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Bing Russell
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Bing Russell
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Neil Oliver "Bing" Russell (May 5, 1926 – April 8, 2003)[1] was an American actor and Class A minor-league baseball club owner. He was the father of Hollywood actor Kurt Russell and grandfather of ex–major league baseball player Matt Franco and actor Wyatt Russell.[citation needed]

Key Information

Early life

[edit]

Russell was born in Brattleboro, Vermont, the son of Ruth Stewart (née Vogel) and Warren Oliver Russell. He always wanted to become an actor and studied drama at Brattleboro High School. He grew up around the New York Yankees' spring training camp in St. Petersburg, Florida, in the 1930s and 1940s, where his father ran a floatplane service. As a result, he was an unofficial mascot of the New York Yankees, and became friendly with players including Lefty Gomez and Joe DiMaggio.[2][unreliable source?] When Lou Gehrig was weakened by illness, he gave Russell the bat he used to hit his last home run before retiring.[2][unreliable source?]

Russell graduated from Dartmouth College with a business degree.[3]

Career

[edit]

Russell made his debut in the film Cavalry Patrol, and had some uncredited roles in his early career.

Best known as Deputy Clem Foster on Bonanza (1959)[4] and Robert in The Magnificent Seven (1960), he guest-starred in episodes of many television series, including Playhouse 90, Highway Patrol, Wagon Train, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, The Loretta Young Show, Johnny Ringo, Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color, The Rifleman, Maverick, Zane Grey Theater, Route 66, Rawhide, Ben Casey, The Untouchables, Hazel, The Andy Griffith Show, The Twilight Zone, The Donna Reed Show, The Munsters, Gunsmoke, Combat!, Branded, The Fugitive, The Monkees, I Dream of Jeannie, Ironside, The Big Valley, Death Valley Days, Adam-12, The Virginian, Alias Smith and Jones, The Mod Squad, Mannix, The Rockford Files, The Streets of San Francisco, Emergency!, and Little House on the Prairie.

In 1963, he was cast as John Quigley, a Chicago mobster, in the episode "Five Tickets to Hell" of Jack Webb's CBS anthology series, GE True. In the storyline, Quigley travels to Chihuahua, Mexico, where he robs the mint of $500,000 and kills seven men in the commission of the crime. Police Lieutenant Juan Garcia (Carlos Romero) tracks down Quigley and his three accomplices. BarBara Luna also appears in the episode.[5][unreliable source?]

Russell appeared in the original pilot (filmed in November 1965) for The Monkees TV series as Rudy, a record store owner and the group's manager; after the show was greenlit by NBC, the concept of a manager was discarded and Russell's character was not retained. An edited version of this pilot, in which Russell appears, was broadcast as a regular episode of the first season, and is part of the show's syndication package to this day.

Russell much later played Vernon Presley to his son Kurt's Elvis Presley in the television movie, Elvis (1979). Kurt, as a child actor, had appeared with the real Elvis in the film It Happened at the World's Fair, and in a later interview recalled the singer-actor, professing to be a fan, asking to meet Bing, who had accompanied his son to the set.[6]

Russell owned the Portland Mavericks (1973–1977), the only independent team in the Short Season 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. He created a park that kept all corporate sponsorship outside the gates, hired the first female general manager, Lanny Moss[7] in professional baseball, and named the first Asian American GM/Manager. His team set a record for the highest attendance in minor league history, but lost the 1977 pennant to the Bellingham Mariners. Subsequently, Major League Baseball regained interest in Portland. The Albuquerque, NM franchise relocated to Portland (for nine years) and resurrected the Class AAA Portland Beavers name. The Portland area was recovered but was forced to pay $206,000 to Russell after he took the matter to arbitration; it was the biggest payout in baseball history for a minor league territory. 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 who showed up. The team and archival footage of Russell were featured in the documentary The Battered Bastards of Baseball (2014).

