Russell Irving "Russ" Tamblyn is an American film and television actor and
dancer, who is 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. Early life and career in films
Tamblyn was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of actors Sally
Aileen and Eddie Tamblyn. He is the older brother of Larry Tamblyn, organist
for the 1960s band The Standells. Discovered at the age of ten by actor
Lloyd Bridges after acting in a play, Tamblyn's first film appearance was a
small non-speaking role in 1948's The Boy With Green Hair. He also appeared on
The Ed Sullivan Show as a child. He portrayed the young Saul in Cecil B.
DeMille's 1949 version of Samson and Delilah. He played the younger version
of John Dall's character in the 1950 film noir Gun Crazy. Later the same
year, he had a minor role as Elizabeth Taylor's younger brother in Father of
the Bride, as well as in the sequel, released the following year, Father's
Little Dividend. He also played a young soldier in boot camp in 1953's Take the
High Ground!. 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 1954's Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.
He appeared with Glenn Ford and Broderick Crawford in The Fastest Gun
Alive, where he performed an extraordinary "shovel" dance at a
hoe-down early in the film. Though uncredited, he served as a choreographer
for Elvis Presley in 1957's Jailhouse Rock. Tamblyn portrayed Norman Page in
the 1957 film of Peyton Place, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award
for Best Supporting Actor. He then played Tony Baker in 1958's High School
Confidential prior to his being drafted into the US Army. His performances in
film musicals have included the title role in 1958's Tom Thumb and Danny, one
of the sailors in the 1955 film version of Hit the Deck. His most famous musical
role was Riff, the leader of the Jets in West Side Story.
In 1960, he portrayed The Cherokee Kid in Cimarron. He appeared in two 1962
MGM-Cinerama movies, The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm and How the West
Was Won. He was seen the next year as Orm in The Long Ships, as Luke Sanderson
in The Haunting, and as Lt. "Smitty" Smith in Follow the Boys. Tamblyn
starred in the 1966 Japanese kaiju film War of the Gargantuas. He appeared in
the horror film Necromancer in 1988. 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
Neil Young's Greendale concert tour. In 2011, he portrayed "Doc" in the
action-thriller film Drive. Television roles
From 1990–91, Tamblyn starred as Dr. Lawrence Jacoby on the David
Lynch-created series Twin Peaks, though his scenes in the 1992 film Twin Peaks:
Fire Walk with Me were cut. In 1999, he portrayed Dr. Hayden on the
soap opera Days of Our Lives, and in 2000, he appeared with his daughter
Amber on another soap opera, General Hospital, as the character he portrayed
ten years earlier on Twin Peaks. He also appeared on General Hospital in 1997
dancing with his daughter Amber during the Nurses Ball. In 2004 he appeared
with Amber again, playing the "Dog Walker God" manifestation of God
encountered by her in three episodes of Joan of Arcadia.
Tamblyn has also appeared in television series such as Tarzan, Fame, Quantum
Leap, Nash Bridges and in Babylon 5. Russ Tamblyn also played Chuck Margaret
on The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret. The producers of Twin
Peaks are hoping for him to reprise his role in the upcoming revival, but due to
heart problems, his return is not likely.
Personal life He has been married three times and has
two children from his first and third marriages.
He is the father of actress Amber Tamblyn, who played the starring role in
the CBS television series Joan of Arcadia and Two and a Half Men from 2013
to the series finale episode. Tamblyn acted opposite his daughter in several
episodes of the former as God in the form of a man walking dogs. The two have
also worked together in Rebellious, Johnny Mysto: Boy Wizard, and in The
Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret. Russ and Amber also both have
cameos in Quentin Tarantino's film Django Unchained, billed as "Son of a
Gunfighter" and "Daughter of a Son of a Gunfighter" respectively, an allusion to
Russ's leading role in the 1965 western Son of a Gunfighter.
Currently he is working on his autobiography, titled Dancing On The
Edge. According to his official website, he is half way done with the book and
just completed the chapter on his experiences making West Side Story.
Tamblyn underwent open heart surgery in October 2014. There were complications
following the surgery and during the rehabilitation, although his health had
reportedly improved as of February 2015. Filmography
Awards and nominations References
External links Official website
Russ Tamblyn at the Internet Movie Database
NNDB page