From a WEST SIDE STORY Star

Athletic, handsome and with a warm personality that always stood out onscreen, Russ Tamblyn did himself proud in some classic Hollywood films. Some of those films are GUN CRAZY, SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS, PEYTON PLACE (which put him in the Oscar nominee category of Best Supporting Actor) and 1963's THE HAUNTING. I'll bet you'll agree with me that his most famous role was "Riff" in WEST SIDE STORY. Riff was the leader of The Jets, a gang of white teens who hated The Sharks, a gang of Puerto Rican teens,

Mr. Tamblyn wrote this yesterday on Twitter:

"I was born in '34. I've watched how this country treats black people for more than 80 years. Not much has changed. If COVID wasn't still out here, I'd be on the streets protesting and putting my body in the way of police every chance I got. PROTEST ON! #BlackLivesMatter"

That made me smile. With all the heartbreak yesterday because of the horrible and unjust way that George Floyd died -- coupled with the anger over the reform that never seems to come after innocent, unarmed black people are killed or threatened -- that  made me smile.

WEST SIDE STORY is on Netflix this month.