Craig Russell (actor)
Encyclopedia
Russell Craig Eadie better known by his stage name
Craig Russell, was a Canadian
female impersonator and actor
.
, Russell became president of Mae West
's fan club as a teen, and he briefly worked and lived in Los Angeles
as her secretary. He returned to Toronto
where he moved in with the writer Margaret Gibson. He worked as a hairdresser while pursuing his career as a stage performer. By 1971, he was a regular performer in Toronto gay clubs and had a burgeoning international following.
His impersonations included Carol Channing
, Bette Davis
, Mae West
, Barbra Streisand
, Tallulah Bankhead
, Marlene Dietrich
, Bette Midler
, Anita Bryant
, Shirley Bassey
, Peggy Lee
and Judy Garland
. While performing, he always spoke and sang in the voices of the celebrities he was impersonating.
In 1977, Russell starred in the film Outrageous!
, based on a short story written by Gibson about their time as roommates. The film was entered into the 28th Berlin International Film Festival
, where Russell won the Silver Bear for Best Actor
. A decade later, in 1987, he starred in the sequel to Outrageous! entitled Too Outrageous!
.
rather than bisexual, Russell married his close friend Lori Jenkins in 1982.
Russell remained married to Lori until his death in 1990 of a stroke related to complications from AIDS
. He was cremated and buried at Pine Grove Cemetery in Port Perry
.
His widow Lori died on August 15, 2008 at Toronto Grace Hospital, after a long battle with cancer. Her body was laid to rest beside that of her husband in Port Perry.
Russell's friend Stephen Jon Postal and his wife Guia Dino Postal based the character of Kevin Purcell on Russell in their book, Of Margaret and Madness: A Novel Inspired By True Events, ISBN 9731434362292, 9781434332752, Published by AuthorHouse, Bloomington, Indiana.
A play entitled "Margaret and Craig", written by David Solomon, based on the writing of both Russell and his friend, Margaret Gibson is in development for a further theatrical life. The play was produced in workshop at Vassar College's Powerhouse Theater in the summer of 2011 with Mario Cantone
as Craig Russell, directed by Sheryl Kaller, and music directed by Paul Masse, with Jeni Verdon portraying Margaret.
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
Craig Russell, was a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
female impersonator and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
.
Early life and career
Born in TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Russell became president of Mae West
Mae West
Mae West was an American actress, playwright, screenwriter and sex symbol whose entertainment career spanned seven decades....
's fan club as a teen, and he briefly worked and lived in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
as her secretary. He returned to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
where he moved in with the writer Margaret Gibson. He worked as a hairdresser while pursuing his career as a stage performer. By 1971, he was a regular performer in Toronto gay clubs and had a burgeoning international following.
His impersonations included Carol Channing
Carol Channing
Carol Elaine Channing is an American singer, actress, and comedienne. She is the recipient of three Tony Awards , a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination...
, Bette Davis
Bette Davis
Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis was an American actress of film, television and theater. Noted for her willingness to play unsympathetic characters, she was highly regarded for her performances in a range of film genres, from contemporary crime melodramas to historical and period films and occasional...
, Mae West
Mae West
Mae West was an American actress, playwright, screenwriter and sex symbol whose entertainment career spanned seven decades....
, Barbra Streisand
Barbra Streisand
Barbra Joan Streisand is an American singer, actress, film producer and director. She has won two Academy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Special Tony Award, an American Film Institute award, a Peabody Award, and is one of the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy,...
, Tallulah Bankhead
Tallulah Bankhead
Tallulah Brockman Bankhead was an award-winning American actress of the stage and screen, talk-show host, and bonne vivante...
, Marlene Dietrich
Marlene Dietrich
Marlene Dietrich was a German-American actress and singer.Dietrich remained popular throughout her long career by continually re-inventing herself, professionally and characteristically. In the Berlin of the 1920s, she acted on the stage and in silent films...
, Bette Midler
Bette Midler
Bette Midler is an American singer, actress, and comedian, also known by her informal stage name, The Divine Miss M. She became famous as a cabaret and concert headliner, and went on to star in successful and acclaimed films such as The Rose, Ruthless People, Beaches, and For The Boys...
