Timothy Darrell Russ was born on June 22, 1956, in Washington, D.C., to Air Force officer Walt and his wife Josephine. He and his younger siblings, Michael and Angela, grew up on several military bases, including Niagara Falls, Elmendorf (Alaska) AFB, Omaha, Taiwan, Philippines, and Turkey.
As a result of these frequent moves, Russ graduated from Izmir High School in Turkey and received his diploma from Rome Free Academy in Rome, New York. He then attended Saint Edwards University, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Theater Arts before continuing his studies with a full scholarship at Illinois State University.
Russ's early professional career began while he was still at Saint Edwards University, when he appeared in a PBS Masterpiece Theater production. He started pursuing acting full-time in 1985 and has since had numerous roles in TV shows and movies, including appearances in The Twilight Zone, Amazing Stories, Thirtysomething, Jake and the Fatman, 21 Jump Street, Beauty and the Beast, The People Next Door, Mancuso, FBI, Family Matters, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Tequila and Bonetti, SeaQuest 2032, Dark Justice, Murphy Brown, Monty, Star Trek: Voyager, Melrose Place, Any Day Now, The Highwayman, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, among many others.
In addition to his extensive television work, Russ has also appeared in a variety of films, including Crossroads, Fire with Fire, Timestalkers, Spaceballs, Death Wish 4: The Crackdown, Pulse, Bird, Roots: The Gift, Eve of Destruction, Dead Silence, Night Eyes II, Mr. Saturday Night, Star Trek: Generations, Dead Connection, and East of Hope Street.
As a thespian, Russ has performed in numerous theatrical productions, including Romeo & Juliet, Barrabas, DreamGirls, As You Like It, Twelfth Night, and Cave Dwellers, among others. When not acting, Russ finds time to pursue his passion for music and film producing. His songs are available on the CDs "Only a Dream in Rio", "Tim Russ", "Kushangaza", and "Brave New World".