Personal life

[edit]

In 1945, while working at Teddy's Restaurant in Newport, New Hampshire, a coworker introduced Russell to his future wife, Louise "Lulu" Crone.[8] Russell and Crone married in 1946 and had four children together, including actor Kurt Russell.[9]

Death

[edit]

Russell died from complications of cancer on April 8, 2003, in Thousand Oaks, California.[10]

Recognition

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In 1974, the Sporting News named Russell minor league executive of the year.[3]

In 2020, he was inducted into the Hall of Great Westerners of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.[11]

Filmography

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Bing Russell

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Neil Oliver "Bing" Russell (May 5, 1926 – April 8, 2003) was an American actor and Class A minor-league baseball club owner, best known for portraying Deputy Sheriff Clem Foster in 57 episodes of the long-running Western television series Bonanza from 1961 to 1972. Born in Brattleboro, Vermont, Russell pursued acting after graduating from Dartmouth College in 1947 and briefly attending the Tuck School of Business in 1948, amassing more than 180 credits in television and film, including guest roles on shows like Gunsmoke, The Virginian, and The Mod Squad. In 1973, he founded and owned the independent Portland Mavericks baseball team in Oregon, leading it to four division titles in five seasons and earning recognition as Class A Executive of the Year, before its dissolution amid competition from major-league affiliates. Russell's early career included a stint as an errand boy for the New York Yankees, where he received a bat from Lou Gehrig that later sold at auction for over $400,000 in 2011, reflecting his lifelong passion for baseball that predated his Hollywood pursuits. He later briefly played minor-league baseball before an injury ended his playing career. He married Louise Julia Crone on October 5, 1946, and they remained together until his death; the couple had four children, including actor Kurt Russell, with whom Bing co-starred as Vernon Presley in the 1979 television movie Elvis. His other children were daughters Jill and Jody, and son Jami. Russell also appeared in local theater productions in Portland, such as The Little Foxes and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and in the 1973 TV movie Satan's School for Girls. In addition to his on-screen and field successes, Russell's tenure with the Mavericks turned a $500 investment into a venture yielding a 41,000% return and won him $206,000 in arbitration against the Pacific Coast League following the team's 1977 demise. He passed away from complications of lung cancer in Thousand Oaks, California, at age 76, leaving a legacy celebrated in the 2014 documentary The Battered Bastards of Baseball, which chronicles his unconventional approach to minor-league ownership and its cultural impact on Portland. His grandson, Matt Franco, carried on the family athletic tradition by debuting in Major League Baseball with the Chicago Cubs in 1995.

Early Life

Family Background and Childhood

Neil Oliver Russell, known professionally as Bing Russell, was born on May 5, 1926, in Brattleboro, Vermont, to Warren Oliver "Bud" Russell and Ruth Stewart (née Vogel). His father was a pioneering aviator who established and operated commercial seaplane airbases in New England and Florida, reflecting a family background tied to early aviation entrepreneurship and mobility across regions. The Russells' short stay in Brattleboro was brief, as Warren's work on artesian wells and aviation ventures prompted frequent relocations. Russell spent much of his childhood in St. Petersburg, Florida, where the family's proximity to the New York Yankees' spring training facilities profoundly shaped his early years. He also maintained ties to the Northeast, attending high school in Rangeley, Maine, during winters. This itinerant lifestyle, influenced by his father's professional pursuits, exposed young Russell to diverse environments, from New England's rural landscapes to Florida's coastal settings. From around age seven in the mid-1930s, Russell immersed himself in as the Yankees' unofficial errand boy and clubhouse kid during in , as well as in New York and on road trips. Introduced to the team through his father's friendship with pitcher —who reportedly told him, "Stick with me, son, and you’ll have all the you want"—Russell ran errands, fetched equipment, and built close relationships with legendary players including Gomez, , and . A pivotal moment came when Gehrig gave him the bat used to hit his last two home runs in an against the Dodgers on , 1939, shortly before his retirement due to . This early immersion in fostered a lifelong passion that would later define much of his career.

Education

At Rangeley High School, he participated in athletics, including and , and began exploring through school plays, igniting his early interest in . In 1943, Russell enrolled at in , as part of the Navy V-12 College Training Program, which offered tuition coverage in exchange for naval training alongside standard academics. During his time there, he lived in Hitchcock Hall, joined the fraternity, and became active in the Dartmouth Players, performing in productions such as (1944) and . He graduated cum laude from in 1947 with a degree in and earned a degree from the in 1948. Following Dartmouth, Russell attended in , where he earned a degree in . His involvement in theater continued at Springfield, as evidenced by his leading role in a 1949 production of Command Decision. This academic pursuit aligned with his athletic interests and later coaching experience.

