Bing Russell

Bing Russell
Born	Neil Oliver Russell May 5, 1926(1926-05-05) Brattleboro, Vermont, U.S.
Died	April 8, 2003(2003-04-08) (aged 76) Thousand Oaks, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1951–1990
Spouse	Louise Julia Crone (1946-2003; his death; 4 children)

Bing Russell (May 5, 1926 – April 8, 2003) was an American actor and baseball club owner, and was the father of Golden Globe-nominated actor Kurt Russell.

Personal life

Russell was born Neil Oliver Russell in Brattleboro, Vermont, the son of Ruth Stewart (née Vogel) and Warren Oliver Russell. Russell always wanted to become an actor; he took drama at Brattleboro Middletown High School. He made his debut in Cavalry Patrol, and had some uncredited roles in his early career. Russell died from complications of cancer on April 8, 2003 in Thousand Oaks, California.

Career

Best known as Deputy Clem Foster on Bonanza (1959) and Robert in The Magnificent Seven (1960), he also played Vernon Presley to his son Kurt's Elvis Presley in the 1979 TV movie Elvis. Russell was the owner of the Portland Mavericks Baseball Club. Helming was the only independent team in the Class A Northwest League. Russell kept a 30-man roster because he believed that some of the players deserved to have one last season. His motto was fun.

Russell created a park that kept all corporate sponsorship outside the gates, hired the first female general manager in professional baseball, and hired the first Asian American GM/Manager. His team set a record for the highest attendance in Minor league history, and went on to win the pennant that year. Ex-major leaguers and never-weres who could not stop playing the game flocked to his June try-outs, which were always open to anyone that showed up.

Filmography

• Dick Tracy (1990) - Club Ritz Patron
• Tango & Cash (1989) - Van Driver
• Sunset (1988) - Studio Guard
• Overboard (1987) - Sheriff Earl (Elk Cove)
• Elvis (1979/I) (TV) - Vernon Presley
• The Loneliest Runner (1976) (TV) - Fred Dawkins
• Arthur Hailey's the Moneychangers (1976) (mini TV Series) - Timberwell
• The New Daughters of Joshua Cabe (1976) (TV)
• Little House on the Prairie (1976) (TV series) - Len Coty
• Petrocelli (1975) (TV series) - John Miller
• Emergency! (1973–1975) (TV series) - Capt Wilson
• The Streets of San Francisco (1973–1975) (TV series) - Dan Riggs
• The Apple Dumpling Gang (1975) - Herm Dally
• Mannix (1970–1974) (TV series) - George Enright
• The Rockford Files (1974) (TV series) - Lieutenant
• Death Sentence (1974) (TV) - Trooper
• The Sex Symbol (1974) (TV) - Public Relations Man
• A Cry in the Wilderness (1974) (TV) - Mr. Griffey
• Gunsmoke (1956–1974) (TV series) - Ed Shelby
• Runaway! (1973) (TV) - Fireman
• Satan's School for Girls (1973) (TV) - Sheriff
• The Mod Squad (1973) (TV series)
• Set This Town on Fire (1973) (TV) - Chuck
• Bonanza (1961–1973) (TV series) - Deputy Clem Foster
• Now You See Him, Now You Don't (1972) - Alfred
• Longstreet (1972) (TV series)
• Alias Smith and Jones (1972) (TV series) - Sheriff
• O'Hara, U.S. Treasury (1971) (TV series) - Bob Rasmussen
• A Taste of Evil (1971) (TV) - Sheriff
• The Million Dollar Duck (1971) - Mr. Smith
• Yuma (1971) (TV) (as Neil Russell) - Rol King
• The Young Lawyers (1970) (TV series) - McCracken
• Adam-12 (1969–1970) (TV series) - Johnson
• The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969) - Angelo
• The Virginian (1962–1969) (TV series) - Donovan
• Death Valley Days (1961–1969) (TV series) - Jack Alvord
• The Big Valley (1965–1969) (TV series) - Clint
• The Outcasts (1969) (TV series) - Grainer
• The Guns of Will Sonnett (1967–1969) (TV series) - Bartender
• The Love Bug (1968) (uncredited) - Race Track Starter
• Ironside (1968) (TV series) - Cal Bristold
• Journey to Shiloh (1968) - Greybeard
• Blackbeard's Ghost (1968) (uncredited) - Second Official
• Hondo (1967) (TV series) - Thompson
• Dundee and the Culhane (1967) (TV series) - H.P. Graham
• Ride to Hangman's Tree (1967) (uncredited) - Keller
• I Dream of Jeannie (1967) (TV series) - Amos Lincoln
• Run for Your Life (1966) (TV series) - Deputy
• The Monkees (1966) (TV series) - Rudy Gunther
• The Monroes (1966) (TV series)
• Billy the Kid versus Dracula (1966) - Dan 'Red' Thorpe
• Madame X (1966) - Police Sgt. Riley
• The Fugitive (1963–1966) (TV series) - Davis
• Incident at Phantom Hill (1966) (uncredited) - General's Aide
• Branded (1965–1966) (TV series) - Sheriff Gorman
• A Man Called Shenandoah (1965) (TV series) - Clem
• The Hallelujah Trail (1965) - Horner (miner)
• Combat! (1965) (TV series) - Gaines
• The Munsters (1965) (TV series) - The Second Ranger
• The Donna Reed Show (1964) (TV series) - Bill Gayley
• Cheyenne Autumn (1964) (uncredited) - Braden's Telegraph Operator
• One Man's Way (1964) - Tom Rayburn
• The Twilight Zone (1961–1963) (TV series) - Ben Braden
• The Stripper (1963) - Mr. Mulvaney
• G.E. True (1963) (TV series) - John Quigley
• Sam Benedict (1963) (TV series) - Len George
• Laramie (1960–1963) (TV series) - Reeves
• Stoney Burke (1963) (TV series) - Neeley
• The Andy Griffith Show (1963) (TV series) - Mr. Burton
• Stakeout! (1962) - Joe
• The Untouchables (1961–1962) (TV series) - Cavanaugh
• Have Gun - Will Travel (1958–1962) (TV series) - Andy Dawes
• Ben Casey (1962) (TV series) - John

