn't have to prove how cool he is". CBS News. April 25, 2021.
  32. ^ Beck, Kim (October 28, 2012). "'West Side Story' Star Russ Tamblyn". American Profile. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
  33. ^ Tambylyn, Russ (April 9, 2024). "'Dancing on the Edge". Blackstone Publishing. Retrieved October 7, 2024.
  34. ^ "David Lynch And Mark Frost Want Russ Tamblyn Back As Dr. Jacoby In The New Twin Peaks!". February 24, 2015.

Works cited

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