Timothy Darrell Russ was born on June 22, 1956, in Washington, D.C., to Air Force officer Walt and his wife Josephine. He and his younger siblings Michael and Angela grew up on several military bases, including Niagara Falls, Elmendorf (Alaska) AFB, Omaha, Taiwan, Philippines and Turkey. During these moves around the world, he graduated from Izmir High School in Turkey, and received his diploma from Rome Academy, New York. Afterwards he attended Saint Edwards University and earned a B.S. in Theater Arts but continued his studies with a full scholarship to continue theater studies at Illinois State University. His first professional job came while he was at St. Edward's University in Austin, when he appeared in a PBS Masterpiece Theater production, but he started to pursue acting full time in 1985. During that time he's been on many TV shows and movies - including The Twilight Zone, Amazing Stories, thirtysomething, Jake and the Fatman, 21 Jump Street, Beauty and the Beast, The People Next Door, Mancuso, FBI, Family Matters, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Tequila and Bonetti, SeaQuest 2032, Dark Justice, Murphy Brown, Monty, Star Trek: Voyager, Melrose Place, Any Day Now, The Highwayman, Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, among others.

Along with his television experience he has also played in a variety of films, including Crossroads, Fire with Fire, Timestalkers, Spaceballs, Death Wish 4: The Crackdown, Pulse, Bird, Roots: The Gift, Eve of Destruction, Dead Silence, Night Eyes II, Mr. Saturday Night, Star Trek: Generations, Dead Connection, East of Hope Street. During his comprehensive acting career he appeared in numerous theatrical productions including "Romeo & Juliet", "Barrabas", "Dream Girls", "As You Like It", "Twelfth Night", "Cave Dwellers" among others. When not acting, Russ finds time for music and film producing. Songs sung by Tim Russ are available on the CDs "Only a Dream in Rio", "Tim Russ", "Kushangaza" and "Brave New World". He lives in the area of Los Angeles where his whole family resides.
Tried out for the role of Geordi LaForge on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Attended Illinois State University, and is now is its hall of fame. He has one daughter, named Madison (born March 9th 1999). Siblings: Angela, Michael Along with John de Lancie, Jeffrey Combs and Marc Alaimo, he is one of only four actors to appear in ten different seasons of 'Star Trek' ('Star Trek: The Next Generation' Season Six, 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine' Season Two and Three and 'Star Trek: Voyager' Season One through Seven.) He is also the only one to be a regular on one of these series ('Star Trek: Voyager.') Along with Armin Shimerman and Ethan Phillips, he is one of only three "Star Trek" regulars to appear in three different "Star Trek" series (Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and _"Star Trek: Voyager (1995)_ ). He is the only actor who has appeared in "Star Trek" to share scenes with five captains: William Shatner and Alan Ruck in Star Trek: Generations, Patrick Stewart in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Starship Mine", Avery Brooks in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episodes "Invasive Procedures" and "Through the Looking Glass" and Kate Mulgrew in every episode of Star Trek: Voyager. Next, at four captains, is Jonathan Frakes, who did not appear with Alan Ruck (Captain John Harriman). Around the time of the 1986-1987 casting call for the Geordi LaForge role on "Next Generation", he played an extra on the sci-fi comedy "Spaceballs".