Russ Cootey

Russ Cootey has been drawn to filmmaking from a young age when he begged for his mother to buy him a 8mm movie camera at a charity yard sale and began making small films in the back yard and around the neighborhood. While his mother worked at Universal Studios, and through friends of the family who worked in the industry he was able to visit the sets of several films and television shows and even gained a little screen time which absolutely sealed the desire to become an actor. Since then he has been a member of several theater groups in which he gained experience in creative direction and producing as well as writing original plays and music, and of course began honing his skills as an actor. After a time in theater, Cootey began working as a studio musician and filling in for local groups who needed a guitarist. He also formed, and was the driving force behind several bands in the California and North West areas. After stepping away from the music industry, he decided to enter the c