DANCING ON THE EDGE - Russ Tamblyn
My guess is that anyone who knows the name likely knows him because of either his phenomenal performance in the original West Side Story movie or, for slightly younger audiences, his work as the off-kilter doctor on the TV series Twin Peaks. I fall primarily into the first group, having grown up admiring his work as a dancer in West Side Story and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. I'm familiar with his work on Twin Peaks, and enjoyed it, but for me, it was dancer Russ Tamblyn acting in the show.
Reading an autobiography like this brings about some conflicting feelings. I admire some of Tamblyn's work and wanted to read more about the man, but the blunt honesty of drugs and sex is sometimes a letdown. I actually got a little depressed reading about Tamblyn's lowest years. But this might attest to his writing more than the events he relays.
Tamblyn writes with a boyish, ebullient enthusiasm. One gets the sense that Tamblyn has so much to say and he can hardly contain himself, letting every thought tumble out as it comes to him. I felt this way particularly in the early portion of the book, almost chuckling at how quickly some of his thoughts changed. He definitely settles into a groove as he goes.
As a child actor and then a contract player, Russ Tamblyn's early days were gravy. But like a lot of child actors (one of his best friends was Bobby Driscoll), Hollywood seemed to abandon Tamblyn, though the way Russ writes it, he was ready to try stretching his artistic wings at about the same time. Unfortunately, money doesn't flow in when there's no studio sugar daddy.
Tamblyn spends a good amount of time recognizing his faults and double standards in his early marriage and one can't help but wonder if he's reaching out and apologizing through this autobiography. There's definitely catharsis in this writing.
Looking back on these more difficult years, Tamblyn still manages to seem a bit rosy, and perhaps that comes with perspective and because he's writing this now, while he's in a good place, having gone through a bit of a revival on screen (thanks to Twin Peaks), a good current marriage, a daughter who's seen success in Hollywood, and a (re)connection with a daughter he hadn't known about.
It's probably impossible to read an autobiography of a Hollywood personality without seeming like the narrator is name-dropping. Tamblyn's friends and associates throughout his life have been people in the same general (entertainment) business.
It is nice that we can finish this book on an 'up' note, especially given some of the very dark notes that Russ describes. He's definitely one of the lucky former child actors (the aforementioned Bobby Driscoll died tragically at age 31) and I think he recognizes that.
Looking for a good book? Actor, dancer, tumbler Russ Tamblyn shares his personal story of life as a child actor, through the contract performer days to the days when no one would hire him, and how he survived to tell the story, in Dancing on the Edge.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
4 stars
* * * * * *
Dancing on the Edge: A Journey of Living, Loving, and Tumbling through Hollywood
author: Russ Tamblyn
publisher: Blackstone Publishing
ISBN: 9798212273312
hardcover, 360 pages
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