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Nipsey Russell

1918–2005

United States

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Biography

Julius "Nipsey" Russell (September 15, 1918 – October 2, 2005) was an American entertainer best known for his appearances as a panelist on game shows from the 1960s through the 1990s, including Match Game, Password, Hollywood Squares, To Tell the Truth, and Pyramid. His appearances were often distinguished by short, humorous poems he recited during the broadcast, which led to his nickname "the poet laureate of television". He had one of the leading roles in the film version of The Wiz as the Tin Man.

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Biography text · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source checked 2026-10-13

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