dbinia
Bing Russell

Bing 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.

See more on
The Battered Bastards of Baseball

The Battered Bastards of Baseball

2014

as Himself (Archive Footage)

Dick Tracy

Dick Tracy

1990

as Club Ritz Patron

Tango & Cash

Tango & Cash

1989

as Van Driver

Sunset

Sunset

1988

as Studio Guard

Overboard

Overboard

1987

as Elk Cove: Sheriff Earl

Elvis

Elvis

1979

as Vernon Presley

The Loneliest Runner

The Loneliest Runner

1976

as Fred Dawkins

The New Daughters of Joshua Cabe

The New Daughters of Joshua Cabe

1976

The Apple Dumpling Gang

The Apple Dumpling Gang

1975

as Herm Dally

Death Sentence

Death Sentence

1974

as Trooper

The Sex Symbol

The Sex Symbol

1974

as Public Relations Man

The Rockford Files

The Rockford Files

1974

as Lieutenant

Petrocelli

Petrocelli

1974

A Cry in the Wilderness

A Cry in the Wilderness

1974

as Mr. Griffey

Runaway!

Runaway!

1973

as Fireman

Satan's School for Girls

Satan's School for Girls

1973

as Sheriff

Set This Town on Fire

Set This Town on Fire

1973

as Chuck

The Streets of San Francisco

The Streets of San Francisco

1972

Now You See Him, Now You Don't

Now You See Him, Now You Don't

1972

as Alfred

Emergency!

Emergency!

1972

A Taste of Evil

A Taste of Evil

1971

as Sheriff

The Million Dollar Duck

The Million Dollar Duck

1971

as Mr. Smith

Yuma

Yuma

1971

as Rol King (as Neil Russell)

Alias Smith and Jones

Alias Smith and Jones

1971

The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes

The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes

1969

as Angelo

The Mod Squad

The Mod Squad

1968

The Outcasts

The Outcasts

1968

Journey to Shiloh

Journey to Shiloh

1968

as Greybeard

Blackbeard's Ghost

Blackbeard's Ghost

1968

as Second Track Meet Official

Mannix

Mannix

1967

Hondo

Hondo

1967

The Guns of Will Sonnett

The Guns of Will Sonnett

1967

Dundee and the Culhane

Dundee and the Culhane

1967

Ironside

Ironside

1967

The Monkees

The Monkees

1966

The Monroes

The Monroes

1966

Madame X

Madame X

1966

as Sergeant Riley

I Dream of Jeannie

I Dream of Jeannie

1965

as Amos Lincoln

The Big Valley

The Big Valley

1965

as Jack Tolliver

The Big Valley

The Big Valley

1965

as Clint

The Big Valley

The Big Valley

1965

as Mac

The Big Valley

The Big Valley

1965

as Joe Garrett

The Big Valley

The Big Valley

1965

as Rancher

The Big Valley

The Big Valley

1965

as Dan Kelsey

The Big Valley

The Big Valley

1965

as Sheriff

The Big Valley

The Big Valley

1965

as Slade

The Big Valley

The Big Valley

1965

as Sheriff Jim Dolan

The Hallelujah Trail

The Hallelujah Trail

1965

as Horner

Branded

Branded

1965

Cheyenne Autumn

Cheyenne Autumn

1964

as Braden's Telegraph Operator (uncredited)

The Munsters

The Munsters

1964

One Man's Way

One Man's Way

1964

as Tom Rayburn

The Fugitive

The Fugitive

1963

as Sgt. Eggins

The Fugitive

The Fugitive

1963

as Officer

The Fugitive

The Fugitive

1963

as Matt Davis

The Fugitive

The Fugitive

1963

as Officer Westphal

A Gathering of Eagles

A Gathering of Eagles

1963

The Stripper

The Stripper

1963

as Mr. Mulvaney

How the West Was Won

How the West Was Won

1962

as Man (uncredited)

Stakeout!

Stakeout!

