Russ Tamblyn.Photo:Rose Eichenbaum
Rose Eichenbaum
Russ Tamblynis telling his story in his own words.
TheOscar-nominated andGolden Globe-winning actor, 88, is set to release a memoir titledDancing on the Edge— and PEOPLE has an exclusive first look at the cover.
In the book, from Blackstone Publishing, Tamblyn “deftly guides readers through his star-studded life and his search for a deeper, more connected existence,” reads a synopsis, from “attending school withElizabeth Taylor, earning an Academy Award nomination forPeyton Place, dropping out of Hollywood at the height of his career to become a fine artist in Topanga Canyon and forging a lifelong friendship withNeil Young.”
“He shares the painful breakup of a twenty-year marriage and the joy of finding true love and inspiration as a husband, father, and mentor in his own right,” the synopsis adds.
The former actor, dancer and gymnast opens up in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE aboutDancing on the Edge, the cover of which depicts aWest Side Story-era Tamblyn jumping in front of a blazing fire.
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Cover of Russ Tamblyn’s memoirDancing on the Edge(2024).Blackstone Publishing
Blackstone Publishing
Asked what the cover art symbolizes for him, Tamblyn tells PEOPLE that it “wasn’t planned” on his side, but that it’s a “great photo” that “told the story of my life, which was dancing on the edge.”
“I’d always been on the edge in one way or another, playing with fire,” he adds. “My life has been kind of on the edge in the sense that I’ve taken a lot of chances and risks.”
One such risk was Tamblyn’s decision to temporarily step away from acting at the height of his career and move to Topanga Canyon to focus on fine arts.
“The difference between the performing arts and fine art, at least for me, is that in the performing arts, I’ve always thought that you do everything you can to make the audience’s head spin,” says theSeven Brides for Seven Brothersactor. “In fine art, you do everything you can to make your own head spin.”
“And there’s a big difference, because sometimes you do something for yourself — something thatyouthink is great — and if people don’t like it, that’s too bad,” Tamblyn adds, laughing.
Russ Tamblyn inWest Side Story(1961) andSeven Brides for Seven Brothers(1954).United Artists/Kobal/Shutterstock; Everett
United Artists/Kobal/Shutterstock; Everett
Tamblyn says he started writing the book over 25 years ago, around the time he received the Humanities Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998, at the University of Arizona.
“And we looked at each other and we said, ‘What?’ And she said, ‘You,’ " he recalls.
Tamblyn says he used Soren’s biography draft — which his wife,Bonnie Tamblyn, praises as “very comprehensive” — as a jumping-off point, but that they edited a lot of it.
“Over the years, it just kept going and going,” says Bonnie of the process. “And our daughter,Amber [Tamblyn], is an author, and she edited a lot for us. And she brought a more modern perspective to it.”
Russ and Amber Tamblyn in New York City on May 21, 2017.Mark Sagliocco/Getty
Mark Sagliocco/Getty
Tamblyn, who is retired from acting but has been vocal about his support forthe ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike, tells PEOPLE that his book in the end is “really an autobiography.”
That includes stories about his career, family life (including daughterChina Tamblyn, who is about 10 years older than Amber, 40, and whom he didn’t meet until her teen years), his time in Topanga and much more.
“It’s really just my life that I wrote about,” he says. “When I took over, I started writing from the very beginning, when I was like 10 years old and started working. I started from that period.”
“Also, it was a way to keep tabs on my life,” Tamblyn adds. “I was trying to remember where I went from here and here, and here and here. And I did all of that.”
Dancing on the Edgeis out April 9, 2024, wherever books are sold.
source: people.com