, Anita Bryant
Anita Bryant
Anita Jane Bryant is an American singer, former Miss Oklahoma beauty pageant winner, and gay rights opponent. She scored four Top 40 hits in the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s, including "Paper Roses", which reached #5...
, Shirley Bassey
Shirley Bassey
Dame Shirley Bassey, DBE , is a Welsh singer. She found fame in the late 1950s and was "one of the most popular female vocalists in Britain during the last half of the 20th century"...
, Peggy Lee
Peggy Lee
Peggy Lee was an American jazz and popular music singer, songwriter, composer, and actress in a career spanning six decades. From her beginning as a vocalist on local radio to singing with Benny Goodman's big band, she forged a sophisticated persona, evolving into a multi-faceted artist and...
and Judy Garland
Judy Garland
Judy Garland was an American actress and singer. Through a career that spanned 45 of her 47 years and for her renowned contralto voice, she attained international stardom as an actress in musical and dramatic roles, as a recording artist and on the concert stage...
. While performing, he always spoke and sang in the voices of the celebrities he was impersonating.
In 1977, Russell starred in the film Outrageous!
Outrageous!
Outrageous! is a Canadian comedy film, released in 1977. The film was directed and written by Richard Benner, and based on a short story by Margaret Gibson. The film stars Craig Russell as Robin Turner, a drag queen, and Hollis McLaren as Liza Conners, Turner's schizophrenic roommate...
, based on a short story written by Gibson about their time as roommates. The film was entered into the 28th Berlin International Film Festival
28th Berlin International Film Festival
The 28th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from February 22 to March 5, 1978. This was the first year the festival was held in February.-Jury:* Patricia Highsmith * Sergio Leone* Theodoros Angelopoulos* Jacques Rozier...
, where Russell won the Silver Bear for Best Actor
Silver Bear for Best Actor
The Silver Bear for Best Actor is the Berlin International Film Festival's award for achievement in performance by an actor.- Awards :- External links :*...
. A decade later, in 1987, he starred in the sequel to Outrageous! entitled Too Outrageous!
Too Outrageous!
Too Outrageous! is a 1987 Canadian comedy film. Directed and written by Richard Benner, the film is based on a story by Margaret Gibson. The film stars Craig Russell as Robin Turner, a drag queen.-Plot:...
.
Personal life and death
Russell fathered a daughter, Susan Allison ("Allison"), who was born January 6, 1973 in Toronto. Father and daughter developed a relationship in the years prior to his death. Although he publicly identified as gayGay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
rather than bisexual, Russell married his close friend Lori Jenkins in 1982.
Russell remained married to Lori until his death in 1990 of a stroke related to complications from AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
. He was cremated and buried at Pine Grove Cemetery in Port Perry
Port Perry, Ontario
Port Perry is a community located in Scugog Township, Durham Region, Ontario, Canada. The town is located east of Uxbridge and southwest of Peterborough. Many residents commute to Toronto on a daily basis. Port Perry's municipal website reported a population of just over 9,500 in 2010.Port Perry...
.
His widow Lori died on August 15, 2008 at Toronto Grace Hospital, after a long battle with cancer. Her body was laid to rest beside that of her husband in Port Perry.
Russell's friend Stephen Jon Postal and his wife Guia Dino Postal based the character of Kevin Purcell on Russell in their book, Of Margaret and Madness: A Novel Inspired By True Events, ISBN 9731434362292, 9781434332752, Published by AuthorHouse, Bloomington, Indiana.
A play entitled "Margaret and Craig", written by David Solomon, based on the writing of both Russell and his friend, Margaret Gibson is in development for a further theatrical life. The play was produced in workshop at Vassar College's Powerhouse Theater in the summer of 2011 with Mario Cantone
Mario Cantone
Mario Cantone is an American stand-up comedian, writer and actor, with numerous appearances on Comedy Central including Chappelle's Show. He also played Anthony Marentino on Sex and the City...
as Craig Russell, directed by Sheryl Kaller, and music directed by Paul Masse, with Jeni Verdon portraying Margaret.