Russell Collins

Russell Collins (born Russell Henry Collins; October 11, 1897 – November 14, 1965) was an American actor whose 43-year career included hundreds of performances on stage, in feature films, and on television.

Early life Collins was born in 1897 in Indianapolis, Indiana, the middle child of Emma (née Hughes) and Martin F. Collins' five children. He had a younger brother and sister, Raymond and Maxina, as well as an older brother and sister, Oren and Irene. By 1910, Russell's father had become disabled and jobless, so his mother supported him and the rest of the family by working as a seamstress from their home. He also attended Indiana University and Northwestern University.

Career Collins had roles in a few early Group Theatre productions with Success Story being his Broadway debut. Probably his most noted Broadway role was as the star of the 1935 musical play Johnny Johnson. He enjoyed a long career on Broadway, although by the late 1940s, he began to perform increasingly in Hollywood films and on television, where he appeared in teleplay dramas, as well as on Westerns, sitcoms, and on an array of other weekly series. He remained in high demand as a character actor and worked on television to shortly before his death. His 1957 appearance in the Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode "The Night the World Ended" was a typical TV role, as was his 1962 role as a caring town doctor in “The Nancy Davis Story” on the TV Western Wagon Train (S5E33).

He played Doc in the 1950 London production of Mr. Roberts at the Coliseum Theatre with Tyrone Power as Mr. Roberts and Jackie Cooper as Ensign Pulver.

Death He died November 14, 1965, in West Hollywood, California. His gravesite is located in the Elsinore Valley Cemetery at Lake Elsinore, California.

Selected Broadway roles

Success Story (1932) as Harry Fisher Both Your Houses (1933) as Peebles Men in White (1933) as Dr. Cunningham Gentlewoman (1934) as Havens Gold Eagle Guy (1934) as a deserter and as Ed Walker Till the Day I Die (1935) as Schlupp Waiting For Lefty (1935) as Fatt and as Fayette and as Reilly Paradise Lost (1935) as Homeless Man Johnny Johnson (1935) as Johnny Johnson The Star-Wagon (1937) as Hanus Wicks Missouri Legend (1938) as Jim Cummins Here Come the Clowns (1938) as John Dickinson Morning's at Seven (1939) as Carl Bolton The Moon is Down (1942) as Major Hunter Carousel (1945) as Starkeeper and as Dr. Seldon The Iceman Cometh (1946) as James Cameron The Liar (1950) as Brighelia Sabrina Fair (1953) as Fairchild Sunrise at Campobello (1958) as Louis McHenry Howe (replacement) Romulus (1962) as Achilles Calculated Risk (1962) as Jonathan Travis

Filmography Year Title Role Notes1943 Seeds of Freedom 1948 Close-Up Beck 1949 Shockproof Frederick Bauer 1949 The Walking Hills Bibbs 1950 The Sleeping City Medical Examiner Uncredited1953 Niagara Mr. Qua 1953 Destination Gobi Lieutenant Commander Hobart Wyatt 1953 Monte Carlo Baby Max 1953 Miss Sadie Thompson Dr. Robert MacPhail 1955 Bad Day at Black Rock Mr. Hastings 1955 Canyon Crossroads Dr. Andrew Rand 1955 Soldier of Fortune Icky 1955 The Last Frontier Captain Phil Clarke 1956 Alfred Hitchcock Presents John Brown Season 2 Episode 14: "John Brown's Body"1957 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Skinner #21 Season 2 Episode 21: "Number Twenty-Two"1957 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Johnny Season 2 Episode 31: "The Night the World Ended" 1957 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Clarence Weems Season 2 Episode 37: "The Indestructible Mr. Weems" 1957 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Ed Barnes Season 3 Episode 13 "Night of the Execution" 1957 Raintree County Niles Foster 1957 The Enemy Below Doctor 1958 The Matchmaker Joe Scanlon 1958 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Bill Finley Season 4 Episode 12: "Mrs. Herman and Mrs. Fenimore" 1958 God's Little Acre Watchman 1958 The Rifleman Mr Denton Season 1 Episode 6: "Eight Hours to Die" 1959 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Dad Season 4 Episode 23: "I'll Take Care of You" 1959 The Rabbit Trap Hughie Colt 1961 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Alvin Moss Season 6 Episode 27: "Deathmate" 1961 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Mr. Fletcher Season 7 Episode 11: "The Right Kind of Medicine" 1962 The Twilight Zone Ben Conroy Season 3 Episode 21: "Kick the Can"1963 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Sam Brody Season 2 Episode 7: "Starring the Defense"1964 Fail-Safe Gordon Knapp 1965 Those Calloways Nat Perkins 1965 When the Boys Meet the Girls Mr. Stokes