Born 1934 in Los Angeles, California, American actor and dancer Russ 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.
In 2012, it was announced that Tamblyn was working on an autobiography, Dancing On The Edge. He underwent open heart surgery in October 2014. There were complications afterward and during his rehabilitation, but his health had reportedly improved by February 2015.
Take a look at these vintage photos to see portraits of young Russ Tamblyn in the 1950s and 1960s.
He looks best sitting in my garden guarding the lupines.
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