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Birthday:
09-15-1918
Deathday:
10-02-2005 (87 years)
Birthplace:
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Julius "Nipsey" Russell (September 15, 1918 – October 2, 2005) was an American comedian, best known today for his appearances as a guest panelist on game shows from the 1960s through the 1990s, especially Match Game, Password, Hollywood Squares, To Tell the Truth and Pyramid. His appearances were distinguished in part by the short, humorous poems he would recite during the broadcast. These lyrics became so closely associated with Russell that Dick Clark, Bill Cullen, Betty White, and others regularly referred to him as "the poet laureate of television." He also had a leading role in the film version of The Wiz. Russell was also a frequent guest on Dean Martin's Celebrity Roasts.
Description above from the Wikipedia article Nipsey Russell, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Julius "Nipsey" Russell (September 15, 1918 – October 2, 2005) was an American comedian, best known today for his appearances as a guest panelist on game shows from the 1960s through the 1990s, especially Match Game, Password, Hollywood Squares, To Tell the Truth and Pyramid. His appearances were distinguished in part by the short, humorous poems he would recite during the broadcast. These lyrics became so closely associated with Russell that Dick Clark, Bill Cullen, Betty White, and others regularly referred to him as "the poet laureate of television." He also had a leading role in the film version of The Wiz. Russell was also a frequent guest on Dean Martin's Celebrity Roasts.
Description above from the Wikipedia article Nipsey Russell, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
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Their works
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The Wiz
Act like Tinman
event1978 star_border 6
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Dorothy Gale, a shy kindergarten teacher, is swept away to the magic land of Oz where she embarks on a quest to return home.
Fame
Act like Vinny
event1978
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A waiter becomes a sudden overnight success as a playwright, and then begins negotiations with an Italian movie director to turn his play into a film. The results are unexpected.
Dream One
Act like Mr. Rip / Benjamin
event1984 star_border 3.8
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Based on Winsor McCay's comic strip, a little boy embarks on a dream-like adventure. Also known as Dream One.
Car 54, Where Are You?
Act like Police Captain Dave Anderson
event1994 star_border 3.4
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Brash NYC policeman Officer Gunther Toody is partnered with stiff, by-the-book Officer Francis Muldoon to protect an important mafia witness prior to testifying against orgainzed crime in Brooklyn, all the while dealing with their personal lives, overbearing spouses, common criminals, arms dealers, and their officious boss Captain Anderson.
King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis
Act like Self (archive footage)
event1970 star_border 7.3
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Constructed from a wealth of archival footage, the documentary follows Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. from 1955 to 1968, in his rise from regional activist to world-renowned leader of the Civil Rights movement. Rare footage of King's speeches, protests, and arrests are interspersed with scenes of other high-profile supporters and opponents of the cause, punctuated by heartfelt testimonials by some of Hollywood's biggest stars.
Wildcats
Act like Ben Edwards
event1986 star_border 6.2
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Molly is a high school track coach who knows just as much about football as anyone else on the planet. When a football coach's position becomes vacant, she applies for the job, despite snickers from fellow staff members and her former husband.
Wiz on Down the Road
Act like Tinman
event1978 star_border 5
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A short promotional film on the making of “The Wiz” (1978). Includes a brief history of Oz portrayals in film and behind the scenes interviews.
Posse
Act like Snopes
event1993 star_border 5.3
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A group of mostly black infantrymen return from the Spanish-American War with a cache of gold. They travel to the West where their leader searches for the men who lynched his father.
Spin City
Act like Nipsey Russell (1 ep.)
event1996 star_border 7
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Workaholic Mike Flaherty is the Deputy Mayor of New York City, serving as Mayor Randall Winston's key strategist and much-needed handler. Mike runs the city with the help of his oddball staff: an anxious and insecure press secretary; a sexist, boorish chief of staff; an impeccably groomed gay activist running minority affairs; a sharp and efficient, man-crazy accountant; and an idealistic young speechwriter. Like Mike, they are all professionally capable but personally challenged.
The Merv Griffin Show
Act like Self (3 ep.)
event1962 star_border 5.6
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The Merv Griffin Show is an American television talk show, starring Merv Griffin. The series ran from October 1, 1962 to March 29, 1963 on NBC, September 20, 1965 to August 15, 1969 in first-run syndication, from August 18, 1969 to February 11, 1972 at 11:30 PM ET weeknights on CBS and again in first-run syndication from February 14, 1972 to September 5, 1986.
Barefoot in the Park
Act like Honey Robinson (12 ep.)
event1970 star_border 5
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Barefoot in the Park is an American sitcom that aired in 1970 on ABC. Based on the Neil Simon Broadway play of the same name, the series cast members are predominantly black, making it the first American television sitcom since Amos 'n' Andy to have a predominantly black cast. Barefoot in the Park had also previously been a successful 1967 film starring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda.
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Act like Self (4 ep.)
event1962 star_border 7.4
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The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under The Tonight Show franchise from 1962 to 1992. It originally aired during late-night. For its first ten years, Carson's Tonight Show was based in New York City with occasional trips to Burbank, California; in May 1972, the show moved permanently to Burbank, California. In 2002, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson was ranked #12 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time.
The Dean Martin Comedy World
Act like Host (1 ep.)
event1974
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The Dean Martin Comedy World is an American variety comedy television series, seen on NBC during the summer of 1974, as a summer replacement for The Dean Martin Show. It was also that program's last summer replacement series. The show was hosted by Jackie Cooper, Nipsey Russell and Barbara Feldon.