Career

Acting Career

Bing Russell's acting career spanned over four decades, from the mid-1950s to the early 1990s, during which he established himself as a reliable , particularly in Westerns and television series. He began pursuing in his youth, studying in high school before transitioning to professional roles. His early film appearances included small parts in Westerns such as Rio Bravo (1959), where he played a murdered in a saloon, and The Horse Soldiers (1959) as Dunker. These roles showcased his ability to portray rugged, supporting characters in the genre that dominated Hollywood at the time. Russell gained prominence on television through recurring and guest appearances in popular Western series. His most notable role was as Deputy Clem Foster on (1959–1973), appearing in over 50 episodes starting in 1961, where he depicted a steadfast lawman aiding the Cartwright family. He also featured in episodes of (1955–1975), The Virginian (1962–1971), and (1968–1973), often in authoritative or everyman roles that highlighted his gravelly voice and imposing presence. These television credits solidified his reputation as a go-to for period dramas and action-oriented narratives. In film, Russell delivered memorable supporting performances, including Robert, one of the farmers seeking protection in (1960), a classic Western led by and . Another early standout was Skag in (1959), a tense vehicle. Later in his career, he portrayed Vernon Presley, the father of Elvis, in the 1979 biographical TV movie Elvis, sharing the screen with his son in the title role. His final notable film appearances included Sheriff Earl in Overboard (1987) and a patron in (1990), demonstrating his versatility into and noir styles. Overall, Russell's work emphasized contributions rather than leads, amassing over 100 credits across mediums.

Baseball Career

Bing Russell began his career as an in the , signing with the Carrollton Hornets of the Class D Georgia-Alabama League in 1948. In his rookie season, he appeared in 78 games, batting .255 with 4 home runs and 38 RBIs, while drawing 44 walks for an of .364. The following year, 1949, Russell played briefly in 11 games for the same team, hitting .182 before his playing days ended, marking a short-lived attempt at professional ball amid his emerging pursuits. Later in life, Russell transitioned into baseball ownership, founding the Portland Mavericks in 1973 as the only independent Single-A minor league team in the United States, operating in the Short Season Class A Northwest League. Motivated by the departure of Portland's previous team, the Beavers, to Spokane, and encouraged by his son Kurt, Russell aimed to revive local interest in baseball by emphasizing accessibility and fun over rigid structure. Under his ownership through 1977, the Mavericks adopted a "no team rules" philosophy, holding open tryouts that attracted former prospects, everyday enthusiasts, and diverse talent, including the league's first professional female general manager and the first Asian American in that role. The team quickly gained a reputation for irreverence and success, winning four division titles in five seasons and shattering league attendance records with crowds drawn to their unconventional antics, such as releasing a dog onto the field during games. Notable players included ex-major leaguer as pitcher, and outfielder Reggie Jackson's early counterpart in talent, Reggie Thomas, alongside , who suited up for the inaugural season. Russell's independent operation challenged the established system, prioritizing player opportunity and fan engagement until financial pressures from the establishment forced the team's sale in 1977.

Personal Life

Marriage and Family

Bing Russell met Louise Julia Crone in 1944 while she was a 16-year-old resident of ; despite initial reservations from her , Russell confidently predicted their future union. The couple married on October 5, 1946, at the Newport Congregational Church, embarking on a partnership that lasted 57 years until Russell's death in 2003. After Russell completed his graduate studies, they relocated to Hollywood to pursue his acting career, settling initially with modest resources before establishing a family home in . Russell and Crone raised four children together in a vibrant household: daughters Jill, Jody, , and son . became a prominent , while the shared interests in sports and adventure, including youth auto racing where achieved a world . Once their children were grown, the couple traveled extensively worldwide, and Russell remained actively involved in his grandchildren's lives, attending events such as games. Louise Crone Russell stayed by his side until the end and outlived him until her own passing in 2021.

Interests and Philanthropy

Bing Russell's primary interest outside of his professional acting career was baseball, a passion that originated in his youth when he served as an errand boy for the New York Yankees during their spring training in St. Petersburg, Florida. This early exposure ignited a lifelong dedication to the sport, leading him to play minor league baseball briefly after college and later to own the independent Portland Mavericks team from 1973 to 1977. Russell also pursued acting as more than a profession; he directed local theater productions in Portland, including The Little Foxes and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, reflecting his enthusiasm for dramatic arts and community performance. Additionally, he supported his family's involvement in youth auto racing, where his children achieved multiple championships, showcasing his interest in motorsports as a family endeavor. In terms of and community involvement, Russell's efforts were centered on revitalizing in Portland through , which he founded to fill a void left by the departure of a major league affiliate. The team emphasized inclusivity, holding open tryouts that attracted diverse participants such as high school teachers and sanitation workers, and provided second chances to overlooked players, fostering a sense of community pride and excitement. He pioneered progressive practices, including hiring Lanny as the first female in history and banning corporate sponsorships inside the to maintain an authentic, fan-focused atmosphere. Under his ownership, set attendance records in five of their seasons and won four division titles, earning Russell the Class A Executive of the Year award in 1975 for his contributions to local sports culture. These initiatives not only boosted Portland's identity as a sports town but also demonstrated Russell's commitment to accessible entertainment and equal opportunities in athletics.

