Russ Tamblyn Biography

Fast Facts

• Studied tap dancing as a child
• Discovered at age 10 by actor Lloyd Bridges; landed his first stage role in the play Stone Jungle directed by Bridges
• Trained in gymnastics while attending North Hollywood High School
• In 1948, made his big-screen debut in The Boy With Green Hair, a comedy-drama about a young war orphan whose hair has changed color overnight
• Originally auditioned for the part of Tony in West Side Story(1961); the role ultimately went to Richard Beymar
• Pursued a career as an artist in the mid-1960s; his work has been showcased in numerous gallery exhibitions and museums, including the Los Angles Institute of Contemporary Art and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art
• In 2002, took part in Neil Young's Greendale concert tour as director, choreographer and actor