Craig Russell (Canadian actor)

Russell Craig Eadie (January 10, 1948 – October 30, 1990), better known by his stage name Craig Russell, was a Canadian female impersonator and actor.[1]

Craig Russell
Born
Russell Craig Eadie

(1948-01-10)January 10, 1948
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
DiedOctober 30, 1990(1990-10-30) (aged 42)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Resting placePine Grove Cemetery
OccupationFemale impersonator, actor
Spouse(s)
Lori Jenkins
​
(m. 1982⁠–⁠1990)​

Early life and career

Born in Toronto,[2] Russell became president of Mae West's fan club as a teenager, 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 entertainer. By 1971, he was a regular performer in Toronto gay clubs and had a burgeoning international following. He toured Las Vegas, Hollywood, San Francisco, Berlin, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Hamburg and Sydney.

His celebrity 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.

In 1977, Russell starred in the film Outrageous!, based on a short story written by Gibson about their time as roommates.[1] The film was entered into the 28th Berlin International Film Festival, where Russell won the Silver Bear for Best Actor,[3] and Russell was a Canadian Film Award nominee for Best Actor in 1977.

A decade later, in 1987, he starred in a sequel to Outrageous!, titled Too Outrageous!.

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 before his death. Although he publicly identified as gay rather than bisexual, Russell married his close friend Lori Jenkins in 1982.[4]

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, Ontario.

His widow Lori died on August 15, 2008 at Toronto Grace Hospital after a long battle with cancer. Her body was buried beside her husband in Port Perry.

A play titled Margaret and Craig, written by David Solomon, based on the writing of both Russell and Gibson, was in development. The play was produced in workshop at Vassar College's Powerhouse Theater in Summer 2011 with Mario Cantone as Russell and Jeni Verdon as Gibson.

In 2020, Brian Bradley published the biography Outrageous Misifts: Female Impersonator Craig Russell and His Wife, Lori Russell Eadie.[4]

References
  1. Peter Knegt, "For 40 years, this classic Canadian film has had an 'Outrageous!' impact on the LGBTQ community". CBC Arts, December 5, 2017.
  2. "Craig Russell, Actor And Widely Known Female Impersonator, Was Mae West Fan". The Seattle Times. November 3, 1990.
  3. "Berlinale 1978: Prize Winners". imdb.com. Retrieved 2010-08-08.
  4. Peter Knegt, "Craig Russell revolutionized Canadian drag, and he finally has the outrageous biography he deserves". CBC Arts, November 18, 2020.
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