Jane Fonda studied up on Russell's life in order to play an alcoholic, once promising actress in The Morning After (1986).
A talented artist, she starting sketching at the age of 5 and later grew into a respectable oil painter.
Attended Van Nuys High School and was in some of the same classes as actress Jane Russell.
Her blue-eyed, dark beauty was frequently compared to Hedy Lamarr throughout much of her career.
Her brother, George Russell, who was five years older than Gail, became a musician.
Her death certificate and the California State Death Record shows her date of death as August 27, 1961. Many sources give her date of death as August 26, possibly because her body, found on August 27, had been dead for at least a day. But August 27 is the official date of death.
In 1930, she lived with her parents George and Gladys Russell at 5306 S. Blackstone Avenue, Chicago, Illinois.
In 1960, she was signed to co- star opposite George Raft in the film "Cause of Death," to be directed by (and co- starring) Mark Stevens, but production was halted just prior to the start of filming.
In Italy, most of her films were dubbed by Lidia Simoneschi and Renata Marini. She was also dubbed once by Dhia Cristiani in Wake of the Red Witch (1948).
She was signed to co- star with George Raft in "Loan Shark" (1952), but had to withdraw due to illness, according to studio press releases. She was replaced by Dorothy Hart.
Suffered paralyzing stage fright during the filming of The Uninvited (1944) and suffered a nervous breakdown following its completion. In the role of Stella, the song "Stella by Starlight," which came from the film, is forever associated with Gail.