Russ Tamblyn

Biography

Russ Tamblyn is an American actor and dancer who grew up in Los Angeles and trained as a gymnast and dancer as a child. He began as a child actor at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, with a small part in The Boy with Green Hair (1948) and young Saul in Samson and Delilah (1949), which he called a big break. He played the young Bart Tare in Gun Crazy (1950) and appeared in Father of the Bride (1950), then signed a long-term MGM contract. His breakout was Gideon in the musical Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954), and he earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor as Norman Page in Peyton Place (1957). He played Riff, leader of the Jets, in West Side Story (1961), and later took roles in The Haunting (1963) and 1970s exploitation films before choreographing and playing Dr. Lawrence Jacoby in Twin Peaks and its 2017 revival. His later films include Drive (2011) and Hits (2014).

91years old

Turns 92 on December 30in 78 days

Born December 30, 1934Los Angeles
Star sign: CapricornThe sign runs December 22 to January 19
Russell Irving Tamblyn (birth name)Also credited as Russel Irving Tamblyn

Movie Career

Films: 32
Career span: 66 years1948 to 2014

Genres

Drama53%, 17 films
Comedy34%, 11 films
Romance19%, 6 films
Adventure16%, 5 films
Crime16%, 5 films

First and latest

Photos

Did you know?!

First role
Tamblyn got his first professional job at ten, cast by actor Lloyd Bridges in The Stone Jungle, a play Bridges was directing, with Dickie Moore. Talent scouts and an agent saw him during the run and signed him.
Big break
Tamblyn called his small part as young Saul in Cecil B. DeMille's Samson and Delilah a big break, saying he worked a lot after it.
A role that slipped away
Tamblyn turned down the role of Gilligan in Gilligan's Island, and after West Side Story he dropped out and refused movie roles to devote himself to art.
Behind the camera
Tamblyn was credited with the screenplay and choreography on Neil Young's 1982 film Human Highway, and as director, choreographer and actor on Young's Greendale concert tour.

Russ Tamblyn movies on Netflix

Hits2014IMDb rating 5.8as Dale
Drive2011IMDb rating 7.8as Doc
Attack of the 60 Foot Centerfold1995IMDb rating 4.0as Gas Attendant
Cabin Boy1994IMDb rating 5.4as Chocki
Necromancer1988IMDb rating 4.5as Charles DeLonge
The Phantom Empire1988IMDb rating 4.2as Bill
Cyclone1987IMDb rating 4.5
Human Highway1982IMDb rating 5.8as Fred Kelly
Dracula vs. Frankenstein1971IMDb rating 3.5as Rico
The Female Bunch1971IMDb rating 4.4as Bill
The Last Movie1971IMDb rating 6.1as Member of Billy's gang
Satan's Sadists1969IMDb rating 4.8as Anchor
The War of the Gargantuas1966IMDb rating 6.1as Dr. Paul Stewart
The Long Ships1964IMDb rating 6.0as Orm
The Haunting1963IMDb rating 7.4as Luke Sanderson
The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm1962IMDb rating 6.5as The Woodsman (segment "The Dancing Princess") / Tom Thumb
West Side Story1961IMDb rating 7.6as Riff
Cimarron1960IMDb rating 6.4as William Hardy, The Cherokee Kid
High School Confidential!1958IMDb rating 6.1as Tony Baker / Mike Wilson
Tom Thumb1958IMDb rating 6.5as Tom Thumb
Peyton Place1957IMDb rating 7.2as Norman Page
The Fastest Gun Alive1956IMDb rating 7.1as Eric Doolittle
The Last Hunt1956IMDb rating 6.8as Jimmy O'Brien
Many Rivers to Cross1955IMDb rating 6.2as Shields
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers1954IMDb rating 7.3as Gideon Pontipee
Take the High Ground!1953IMDb rating 6.0as Paul Jamison
As Young as You Feel1951IMDb rating 6.5as Willie McKinley
Father's Little Dividend1951IMDb rating 6.5as Tommy Banks
Father of the Bride1950IMDb rating 7.1as Tommy Banks
Gun Crazy1950IMDb rating 7.6as Bart Tare (age 14)
Samson and Delilah1949IMDb rating 6.8as Saul
The Boy with Green Hair1948IMDb rating 6.7as Classmate

