essentially compilations of his stand-up routines. Early career In 1952, Russell joined with film comedian Mantan Moreland for a stage act, replacing Ben Carter as Moreland's dapper straight man. One of their bits was an old routine that Moreland and Carter had performed in vaudeville and in Charlie Chan films. In the "interruption routine" (or "incomplete sentences") Moreland would engage Russell in conversation, only to be interrupted by Russell, who in turn was interrupted by Moreland: Moreland: Guess who I saw? I saw old— Russell: Is he back again? I thought he was— Moreland: He was, but he got out. Russell: Is that so? Moreland: Yeah, he was over— Russell: Is that so? Soon the entire conversation was conducted in incomplete sentences, with each man anticipating or contradicting the other. Their act can be seen in two all-black-cast compilation films, Rhythm and Blues Review and Rock and Roll Revue; another variation of the "interruption routine", performed by Tommy Davidson and Savion Glover, was featured in Spike Lee's 2000 film Bamboozled. A September 1957 appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show led to several guest spots with Jack Paar on The Tonight Show and in 1961 a supporting role as a New York policeman, "Andy" Anderson, in the sitcom Car 54, Where Are You? Russell returned to the role in the feature-film version of Car 54, Where Are You? (filmed in 1990, released in 1994), with "Anderson" now serving as the precinct captain. In 1965, Russell became a co-host of ABC's Les Crane Show. In 1970, he was a co-star on the ABC sitcom Barefoot in the Park. From 1973 through 1976, he appeared regularly on The Dean Martin Show and The Dean Martin Comedy World. In 1978 he played the Tin Man in the film version of “The Wiz” alongside Diana Ross and Michael Jackson. Scattered appearances on television series followed, as well as occasional guest-host stints on The Tonight Show during the Johnny Carson era. Russell also appeared frequently in Las Vegas, including a series of appearances with Sergio Franchi at the Frontier Hotel in 1978 and 1979, and with Franchi in 1979 at the Sands Hotel Copa Room. He performed at Kutsher's Country Club in Monticello, New York, on January 1, 1977. Game shows Russell became the first black performer to become a regular panelist on a daily network game show when he joined ABC's Missing Links in 1964.