Russ Tamblyn-”Dancing on the Edge: A Journey of Living, Loving, and Tumbling through Hollywood” (Blackstone Publishing)
He’s gone from “the Boy with Green Hair” to the dancer with red hair in ”Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” to the Jet with an attitude in “West Side Story” and the steamy “Peyton Place”; made kiddie movies and serious ones, B-movies, and worked forever on a movie with his friend of half a century, rocker Neil Young.
Russ Tamblyn-”Dancing on the Edge: A Journey of Living, Loving, and Tumbling through Hollywood” (Blackstone Publishing)
He’s gone from “the Boy with Green Hair” to the dancer with red hair in ”Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” to the Jet with an attitude in “West Side Story” and the steamy “Peyton Place”; made kiddie movies and serious ones, B-movies, and worked forever on a movie with his friend of half a century, rocker Neil Young.
His life-long friends (almost from womb to tomb) included actors Dean Stockwell , Dennis Hopper, Natalie Wood, Debbie Reynolds, Bobby Driscoll, Margaret O’Brien, Glenn Ford and George Chakiris. He was complimented by legendary dancers like Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly, and cheographed by Jerome Robbins. He was pals with Chet Baker, Sidney Poitier, and legendary playwright Henry Miller, and was directed by Cecil B, DeMille and Lloyd Bridges when he was a young man. He became an avante-gard artist under the tutelage and friendship of Wallace Berman.
At age 89 Russ Tamblyn is ready to tell his story, warts and all: two failed marriages in his youth due largely to his serial promiscuity and his occasional rage (inherited from his dad, a frustrated actor); his two-year stint in the US Army (like his pal Elvis); his lean years as an actor as he searched for his place in the world; his delight at becoming a father to two lovely daughters (and became known as their dad rather than an international dancing actor); David Lynch and Twin Peaks; building a lasting and loving relationship with his third wife; and accepting the physical limitations of aging gracefully.
He had the talent and the opportunity to work alongside some of the legendary figures in movies and musicals of the post WWII era to this day, and he tells what was the best thing about doing shows like West Side Story. (It’s my very favorite movie, ever). Tamblynn also writes that his acrobatic ability and fearless attitude proved enormously important in his career in movie musicals; and he tells which was the most challenging song to do. The Long Ships was a very cool movie to watch but it had some serious dangers and disappointments. He shares the highs and lows of making it. Very importantly, he is justly proud of his two daughters and their success.
The stories he tells! A few years ago, Russ and George Chakiris being pushed in wheelchairs through a busy airport, these two great dancers, they snap their fingers and Bonnie sings “The Jets are gonna have their day tonight, the Sharks are gonna have their way, tonight!”, and the young man pushing Chakiris asked the name of the song. She told him, and they laughed. “we don’t rumble anymore”, Tamblyn says, “we ramble!”
There’s another story of how Russ found the guy who broke into his home and stole some personal stuff. At the trial, the public defender asked him one question: “Was the arresting officer’s name Krupke?” (this was an obvious reference to the song Tamblyn did in West Side Story, so Russ chuckled. The judge asked how to spell it, and another round of laughter arose. Ths serial burglar got 9 years in jail. )
It's a rollicking, painfully truthful story of a life of movies, theatre, and fine art, of mistakes made and friendships sealed, of loves won and lost. I had the privilege of talking to one of my favorite stars about his new book. Listen for it on the Morning Show on WTBF-FM, and check my podcast, onthebookshelf.podbean.com.
