Russ Meyer

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 film 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 (Hauck) and William Arthur Meyer, an Oakland police officer. His father was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He was married to pin-up model, motion picture actress, film producer, and June 1955 Playboy centerfold Eve Meyer (born Evelyn Eugene Turner), until her death. Eve 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/Carrie/Cary Frances Damerrel/Damrell (the daughter of James Brockton Damrell and Maria Elisabetha Krumpe). Carrie was born in California, to a father from Kentucky and a mother from Germany. James was the son of Edmund Damrell and Elizabeth Powers. Maria was born in Tennstedt, Kreis Langensalza, Province of Saxony, Prussia, the daughter of Johann Andreas Krumpe and Mary Elizabeth Budhardt.

Sources: Genealogy of Russ Meyer – https://www.geni.com

Death record of Russ Meyer – https://www.findagrave.com

Russ’s mother on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org