Nipsey Russell

Nipsey Russell
Russell in 1971
Born	Julius Russell (1918-09-15)September 15, 1918 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Died	October 2, 2005(2005-10-02) (aged 87) New York City, U.S.
Occupations	Comedian poet actor dancer
Years active	1952–2005

Julius "Nipsey" Russell (September 15, 1918 – October 2, 2005)^[1][2] 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. He was a frequent guest on the Dean Martin Celebrity Roast series and often appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien during the program's early years.