Profile Text
Birth Name: Russell Albion Meyer
Date of Birth: March 21, 1922
Place of Birth: San Leandro, Alameda, California, United States
Date of Death: September 18, 2004
Place of Death: Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Ethnicity: German (at least 87.5%), as well as English
Russ Meyer was an American filmmaker, director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer, editor, and actor. A pioneer of sexploitation films, his work was known for its campiness, tongue-in-cheek humour, frequent portrayals of ample-breasted women, and satire. He directed the films The Immoral Mr. Teas , Eve and the Handyman , Wild Gals of the Naked West , Europe in the Raw , Lorna , Mudhoney , Motorpsycho , Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! ; Mondo Topless , Common Law Cabin , Good Morning and… Goodbye! , Finders Keepers, Lovers Weepers! ; Vixen! (1968), Cherry, Harry & Raquel! ; Beyond the Valley of the Dolls , The Seven Minutes , Black Snake , Supervixens , Up! , and Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens , and co-directed the film Fanny Hill . He also wrote his Eve , Europe , Supervixens , and Up! , and co-wrote all his other listed films, but for Fanny , Mudhoney , Mondo , and Minutes .
Russ was the son of Lydia Lucinda “Liddie” (Hauck) and William Arthur Meyer, an Oakland police officer. His father was born in St. Louis, Missouri. His mother was born in Lockeford, San Joaquin County, California. He served in the U.S. Army during WWII. His former wife, pin-up model, motion picture actress, film producer, and June 1955 Playboy centerfold Eve Meyer (born Evelyn Eugene Turner); was killed in the Tenerife airport disaster in 1977.
Russ’s paternal grandfather was named Edward Albin Meyer. Edward was German.
Russ’s paternal grandmother was named Augusta Maths. Augusta was German.
Russ’s maternal grandfather was named Henry Ernest Hauck. Ernest was German.
Russ’s maternal grandmother was Caroline S. “Carrie”/Cary Frances Damerrel/Damrell (the daughter of James Brockton Damrell and Maria Elisabetha/Elisabeth Krumpe). Carrie was born in Stockton, San Joaquin County, California. James was born in Greenup County, Kentucky, the son of Edmund Damrell and Elizabeth Powers. Russ’s great-grandmother Maria was born in Tennstedt, Kreis Langensalza, Province of Saxony, Prussia, Germany, the daughter of Johann Andreas Krumpe and Mary Elizabeth Budhardt.
Sources: Genealogies of Russ Meyer – https://www.geni.com https://www.findagrave.com
Russ Meyer on the 1950 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Russ’s mother on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org