My Take
Russ Tamblyn is one of those guys who genuinely did it all — and did it better than most people remember. Born in Los Angeles in 1934, he grew up practically inside Hollywood, and it shows: by the time he played Riff in West Side Story (1961) he was already a seasoned pro, flipping and tumbling across the screen with an energy that made everyone else look a little stiff. His gymnast background gave him a physical fearlessness that pure dancers couldn't fake. He'd already charmed audiences in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and earned an Oscar nomination for Tom Thumb, so Riff wasn't a breakout role so much as a confirmation. Then decades later a whole new generation found him as the eccentric Dr. Jacoby in Twin Peaks, and somehow that role fit him just as naturally. Range like that across six-plus decades is genuinely rare, and Tamblyn pulls it off without ever seeming like he's trying hard.
Overview
Russell Irving Tamblyn (born December 30, 1934), also known as Rusty Tamblyn, is an American film and television actor and dancer. Born and raised in Los Angeles, 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).
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Russ Tamblyn
- Name (Japanese)
- ラス・タンブリン
- Reading
- らす・たんぶりん
- Born
- December 30, 1934 (age 91)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Capricorn / Dog
- Origin
- Los Angeles, California, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- actor / stage actor / television actor / film actor
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- North Hollywood High School
- University
- Private
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.