Russ Tamblyn and Wife Bonnie Reveal Daughter Amber Edited His New Memoir: She Brought a 'Modern Perspective' (Exclusive)
Tamblyn's new memoir 'Dancing on the Edge' is available now wherever books are sold
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Russ and Amber Tamblyn in New York City on May 21, 2017Russ Tamblyn and Amber Tamblyn are more than just father-daughter — they have a long history of working together, including on his new memoir, Dancing on the Edge.
In am exclusive chat with PEOPLE ahead of the book's April 9 release, Russ, now 89, and wife Bonnie Tamblyn revealed that Amber, 40, helped a lot in bringing the West Side Story actor's life to the page.
"Our daughter, Amber, is an author, and she edited a lot for us. And she brought a more modern perspective to it," says Bonnie, 76. "She brought to it a more contemporary sensibility, especially from the viewpoint of women. That's really important."
But the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants actress's collaborations with her actor/dancer/fine-artist dad go back — all the way to her time on General Hospital as a preteen, when they danced together in a 1997 episode.
"They asked me if I would do a dance number with her. And so I said yes, and it was a lot of fun. So that was our big dance," says Russ.
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Courtesy Russ Tamblyn
Bonnie, Amber and Russ Tamblyn circa 1983Related: West Side Story Star Russ Tamblyn to Publish Memoir Dancing on the Edge — See the Cover! (Exclusive)
Russ, who was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting actor in 1957's Peyton Place, was even his daughter's "mentor" early on in her career, as well as her manager for a while.
It was an experience he tells PEOPLE could be "up and down" at times but adds that overall, Amber "liked having me as her manager."
Later, Russ and Amber would join forces once more — this time on the big screen, with brief appearances in 2012's Django Unchained as "Son of a Gunfighter" and "Daughter of a Son of a Gunfighter," respectively. Their roles were clear nods to Russ' starring role as Johnny Ketchum in the 1965 Western Son of a Gunfighter.
"He gave us great billing," Russ says of director Quentin Tarantino.
Blackstone Publishing
Russ Tamblyn's memoir Dancing on the Edge (2024), out nowRelated: Girl Dads! Ludacris, Kevin Jonas, Bruce Willis and Other Celeb Fathers Who Have Only Daughters
Dancing on the Edge includes stories about Russ' career, romantic relationships, family life (including daughter China Tamblyn, who is about 10 years older than Amber and whom he didn't meet until her teen years), his fine-arts stint in California's Topanga Canyon and much more.
Nowadays, Russ — whose last onscreen role was in a 2018 episode of The Haunting of Hill House, after he originally starred in 1963's The Haunting — is happy to finally have his memoir out in the world, after it's been in the works for more than two decades.
And as he approaches his 90th birthday later this year, the Seven Brides for Seven Brothers actor and former acrobatic dancer says he enjoys being a grandfather to China's children Dylan, 25, and Vivian, 22, as well as Amber and husband David Cross' daughter Marlow, 7.
Of his relationship with Marlow, Russ Tells PEOPLE one of the ways they spend time together is magic. "I'm an amateur magician, so I do card tricks and stuff like that," he says. "And now, every time I see her, she wants me to do some magic for her. That part is pretty cool."
Dancing on the Edge is available now wherever books are sold.
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