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

Top

West Side Story1961 Crime, Drama, Musical, Romanceas Riff
IMDb rating 7.6129K votes
Drive2011 Crime, Dramaas Doc
IMDb rating 7.8774K votes
The Haunting1963as Luke Sanderson
IMDb rating 7.445K votes
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers1954as Gideon Pontipee
IMDb rating 7.328K votes
Tom Thumb1958as Tom Thumb
IMDb rating 6.53.2K votes
The War of the Gargantuas1966as Dr. Paul Stewart
IMDb rating 6.14.1K votes
The Long Ships1964as Orm
IMDb rating 6.03.5K votes
The Fastest Gun Alive1956as Eric Doolittle
IMDb rating 7.14.2K votes

Most often with

Al Adamson directed three of these films, Fred Olen Ray three and Robert Wise two. Four actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top

Dean Stockwell

Moroni Olsen

Michelle Bauer

Regina Carrol

Dennis Hopper

Glenn Ford

Al AdamsonDirector, 3 films

Fred Olen RayDirector, 3 films

Robert WiseDirector, 2 films

Films together

Dean Stockwell3 films together, 1948 to 1982
Dean Stockwell's page
- Human Highway1982IMDb rating 5.8Tamblyn as Fred KellyStockwell as Otto Quartz
- The Last Movie1971IMDb rating 6.1Tamblyn as Member of Billy's gangStockwell as Billy the Kid
- The Boy with Green Hair1948IMDb rating 6.7Tamblyn as ClassmateStockwell as Peter
Moroni Olsen3 films together, 1949 to 1951
Moroni Olsen's page
- Father's Little Dividend1951IMDb rating 6.5Tamblyn as Tommy BanksOlsen as Herbert Dunstan
- Father of the Bride1950IMDb rating 7.1Tamblyn as Tommy BanksOlsen as Herbert Dunstan
- Samson and Delilah1949IMDb rating 6.8Tamblyn as SaulOlsen as Targil
Michelle Bauer3 films together, 1987 to 1995
Michelle Bauer's page
- Attack of the 60 Foot Centerfold1995IMDb rating 4.0Tamblyn as Gas AttendantBauer as Dr. Joyce Mann
- The Phantom Empire1988IMDb rating 4.2Tamblyn as BillBauer as Cave Bunny
- Cyclone1987IMDb rating 4.5Bauer as Shower Girl
Regina Carrol3 films together, 1969 to 1971
Regina Carrol's page
- Dracula vs. Frankenstein1971IMDb rating 3.5Tamblyn as RicoCarrol as Judith Fontaine
- The Female Bunch1971IMDb rating 4.4Tamblyn as BillCarrol as Libby(Gina Carol)
- Satan's Sadists1969IMDb rating 4.8Tamblyn as AnchorCarrol as Gina
Dennis Hopper2 films together, 1971 to 1982
Dennis Hopper's page
- Human Highway1982IMDb rating 5.8Tamblyn as Fred KellyHopper as Cracker / Stranger
- The Last Movie1971IMDb rating 6.1Tamblyn as Member of Billy's gangHopper as Kansas
Glenn Ford2 films together, 1956 to 1960
Glenn Ford's page
- Cimarron1960IMDb rating 6.4Tamblyn as William Hardy, The Cherokee KidFord as Yancey 'Cimarron' Cravat
- The Fastest Gun Alive1956IMDb rating 7.1Tamblyn as Eric DoolittleFord as George Temple / George Kelby, Jr.
Al AdamsonDirector, 3 films, 1969 to 1971
All films by Al Adamson
- Dracula vs. Frankenstein1971IMDb rating 3.5Tamblyn as Rico
- The Female Bunch1971IMDb rating 4.4Tamblyn as Bill
- Satan's Sadists1969IMDb rating 4.8Tamblyn as Anchor
Fred Olen RayDirector, 3 films, 1987 to 1995
All films by Fred Olen Ray
- Attack of the 60 Foot Centerfold1995IMDb rating 4.0Tamblyn as Gas Attendant
- The Phantom Empire1988IMDb rating 4.2Tamblyn as Bill
- Cyclone1987IMDb rating 4.5
Robert WiseDirector, 2 films, 1961 to 1963
All films by Robert Wise
