John Russell (actor)

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John Lawrence Russell (born January 3, 1921 in Los Angeles , California , †  January 19, 1991 ) was an American actor in film and television.

Life

Russell attended the University of California as a sports student. At the beginning of the Second World War he went to the United States Marines , with whom he took part as a lieutenant in the Battle of Guadalcanal . He returned home a highly decorated veteran.

For the film, he was discovered by a talent scout while visiting a restaurant in Beverly Hills . He first appeared in front of the camera in 1945 after receiving a contract with 20th Century Fox . Russell worked primarily as a supporting actor in western roles and later went to the film company Republic Pictures . In 1952 he had his first leading role alongside Judy Canova in Oklahoma Annie . In 1955 he got the lead role in the television drama Soldiers of Fortune . These half-hour broadcasts put him and his partner, played by Chick Chandler , on dangerous jungle adventures. The show was canceled in 1957 due to a lack of adult audience interest.

The following year, 1958, Russell was put in his most famous role: Marshal Dan Troop, actor of the ABC western series Lawman . His companion was Deputy Marshal Johnny McKay, played by Peter Brown . In 1959, he played one of his best-known film roles as a villain in Howard Hawk's western Rio Bravo alongside John Wayne , Dean Martin and Walter Brennan . In the 1960s to 1980s he then appeared in more than 20 films as a supporting actor, including three films by his friend Clint Eastwood .

John Russell died of emphysema and was buried in Los Angeles National Cemetery.

Filmography (selection)

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Russell, John
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Russell, John Lawrence (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION US-American actor
DATE OF BIRTH January 3, 1921
PLACE OF BIRTH Los Angeles , California
DATE OF DEATH January 19, 1991
Place of death Los Angeles , California