1926-05-05 Brattleboro, Vermont, USA
Although best known as the deputy on Bonanza (1959) and Robert in The Magnificent Seven (1960), Russell's was also well known on a national level as the owner of the Portland Mavericks Baseball Club. Helming the only independent team in the class A Northwest League, Russell was an innovator. Before Bull Durham (1988), there were the Mavericks. Russell kept a 30 man roster because he believed that some of the players deserved to have one last season. His motto was simply one three lettered word - not WIN - although the Mavericks did just that - no, the word was FUN. He created a park that kept all corporate sponsorship outside the gates, hired the first female general manager in professional baseball, and the following year hired the first Asian American GM/Manager. That same season his team set a record for the highest attendance in Minor league history, and went on to win the pennant. Ex-major leaguers and never-weres who couldn't stop playing the game flocked to his June tryouts, which were always open to anyone that showed up. From as far away as Capetown, and France, players would head to Portland for a chance with Russell's Mavericks.
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The Battered Bastards of Baseball | Himself (Archive Footage) | 2014-01-20 |
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Dick Tracy | Club Ritz Patron | 1990-04-05 |
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Tango & Cash | Van Driver | 1989-12-22 |
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Sunset | Studio Guard | 1988-04-29 |
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Overboard | Elk Cove: Sheriff Earl | 1987-12-16 |
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Elvis | Vernon Presley | 1979-02-10 |
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The Loneliest Runner | Fred Dawkins | 1976-12-20 |
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The New Daughters of Joshua Cabe | 1976-05-29 | |
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The Apple Dumpling Gang | Herm Dally | 1975-07-01 |
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The Sex Symbol | Public Relations Man | 1974-09-17 |
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A Cry in the Wilderness | Mr. Griffey | 1974-03-26 |
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Death Sentence | Trooper | 1974-10-02 |
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Satan's School for Girls | Sheriff | 1973-09-19 |
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Set This Town on Fire | Chuck | 1973-01-08 |
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Runaway! | Fireman | 1973-09-29 |
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Now You See Him, Now You Don't | Alfred | 1972-07-12 |
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Yuma | Rol King (as Neil Russell) | 1971-03-02 |
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A Taste of Evil | Sheriff | 1971-10-11 |
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The Million Dollar Duck | Mr. Smith | 1971-06-30 |
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The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes | Angelo | 1969-12-29 |
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Journey to Shiloh | Greybeard | 1968-05-10 |
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Blackbeard's Ghost | Second Track Meet Official | 1968-02-08 |
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Madame X | Sergeant Riley | 1966-03-03 |
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The Hallelujah Trail | Horner | 1965-06-23 |
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Cheyenne Autumn | Braden's Telegraph Operator (uncredited) | 1964-10-15 |
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One Man's Way | Tom Rayburn | 1964-02-26 |
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A Gathering of Eagles | 1963-06-21 | |
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The Stripper | Mr. Mulvaney | 1963-06-19 |
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Flashing Spikes | Hogan | 1962-10-04 |
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Stakeout! | Joe | 1962-10-01 |
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How the West Was Won | Man (uncredited) | 1962-11-02 |
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The Magnificent Seven | Robert | 1960-10-12 |
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The Great Impostor | Morgan (uncredited) | 1960-12-23 |
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The Horse Soldiers | Dunker, Yankee Soldier Amputee | 1959-06-11 |
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Good Day for a Hanging | George Fletcher | 1959-01-01 |
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Rio Bravo | Cowboy Murdered in Saloon (uncredited) | 1959-03-18 |
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Last Train from Gun Hill | Skag, Belden Hand | 1959-07-29 |
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Suicide Battalion | Lt. Chet Hall | 1958-02-28 |
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Cattle Empire | Douglas Hamilton | 1958-04-01 |
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Teenage Thunder | Used-Car Salesman | 1957-01-01 |
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Ride a Violent Mile | Corporal Norman | 1957-11-24 |
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Bombers B-52 | Operator (uncredited) | 1957-11-22 |
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Drango | Lieutenant with Supply Wagon | 1957-01-01 |
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The Deadly Mantis | State Trooper | 1957-05-01 |
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The Land Unknown | Radio Operator (uncredited) | 1957-10-15 |
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Attack | Medic | 1956-09-19 |
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Cult of the Cobra | 1955-03-30 | |
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A Life at Stake | Bartender (uncredited) | 1955-03-01 |
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Big Leaguer | 1953-08-19 |