Death and Legacy

Death

Bing Russell, born Neil Oliver Russell, died on April 8, 2003, at the age of 76. He passed away in Thousand Oaks, California, from complications of lung cancer.

Legacy

Bing Russell's legacy endures through his pioneering role in independent baseball, where he founded and owned the Portland Mavericks from 1973 to 1977, creating the only unaffiliated Class A professional team in the United States at the time. By assembling a roster of overlooked players, former major leaguers, and dreamers through open tryouts, Russell emphasized entertainment, community spirit, and accessibility over corporate influence, drawing record crowds and challenging Major League Baseball's control. His approach not only revitalized baseball in Portland after the departure of an affiliated minor league team but also laid the groundwork for the independent leagues that proliferated in the 1990s, providing second chances to hundreds of players. Under Russell's leadership, the Mavericks broke barriers by hiring Lanny Moss as the first female in in 1974 and Jon Yoshiwara as the first Asian American in 1977. The team also became the birthplace of , the shredded bubble gum invented by Mavericks pitcher Rob Nelson and batboy in 1977; Russell supported its development and pitched it to the , leading to a product that has sold over 1 billion pouches since its 1979 launch (as of 2023) and remains a staple in . Four Mavericks players advanced to the major leagues, exemplifying Russell's talent-spotting acumen, while the franchise's sale in 1977 for $206,000—after a successful claim against MLB—yielded a 41,000% return on his initial $500 investment. In 2023, the were inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame, further cementing Russell's influence on independent . In acting, Russell is best remembered for his recurring portrayal of Deputy Clem Foster on the Western television series , appearing in 57 episodes from 1961 to 1972 and becoming a familiar face in the genre. Over a 40-year career spanning 182 television and film roles, including the role of Robert in the classic (1960), he embodied the rugged, dependable essential to Hollywood's Western era. Russell's dual pursuits in and , captured in the 2014 documentary directed by his grandsons Chapman and Maclain Way, continue to inspire narratives of rebellion and opportunity, as noted by his son : "The legacy is that sometimes there's a diamond in the rough that you miss, and they deserve a chance again."

Filmography

Television Appearances

Bing Russell maintained an active presence on television throughout the late 1950s to the 1970s, primarily in Western genres that aligned with his rugged on-screen persona. His most prominent role was as Deputy Clem Foster on the enduring series , where he appeared in 57 episodes from 1961 to 1972, providing comic relief and support to the Cartwright family in the Nevada-set drama. This recurring part established him as a familiar face in frontier television, contributing to the show's portrayal of small-town dynamics. Beyond , Russell made frequent guest appearances on other landmark Westerns, showcasing his versatility in supporting roles such as ranchers, outlaws, and townsfolk. Notable examples include multiple episodes of (1957–1974), where he embodied the gritty inhabitants of Dodge City; The Virginian (1962–1971), contributing to the Wyoming ranch narratives; and Rawhide (1959–1965), often as trail-drive characters. He also ventured into anthology formats, appearing in two episodes of in 1961 and 1963, adding to the series' exploration of moral and supernatural themes. Earlier credits encompassed (1958–1963) and (1957–1965), further cementing his niche in period dramas. Russell's television work extended to made-for-TV movies and miniseries, where he took on more substantial dramatic parts. In the 1979 biographical film Elvis, he portrayed Vernon Presley, the father of the titular singer, in a performance opposite his real-life son as Elvis Presley, highlighting a rare family on-screen collaboration. Other significant TV films include his role as Fred Dawkins in the 1976 suspense drama , a semi-autobiographical story based on a young ; and as Mr. Griffey in the 1974 thriller A Cry in the Wilderness. He also appeared in the 1976 as Timberwell, part of an ensemble exploring corporate intrigue in the banking world.
Selected Television AppearancesRoleYear(s)Notes
BonanzaDeputy Clem Foster1961–1972Recurring; 57 episodes
GunsmokeVarious (e.g., townsman, rancher)1957–1974Multiple guest spots
The VirginianVarious1962–1971Multiple guest spots
The Twilight ZoneVarious1961, 19632 episodes
Elvis (TV movie)Vernon Presley1979Biographical drama
The Moneychangers (miniseries)Timberwell1976Financial thriller ensemble
The Loneliest Runner (TV movie)Fred Dawkins1976Sports drama
These roles underscored Russell's reliability in character-driven storytelling, particularly within the that dominated network television during his era.