1962

as Joe

Stoney Burke

Stoney Burke

1962

General Electric True

General Electric True

1962

The Virginian

The Virginian

1962

as Sgt. Eads

The Virginian

The Virginian

1962

as John Rudd

The Virginian

The Virginian

1962

as Donovan

The Virginian

The Virginian

1962

as Sam Fuller

The Virginian

The Virginian

1962

as Gabe Sloan

The Virginian

The Virginian

1962

as Ned Smith

Sam Benedict

Sam Benedict

1962

as Len George (uncredited)

Ben Casey

Ben Casey

1961

The Magnificent Seven

The Magnificent Seven

1960

as Robert

Route 66

Route 66

1960

Surfside 6

Surfside 6

1960

Stagecoach West

Stagecoach West

1960

The Andy Griffith Show

The Andy Griffith Show

1960

as Mr. Burton

Tate

Tate

1960

The Alaskans

The Alaskans

1959

The Twilight Zone

The Twilight Zone

1959

as George Cousins

The Twilight Zone

The Twilight Zone

1959

as Ben Braden

Johnny Ringo

Johnny Ringo

1959

as Dick Walsh

Laramie

Laramie

1959

Bonanza

Bonanza

1959

as Sheriff Clem Foster

Bonanza

Bonanza

1959

as Deputy Clem Foster

Bonanza

Bonanza

1959

as Major Reynolds

Bonanza

Bonanza

1959

as Poindexter

Last Train from Gun Hill

Last Train from Gun Hill

1959

as Skag, Belden Hand

The Horse Soldiers

The Horse Soldiers

1959

as Dunker, Yankee Soldier Amputee

Rio Bravo

Rio Bravo

1959

as Cowboy Murdered in Saloon (uncredited)

Black Saddle

Black Saddle

1959

as Lee Curry

Black Saddle

Black Saddle

1959

as Ken Wilson

Rawhide

Rawhide

1959

as Jack Harris

Good Day for a Hanging

Good Day for a Hanging

1959

as George Fletcher

The Rifleman

The Rifleman

1958

The Texan

The Texan

1958

The Donna Reed Show

The Donna Reed Show

1958

Bronco

Bronco

1958

Wanted: Dead or Alive

Wanted: Dead or Alive

1958

as Clay

Wanted: Dead or Alive

Wanted: Dead or Alive

1958

as Billy Hemp

Cattle Empire

Cattle Empire

1958

as Douglas Hamilton

Suicide Battalion

Suicide Battalion

1958

as Lt. Chet Hall

Ride a Violent Mile

Ride a Violent Mile

1957

as Corporal Norman

Bombers B-52

Bombers B-52

1957

as Operator (uncredited)

The Land Unknown

The Land Unknown

1957

as Radio Operator (uncredited)

Harbor Command

Harbor Command

1957

Maverick

Maverick

1957

Maverick

Maverick

1957

as Tyler Brink

Maverick

Maverick

1957

as Russ Aikens

Sugarfoot

Sugarfoot

1957

as Sergeant McKinnock

Sugarfoot

Sugarfoot

1957

as Hank Gibson

Have Gun, Will Travel

Have Gun, Will Travel

1957

The Deadly Mantis

The Deadly Mantis

1957

as State Trooper

Drango

Drango

1957

as Lieutenant with Supply Wagon

Teenage Thunder

Teenage Thunder

1957

as Used-Car Salesman

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

1956

as Sam - Henchman

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

1956

as Deputy Stover

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

1956

as Cole

Attack

Attack

1956

as Medic

The Man Called X

The Man Called X

1956

Navy Log

Navy Log

1955

Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke

1955

as Simon Fletcher

Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke

1955

as Ed Shelby

Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke

1955

as Tabor

Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke

1955

as Head

Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke

1955

as Walsh

Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke

1955

as Arnold Rolfing

The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp

The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp

1955

Cult of the Cobra

Cult of the Cobra

1955

A Life at Stake

A Life at Stake

1955

as Bartender (uncredited)

Lassie

Lassie

1954

Letter to Loretta

Letter to Loretta

1953

as Convict

Letter to Loretta

Letter to Loretta

1953

as Jim Murphy

Letter to Loretta

Letter to Loretta

1953

as Newsman

Letter to Loretta

Letter to Loretta

1953

as Sergeant

Big Leaguer

Big Leaguer

1953

The Living Christ

The Living Christ

1951

as Lazarus