- The Haunting1963IMDb rating 7.4Tamblyn as Luke Sanderson
- West Side Story1961IMDb rating 7.6Tamblyn as Riff
Also two films together29 more actors
- Jeffrey CombsThe Phantom Empire (1988) and Cyclone (1987)
- Lon Chaney Jr.Dracula vs. Frankenstein (1971) and The Female Bunch (1971)
- Richard WidmarkThe Long Ships (1964) and Take the High Ground! (1953)
- Ian WolfeThe Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm (1962) and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)
- Elizabeth TaylorFather's Little Dividend (1951) and Father of the Bride (1950)
- Spencer TracyFather's Little Dividend (1951) and Father of the Bride (1950)
- Paul HarveyFather's Little Dividend (1951) and Father of the Bride (1950)
- Lloyd NolanPeyton Place (1957) and The Last Hunt (1956)
- Rhys WilliamsThe Fastest Gun Alive (1956) and Many Rivers to Cross (1955)
- Claire BloomThe Haunting (1963) and The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm (1962)
- Robert TaylorThe Last Hunt (1956) and Many Rivers to Cross (1955)
- Billie BurkeFather's Little Dividend (1951) and Father of the Bride (1950)
- Clinton SundbergThe Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm (1962) and As Young as You Feel (1951)
- Joan BennettFather's Little Dividend (1951) and Father of the Bride (1950)
- Robert QuarryThe Phantom Empire (1988) and Cyclone (1987)
- Oskar HomolkaThe Long Ships (1964) and The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm (1962)
- Allyn JoslynThe Fastest Gun Alive (1956) and As Young as You Feel (1951)
- Ross HagenAttack of the 60 Foot Centerfold (1995) and The Phantom Empire (1988)
- Gary KentDracula vs. Frankenstein (1971) and Satan's Sadists (1969)
- Dawn WildsmithThe Phantom Empire (1988) and Cyclone (1987)
- Marietta CantyFather's Little Dividend (1951) and Father of the Bride (1950)
- Ralph MoodyThe Last Hunt (1956) and Many Rivers to Cross (1955)
- Don TaylorFather's Little Dividend (1951) and Father of the Bride (1950)
- John 'Bud' CardosThe Female Bunch (1971) and Satan's Sadists (1969)
- Greydon ClarkDracula vs. Frankenstein (1971) and Satan's Sadists (1969)
- Jacqulin ColeThe Female Bunch (1971) and Satan's Sadists (1969)
- Albert ColeDracula vs. Frankenstein (1971) and The Female Bunch (1971)
- Jeff RichardsMany Rivers to Cross (1955) and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)
- Tom IrishFather's Little Dividend (1951) and Father of the Bride (1950)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Russ Tamblyn's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

Top

Combined worldwide box office

$159 million

8 of the 32 films have a worldwide figure.

8Worldwide figure
5US gross only
19Figure not found

Top grosser

Drive2011Doc$79.7 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Drive2011as Doc
$80M50.3% of the total
2
West Side Story1961as Riff
$44M27.6% of the total
3
Samson and Delilah1949as Saul
$12M7.3% of the total
4
Cimarron1960as William Hardy, The Cherokee Kid
$11M6.9% of the total
5
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers1954as Gideon Pontipee
$5.0M3.2% of the total
6
Cabin Boy1994as Chocki
$3.7M2.3% of the total
7
The War of the Gargantuas1966as Dr. Paul Stewart
$3.0M1.9% of the total
8
The Haunting1963as Luke Sanderson
$1.0M0.6% of the total