Tim Russ


INTRODUCTION 
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We caught up with Tim Russ during his busy schedule to ask him some questions, unfortunately because he is so busy at the moment he didn't have time to answer everyone's questions. But thanks to everyone for sending in a question.

THE QUESTIONS & THE ANSWERS
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STARTREKUK.COM
Q1: What sort of music styles can we expect to hear on your next album?

[TIM RUSS] "It will be similar in style to the first one but I like this one better. There will be fewer songs and it will be less expensive. It features pop, blues/rock, progressive rock, and folk rock. Two of the songs including the title track are mine."

STARTREKUK.COM
Q2: What is the title of your new album, and do you know when it will be available?

[TIM RUSS] "The next CD is entitled, "Kushangaza" which is Swahili for "amazing". It will have been released by the time I get to Blackpool in July for the Voyager: The Return Convention."

STARTREKUK.COM
Q3: Did you always want to be an actor and a musician?

[TIM RUSS] "I've been playing music for over 25 years."

STARTREKUK.COM
Q4: With the imminent ending of Voyager, do you have any other projects in mind to keep you busy or do you intend to take a break for a while?

[TIM RUSS] "I have a number of feature film projects I am working on, as well as a children's audio book entitled, "BUGSTERS". I hope to pursue these projects full time as soon as I get done with Voyager. As far as acting roles, we'll have to see what happens."

DANIELLE, Cape Cod, MA
Q5: I have often wondered why actors (maybe not so much you) feel that playing a part in a Sci-Fi TV Show isn't as respectable as playing a non Sci-Fi roll?

[TIM RUSS] "I think actors sometimes don't want to be typecast in a science fiction role. And, here in the U.S., you are less likely to be nominated for any acting awards if you are in a sci-fi show. Those awards entities are somewhat conservative."

JOHN, LESLEY and KARL WEST
Q6: If you had the opportunity would you star in Star Trek again?

[TIM RUSS] "I would consider that yes, but I would prefer to play a different part."

IVONNE WALDECK
Q7: Mr. Russ, there are some rumors about the death of one of Voyagers crewmembers in the end of the series. Could you imagine that this could be Tuvok? If the answer is "yes", why do you think they might want to kill you off?

[TIM RUSS] "I don't know much about the last episode. I'm sure the details will leak to the internet soon enough though."

IVONNE WALDECK
Q8: Sometimes people indentify an actor with a special role. Did it often happen to you, that people recognized you as "Mr. Tuvok" instead of Mr. Russ? If "yes", does this disturb you?

[TIM RUSS] "People sometimes will call me by my character name, and no it doesn't really bother me. It's how often people recognize me that gets to me sometimes."

PAM MERRILL
Q9: On one of the newsgroups, one of the posters feels that you have gotten unfair treatment by TPTB with regards to how much time you get in front of the camera. This person blames some of your fellow actors for this predictament (in particular Robbie McNeill). Can you comment?

[TIM RUSS] "We as actors don't have any control over the design of the stories unless we pitch one that they buy. We just show up, say our lines and go home."

MARIA NAUSCH, Vienna, Austria
Q10: What are the chances that "East of Hope Street" will be available on tape anytime soon?

[TIM RUSS] "We are just now preparing the film for video distribution. It will eventually be available on Amazon and other outlets within the next six months or so. I'll update the website as to when it is released."

MARIA NAUSCH, Vienna, Austria
Q11: Is there a way to make "Art Police" accessible to the general audience again without us having to pay 4.95 $/month membership fee for "Club Galaxy"? And when is the next new episode due?

[TIM RUSS] "Art Police may find a new home in the not to distant future. My website will have details if and when that happens. We are not currently shooting any new episodes."

For those that didn't know. Tim's most recent independent project, The Art Police premiered on Galaxy TV June 23, 2000. If you missed it, click here: www.galaxyonline.com and follow the instructions to catch it again. Stay tuned, and look for 23 more hilarious episodes!

"Fahrenheit 452: The Art Police is a short, four-to-six-minute-per-episode comedy sketch program that is, more or less, Men in Black meets Cops," explains actor Tim Russ, the co-creator, producer, writer and star of the show. "Our characters are stone-faced, stoic, suit-and-tie guys that are very neutral and not at all colorful. We're not the least bit interested in undertaking any kind of artistic endeavor. Rather, we simply respond to artistic emergencies that have occurred."

Throughout the series, these aesthetic crises range from bad poetry readings and poorly performed Shakespeare monologues to horrid art gallery showings and offensive porn films. In every case, the Art Police are called to intervene and remove the questionable works of art and, if necessary, arrest the artist. 

Russ, who is best known as Lt. Cmdr. Tuvok from the popular TV program Star Trek: Voyager, stars as one of the law-enforcement officials, along with Bruce A. Young (The Sentinel) and Dan Chace (East of Hope Street). Young and Chace also serve as producers and writers on the show.

Many of Tim's fellow Star Trek actors have portrayed "criminals" on the show, including Ethan Phillips [Neelix], Robert Beltran [Chakotay] and Robert Duncan McNeill [Lt. Paris]."

TYLER VOLZ
Q12: Do you feel like the writers could have done more with your character or the show overall?

[TIM RUSS] "I think given the fact that I share the stage with eight other cast members, the writers have given Tuvok good coverage over the years."

PATRICK DODDS
Q13: "Living Witness" is being acclaimed by many (myself included) as Star Trek: Voyager's greatest episode. This is a magnificent episode and we think you did an excellent job directing. Do you have any special feelings, thoughts, or memories about your time directing this gem? And will you be directing again? 

[TIM RUSS] "Thank you, and I do hope to do more directing, perhaps on the new show!"

BRI LEL PEREIRA
Q11: How is the dynamic between yourself and Kate Mulgrew since the infamous "dead man" incident?

[TIM RUSS] "We are currently under a cease fire."

The "dead man" incident refers to a series of practical jokes we played on each other. I threw something at her while she was shooting her close up - she stole my street clothes from my trailer and hid them so I couldn't get dressed when it was time to go home - I posted polaroid shots of my bare rear end in her trailer - she put live worms down my uniform just before shooting a scene... etc.... 

OUR THANKS
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StarTrekUK.COM and it's visitors would like to thank Tim Russ for taking part in the Question & Answer session.

StarTrekUK.COM would also like to thank the fans for submitting questions, unfortunately we didn't have time to answer every question but thankyou for submitting anyway.

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Related Links:


The Official Tim Russ Web Site