Film Roles

Bing Russell's film career featured a series of supporting and often uncredited roles, primarily in Westerns during the late and early , before transitioning to character parts in comedies and action films later in life. His early appearances included small parts in notable Westerns, such as the role of a cowboy murdered in the saloon in Rio Bravo (1959), directed by . That same year, he portrayed a sympathizer known as a "dunker" in John Ford's Civil War drama The Horse Soldiers. One of Russell's most recognized film roles was as Robert, a desperate villager who hires the gunslingers in (1960), a Western remake of that became a classic of the genre. Throughout the 1960s, he continued with minor contributions to films like (1968), where he appeared uncredited as a track starter in the Disney comedy about a sentient . In the 1980s, Russell took on more visible supporting characters, often playing authority figures or bystanders. He depicted Sheriff Earl in the romantic comedy Overboard (1987), assisting in the film's chaotic plot involving amnesia and class reversal. Additional roles included a studio guard in the Hollywood satire Sunset (1988), starring Bruce Willis and James Garner, a van driver in the buddy action film Tango & Cash (1989) with Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell, his son, and a Club Ritz patron in the comic book adaptation Dick Tracy (1990), marking his final screen appearance. These later roles highlighted his versatility in ensemble casts, though his film work remained secondary to his extensive television presence.

References

  1. https://dartmouthalumnimagazine.com/articles/league-his-own-1
  2. https://www.fandango.com/people/bing-russell-580565/biography
  3. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0751032/
  4. https://www.oregonlive.com/history/2021/01/hollywood-actor-bing-russell-reinvented-himself-for-the-wild-weird-1970s-and-enticed-portland-and-elvis-with-big-league-dreams.html
  5. https://obits.oregonlive.com/us/obituaries/oregon/name/louise-russell-obituary?id=31876478
  6. https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=russel001nei
  7. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/225798295/ruth_stewart-russell
  8. https://www.facebook.com/brattleboro.history/posts/neil-bing-russell-was-born-in-brattleboro-on-may-5-1926-his-family-only-lived-he/4308151749207548/
  9. https://tht.fangraphs.com/the-hustling-russells/
  10. https://www.cbc.ca/radio/day6/episode-361-burka-bans-stranger-things-baseball-misfits-jet-cars-joni-mitchell-and-more-1.4369248/the-battered-bastards-of-baseball-the-unlikely-heroes-of-the-portland-mavericks-1.4369289
  11. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-battered-bastards-baseball-directors-20140708-story.html
  12. https://cdm16122.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16122coll6/id/7115
  13. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/bing_russell
  14. https://www.themoviedb.org/person/123720-bing-russell
  15. https://mavericksindependentleague.com/the-portland-mavericks/
  16. https://www.wideopencountry.com/kurt-russells-dad-bing-russell-was-a-baseball-legend-and-bonanza-star/
  17. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7386948/bing-russell
  18. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0751032/bio/
  19. https://www.npr.org/2014/07/18/332498776/actor-kurt-russell-talks-about-the-family-business-baseball
  20. https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/jan/30/kurt-russell-battered-bastards-of-baseball-documentary-sundance
  21. https://www.lookoutlanding.com/2021/2/3/22263428/lanny-moss-and-the-women-of-the-portland-mavericks
  22. https://sabr.org/latest/mcdonald-an-oral-history-of-big-league-chew/
  23. https://www.bigleaguechew.com/news/big-league-chew-celebrates-billionth-pouch-produced
  24. https://www.oregonlive.com/sports/2023/10/remembering-the-magical-time-of-the-portland-mavericks-as-they-enter-oregon-sports-hall-of-fame.html
  25. https://www.truewestmagazine.com/article/bonanzas-bing-russell/
  26. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053221/fullcredits/
  27. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064603/fullcredits/
  28. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093693/characters/nm0751032
  29. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096193/fullcredits/
  30. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098439/characters/nm0751032
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