Career
He also served as emcee for the Mission Universe, Mission World, and Mission Canada pageants. Bob Russell"s father was a Russian-born baker. His family moved to New York at age nine and he began his career appearing in Broadway musicals in the 1920s.
In the 1930s, he moved on to Philadelphia, where he became a local star as the singing master of ceremonies at the elegant Cafe Marguery in the old Adelphia Hotel.
In 1952 Russell co-created, directed and hosted the very first Mission Universe pageant in Long Beach, California, and continued with the pageant through 1957. His recommended replacement, Bert Parks, in 1955 sang this promenade tune into history.
lieutenant was watched by 27 million people. Russell helped to start many early television game shows, such as Name That Tune (1954-1959).
He appeared as the emcee of Bonnie Maid"s Versatile Varieties (1950-1951) and Your Pet Parade (1951), and was the announcer on the quiz show Time Will Tell (1954).
Russell retired from the limelight to Sarasota, Florida, where he kept busy as Reservation Manager at the Aku Tiki Inn on Lido Key, and later at the Meadows Golf and Tennis Resort. Princess Flavia (November 2, 1925 – March 1926. 152 performances).