The Bob Hope Show
Act like Self (1 ep.)
event1950 star_border 7
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The Bob Hope Show hosted by Bob Hope, debuted on April 9, 1950. During the 1952-1953 season, NBC rotated with other variety shows in a Sunday night block known as "The Colgate Comedy Hour" (Sept. 1950 to Dec. 1955). Also known as, "The Chevy Show with Bob Hope." When the first special debuted in October of 1950 it was the most expensive television program made up to that point - costing an astronomical $1,500 a minute to produce. Bob Hope had his own television show and radio show at the same time. For the next three seasons, The Bob Hope Show was broadcast once a month on Tuesday nights, giving Milton Berle a week off. Bob ended his radio show in April, 1956. Bob Hope also had another show by a similar name, "The Bob Hope Show (All Star Revue)". In addition, he performed in "Specials" for many years. It is the longest running variety program in television's history with a record of 45 years of televised entertainment.
The Ed Sullivan Show
Act like Self (1 ep.)
event1948 star_border 6.6
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The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in September 1971 by the CBS Sunday Night Movie, which ran only one season and was eventually replaced by other shows.
In 2002, The Ed Sullivan Show was ranked #15 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time.
The Love Boat
Act like Dan Manhoney (1 ep.)
event1977 star_border 6.3
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Passengers who search for romantic nights aboard a beautiful ship travelling to tropical or mysterious countries, decide to pass their vacation aboard the "Love Boat", where Gopher, Dr. Bricker, Isaac, Julie, and Captain Stubing try their best to please them, and sometimes help them fall in love. Things are not always so easy, but in the end, love wins.
The Dean Martin Show
(1 ep.)
event1965 star_border 7.3
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The Dean Martin Show, also known as The Dean Martin Variety Show, is a TV variety-comedy series that ran from 1965 to 1974 for 264 episodes. It was broadcast by NBC and hosted by entertainer Dean Martin. The theme song to the series was his 1964 hit "Everybody Loves Somebody."
The Red Skelton Show
Act like Self /Officer Nipsey Ralston (1 ep.)
event1951 star_border 7.3
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The Red Skelton Show is an American variety show that was a television staple for two decades, from 1951 to 1971. It was second to Gunsmoke and third to The Ed Sullivan Show in the ratings during that time. Skelton, who had previously been a radio star, had appeared in several motion pictures as well. Although his television series is largely associated with CBS, where it appeared for more than fifteen years, it actually began and ended on NBC. During its run, the program received three Emmy Awards, for Skelton as best comedian and the program as best comedy show during its initial season, and an award for comedy writing in 1961.
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
Act like Self (5 ep.)
event1973 star_border 5.4
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The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts is a NBC television special show hosted by entertainer Dean Martin from 1974 to 1984. For a series of 54 specials and shows, Martin would periodically "roast" a celebrity. These roasts were patterned after the roasts held at the New York Friars' Club in New York City. The format would have the celebrity guest seated at a banquet table, and one by one the guest of honor was affectionately chided or insulted about his career by his fellow celebrity friends.
In 1973, The Dean Martin Show was declining in popularity. The final season of his variety show would be retooled into one of celebrity roasts, requiring less of Martin's involvement. For the 1973–1974 season, a new feature called “Man of the Week Celebrity Roast" was added to try to pick up the ratings. The roasts seemed to be popular among television audiences and are often marketed in post-issues as part of the official Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts and not The Dean Martin Show. After The Dean Martin Show was cancelled in 1974, NBC drew up a contract with Martin to do several specials and do more roast specials. Starting with Bob Hope in 1974, the roast was taped in California and turned out to be a hit, leading to many other roasts to follow.
Your Number's Up
Act like Host (4 ep.)
event1985
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Your Number's Up is a game show that aired on NBC from September 23 to December 20, 1985. The show was hosted by Nipsey Russell with Lee Menning as co-host. Announcing duties were handled by Gene Wood for the first month and John Harlan for the rest of the run, with Johnny Haymer and Johnny Gilbert as substitutes.
This show was the first series produced by Sande Stewart, son of game show producer Bob Stewart. Your Number's Up was put up against the elder Stewart's The $25,000 Pyramid on CBS at 10:00 AM Eastern. Most of the staff from Bob Stewart Productions also worked in the production of this series.
100 Centre Street
Act like Wallace Roy (1 ep.)
event2001 star_border 7.7
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100 Centre Street is an American legal drama created by Sidney Lumet and starring Alan Arkin, Val Avery, Bobby Cannavale, Joel de la Fuente and Paula Devicq.
Best of The Dean Martin Variety Show
(4 ep.)
event1966
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Dean Martin at his best, each episodes is a combination of extracted performances compiled by the Dean Martin Show's director, Greg Garrison for a multi-DVD set. The performances from the 60s and 70s feature comedians and famous actors such as Jimmy Stewart, Don Rickles ,Tony Bennett, Marty Feldman; Jonathan Winters; Andy Griffith, Bill Cosby; Woody Allen; Frank Sinatra, Orson Wells, Zero Mostel. Flip Wilson, Gene Kelly, Peter Falk, Paul Lynde; Jack Benny; Mills Brothers; Phil Silvers, Fess Parker; Eddie Albert; Gladys Knight & Pips, and Jimmy Durante.
Tonight Starring Jack Paar
Act like Self (1 ep.)
event1957 star_border 6.5
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Tonight Starring Jack Paar is an American talk show hosted by Jack Paar under The Tonight Show franchise from 1957 to 1962. It originally aired during late-night.
During most of its run it was broadcast from Studio 6B inside the RCA Building. The same studio would also host early episodes of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Its theme song was an instrumental version of "Everything's Coming Up Roses", and the closing theme was "So Until I See You" by Al Lerner.
Police Woman
Act like Charlie Witt (1 ep.)
event1974 star_border 6.2
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Sergeant “Pepper"” Anderson, an undercover cop for the Criminal Conspiracy Unit of the Los Angeles Police Department, poses undercover from mob girl to prostitute.
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