Bing Russell
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- May 5, 1926
- Died
- Apr 8, 2003
- Place of birth
- Brattleboro, Vermont, USA
- Also known as
- Neil Oliver "Bing" Russell, Neil Oliver Russell, بینگ راسل
Neil Oliver "Bing" Russell (May 5, 1926 – April 8, 2003) was an American actor and Class A minor-league baseball club owner. He was the father of Hollywood actor Kurt Russell. 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.Read more
Acting credits
Bonanza
Sheriff Clem Foster / Deputy Clem Foster / Major Reynolds / Poindexter / Clem
The Andy Griffith Show
Mr. Burton
Ironside
Cal Bristold
Lassie
Mannix
The Fugitive
Sgt. Eggins / Officer / Matt Davis / Officer Westphal
The Twilight Zone
George Cousins / Ben Braden
Have Gun, Will Travel
Sheriff Reagan
Maverick
Tyler Brink / Russ Aikens
The Rifleman
The Rockford Files
Lieutenant
Emergency!
David Winslow
The Virginian
Sgt. Eads / John Rudd / Donovan / Sam Fuller / Gabe Sloan / Ned Smith
I Dream of Jeannie
Amos Lincoln
The Donna Reed Show
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Sam - Henchman / Deputy Stover / Cole
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp
Sergeant Turner
The Big Valley
Jack Tolliver / Clint / Rancher / Joe Garrett / Mac / Dan Kelsey / Sheriff / Slade / Sheriff Jim Dolan
Rawhide
Jack Harris
Route 66
Frank Satterfield
Wanted: Dead or Alive
Clay / Billy Hemp
Ben Casey
The Munsters
Gunsmoke
Simon Fletcher / Ed Shelby / Tabor / Head / Walsh / Arnold Rolfing
The Monkees
Rudy
Laramie
Sam Purdy
The Streets of San Francisco
Detective Dan Riggs
The Texan
Alias Smith and Jones
The Mod Squad
Surfside 6
Sugarfoot
Sergeant McKinnock / Hank Gibson
Navy Log
Bronco
Johnny Rawlins
Petrocelli
The Wonderful World of Disney
Arne / Track Starter (uncredited)
Branded
Sheriff Gorman
Black Saddle
Lee Curry / Ken Wilson
The Guns of Will Sonnett
Chet
You Are There
Lendall Pitts / Disheartened Soldier
Public Defender
2nd Cop
Johnny Ringo
Dick Walsh
Stoney Burke
Stagecoach West
Science Fiction Theatre
Sam Benedict
Len George (uncredited)
The Alaskans
The Outcasts
Letter to Loretta
Convict / Jim Murphy / Newsman / Sergeant
General Electric True
The Man Called X
Hondo
Thompson
The Monroes
Harbor Command
The Living Christ
Lazarus
Tate
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Assistant Director
Dundee and the Culhane
Arthur Hailey's The Moneychangers
Timberwell