Dancing on the Edge: A Journey of Living, Loving, and Tumbling through Hollywood

You may recognize Russ Tamblyn from his exuberant dancing in West Side Story or, earlier, in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Perhaps you know his role as the weird psychiatrist in Twin Peaks or in dozens of B-movies throughout the 1970s (hey, an actor has to pay the bills somehow). Or you are a Turner Classic Movies fan and you’ve followed his career from his child acting days in the 1950s. Or maybe you only know his name as Amber Tamblyn’s father.

In any case, readers are unlikely to know of his career as an artist—primarily collage and assemblage—or his long friendships with Dean Stockwell, Dennis Hopper, and Neil Young! This memoir is chock full of anecdotes, adventures, and unlikely encounters from the MGM studios to the 50th anniversary of West Side Story. I only hope that the final version of the book will include photos to show some of Tamblyn’s artwork, as well as many of his famous friends. In the meantime, I’m hunting down some of many videos online that showcase his fancy footwork and acrobatic stunts throughout his career.