Andy Russell
Andy Russell (September 16, 1919-April 16, 1992) was an American popular vocalist, specializing in traditional pop and Latin music.
He was born Andrés Rabago Pérez in the Boyle Heights area of East Los Angeles. He was one of ten children (eight boys, two girls) born to parents who were Mexican immigrants of Spanish descent. Already as a teenager he had begun to perform as a vocalist and drummer with a local band headed by Don Ramon Cruz. In the early forties he Anglicized his name (Andy was obvious, but "Russell" was after the singer Russ Columbo). He became vocalist and drummer with the bands of Johnny Richards, Gus Arnheim, Sonny Dunham, and Alvino Rey. By 1944, he had become well enough regarded a pop vocalist to be featured on radio, and in the next year had his Old Gold Show. He also signed on with Capitol Records. His first charted hit was "Bésame Mucho" (Capitol #149, 1944). The same year he had his biggest hit, which became his signature tune, "Amor" (Capitol #156, with the flip side "The Day After Forever") from the film "Broadway Rhythm". He had two more hits that year: "What a Difference a Day Made" (Capitol #167, paired with "Don't You Notice Anything New ") and "I Dream of You"/"Magic Is Moonlight" (Capitol #175). He had another big hit in 1946 with "I Can't Begin to Tell You" (Capitol #221) from the film "The Dolly Sisters." This became the fourth top ten seller in the country for Russell in less than two years and the big time was calling. The next big hit came later in 1946: a two-sided hit with "Laughing on the Outside" and "They Say It's Wonderful" (from the Broadway show Annie Get Your Gun) (Capitol #252). His next hit was "Pretending" (Capitol #271, backed with "Who Do You Love") was another top-ten seller. He was also invited to Hollywood and screen tested for motion pictures. In 1946 he appeared in The Stork Club and Breakfast In Hollywood. He was on the soundtrack of Walt Disney's Make Mine Music, and appeared in the picture Copacabana the next year. In 1946, the people running the pop music radio program Your Hit Parade asked him to take the place of Frank Sinatra (Sinatra returned in 1947). This led to increased popularity for the singer.
He died in Sun City, Arizona. He was buried in the Loma Vista Memorial Park in Fullerton, California.
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Known For | Acting |
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Most Rating | 5.249 |
Birthday | 1919-09-16 |
Place of Birth | |
Also Known As |
1946
Make Mine Music
5.841/246
In the tradition of Fantasia, Make Mine Music is a glorious collection of musically charged animated shorts featuring such fun-filled favorites as "Pe...
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Make Mine Music
1947
Copacabana
5.354/24
A talent agent sells his girlfriend to a nightclub – as two separate acts. The deception and constant costume changes are too much for his girl, and t...
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Copacabana
1956
Primavera en el corazón
5/2
Don Juan-type manipulates his roommate into helping him mount ridiculous schemes to get next to a girl he has his eye on.
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Primavera en el corazón
1966
The Dream Wizard
5.2/4
The film features the six children of the Telerin family, characters created by the brothers José Luis Moro and Santiago Moro. The Wizard gives each c...
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The Dream Wizard
1945
The Stork Club
5.5/8
Director Hal Walker's 1945 musical comedy stars Betty Hutton as a hat-check girl at New York City's famous nightclub. The cast also includes Barry Fit...
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The Stork Club
1956
¡Viva la juventud!
5.6/5
Movie based on the classic student football competition between UNAM pumas and the Polytechnic donkeys that were popular at that time. A mechanic is m...
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¡Viva la juventud!
1955
¡Qué bravas son las costeñas!
5.5/4
Mexican-American playboy anchors his yacht offshore of a Veracruz fishing village and chases skirts in town.
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¡Qué bravas son las costeñas!
1946
Breakfast in Hollywood
5/3
The goings on of a few members of a radio show's audience is the premise for this feature film derived from the popular ABC radio show of the 1940's....
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Breakfast in Hollywood
1959
Vístete Cristina
5/4
Aspiring big-band singer who doubles as an art forger takes in a teenaged runaway who wants to be a showgirl.
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