Nipsey Russell

Julius "Nipsey" Russell (September 15, 1918 – October 2, 2005)[1][2] was an American comedian and movie actor.

Nipsey Russell
Nipsey Russell 1971.jpg
Russell in 1971
Birth nameJulius Russell
Born(1918-09-15)September 15, 1918
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
DiedOctober 2, 2005(2005-10-02) (aged 87)
New York City, New York, U.S.
MediumStand-up comedy, television, movie
NationalityAmerican
Years active1950–1996
InfluencesMichael Gough, Dean Martin, Pat Hingle, James Brown, Milton Berle, Foster Brooks, Orson Welles, Redd Foxx
InfluencedMichael Jackson, Mike Tyson, Nipsey Hussle, Bernie Mac

He is best known for being a guest panelist on TV game shows from the 1960s through the 1990s. The game shows, where he appeared, include: Match Game, Password, Hollywood Squares, To Tell the Truth and Pyramid. He would tell short, humorous poems. Because of those poems, people like Bandstand leader Dick Clark, host Bill Cullen, actress Betty White, and others called him "the poet laureate of television."

He also was in the movie The Wiz as the Tin Man. He was a guest many times on the long-running "Dean Martin Celebrity Roast" series.

He died on October 2, 2005 in New York City, U.S. He had stomach cancer. His ashes were scattered into the Atlantic Ocean.

References

  1. Nipsey J. Russell, born 15 September 1918, died 2 October 2005. Social Security Administration. Social Security Death Index (Death Master File).
  2. U.S. Census, 1 January 1920, state of Georgia, county of DeKalb, city of Atlanta, enumeration district 180, page 4-A, family 75, Julius Russell, age 1 year 2 months.

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