• Alcoa Premiere (1962) (TV series) - Hogan
• Rawhide (1962) (TV series) - Jack Harris
• Bronco (1959–1962) (TV series) - Jeb Thomas
• The Blue Angels (1961) (TV series) - Denton in episode "The Duster"
• Surfside 6 (1961) (TV series) - Ron Kaslow
• The Brothers Brannagan (1961) (TV series) - Fenner in "Tough Guy"
• Saint of Devil's Island (1961)
• Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theater (1956–1960) (TV series) - Cole
• Maverick (1957–1962) (TV series) - Luke Storm
• The Magnificent Seven (1960) - Robert, (Henry's traveling companion)
• The Rifleman (1959–1960) (TV series) - Hode Evans & Sanchez
• Tate (1960) (TV series)
• Wrangler (1960) (TV series) - Ritter
• Shotgun Slade (1960) (TV series) - Deputy U.S. Marshal Benton
• Wanted: Dead or Alive (1959–1960) (TV series) - Billy Hemp
• The Alaskans (1960) (TV series) - Edward Carse
• Tales of Wells Fargo (TV series) - Captain Maynard
• Texas John Slaughter (1959) (TV series) - Arne
• Disneyland (1959) (TV series) - Arne
• Johnny Ringo (1959) (TV series) - Dick Walsh
• Black Saddle (1959) (TV series) - Ken Wilson
• The Texan (1959) (TV series) - Larry Boland
• Last Train from Gun Hill (1959) - Skag, Belden Hand
• The Horse Soldiers (1959) - Dunker, Yankee Soldier Amputee
• Colt .45 (1958–1959) (TV series) - Jack Lowden
• Rio Bravo (1959) (uncredited) - Cowboy murdered in saloon
• Good Day for a Hanging (1959) .... George Fletcher
• Northwest Passage (1958) (TV series) - Pvt. Ben Smith
• The Lineup (1958) (TV series) - Theodore
• Cattle Empire (1958) - Douglas Hamilton
• Sugarfoot (1958) (TV series) - Sergeant McKinnock
• The Loretta Young Show (1955–1958) (TV series) - Convict
• Suicide Battalion (1958) - Lt. Chet Hall
• The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1958) (TV series) - Sergeant Turner
• Flight (TV series)
• Suspicion (1957) (TV series) - Mechanic
• Ride a Violent Mile (1957) - Norman
• Tombstone Territory (1957) (TV series) - Ollie Williams
• Bombers B-52 (1957) (uncredited) - Operator
• Wagon Train (1957) (TV series) - Private Cullen
• Casey Jones (1957) (TV series) - Baylor
• Harbor Command (1957) (TV series)
• The Walter Winchell File (1957) (TV series)
• The Land Unknown (1957) (uncredited) - Radio operator
• The Web (1957) (TV series) - Police Officer
• Drango (1957) - Lieutenant with Supply Wagon
• Beau James (1957) (uncredited) - Reporter
• Playhouse 90 (1957) (TV series)
• The Deadly Mantis (1957) (uncredited) - State Trooper at Train & Bus Wrecks
• Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957) (uncredited) - Harry (Griffin bartender)
• The Silent Service (1957) (TV series) - Lieutenant Jackson
• The Ford Television Theatre (1957) (TV series) - Lieutenant Young
• Navy Log (1956–1957) (TV series) - Bob Harris
• Fear Strikes Out (1957) (uncredited) - Ballplayer Holding Trophy
• The True Story of Jesse James (1957) (uncredited) - Jayhawker Sergeant
• Teenage Thunder (1957) - Used-car salesman
• Highway Patrol (1956–1957) (TV series)
• Science Fiction Theatre (1956) (TV series)
• Behind the High Wall (1956) (uncredited) - Guard
• Cavalry Patrol (1956) (TV) - Jenner
• You Are There (1953–1955) (TV series) - Disheartened Soldier
• Soldier (1953) (TV series) - Sgt. Corbett
• Tarantula (1955) (uncredited) - Deputy
• Lucy Gallant (1955) (uncredited) - One of Casey's Air Force Buddies
• Kiss Me Deadly (1955) (uncredited) - Police Detective
• Crashout (1955) (uncredited) - Young Man with Girl in Bar
• The Public Defender (1954) (TV series) - 2nd Cop
• Big Leaguer (1953)
• The Living Christ Series (1951)

External links

• Bing Russell at the Internet Movie Database
• Bing Russell at TV.com
• Bing Russell at Find a Grave
• Bonanza Cast Biographies - Bing Russell
• The New York Times article