Betsy Russell

Betsy Russell is an American actress who is best remembered for her roles in several 1980s B movies, and for the role of Jill Tuck, the ex-wife of the sociopathic Jigsaw in the Saw film series. Russell was born in San Diego, California, daughter of Richard Russell, a stock analyst, and granddaughter of journalist and educator Max Lerner. She began acting in school projects while high school in San Diego, and won the role in a Pepsi commercial that was taped locally while in high school. After graduating from Mission Bay High School in 1981, she moved to Los Angeles and began taking acting classes and waitress jobs before her first role. Betsy Russell's first role was in the 1982 film Let's Do It!. That same year, she landed roles on T.J. Hooker and Family Ties. In 1983, Russell's breakout role came as Phoebe Cates' rival in the sex comedy, Private School. She went on to star in a series of B movies in the 1980s including Tomboy, Avenging Angel, and Cheerleader Camp. In addition to films, Russell also appeared on The A-Team, Murder, She Wrote, 1st & Ten, and an episode of Superboy, which was a reunion with her Tomboy co-star Gerard Christopher. After a brief retirement from acting, Russell reappeared in the Saw film series in 2006 and 2007 as John Kramer's ex-wife, Jill Tuck,[1] also appearing in the newly released Saw V. In 1989, Russell married actor Vincent Van Patten, son of actor Dick Van Patten. The couple had two children before divorcing in 2005.

Year Title Role Other notes 1982 Let's Do It! Kittie The Powers of Matthew Star Dawn TV, 1 episode T.J. Hooker Teenager TV, 1 episode Family Ties Girl TV, 1 episode 1983 Private School Jordan Leigh-Jenson Alternative title: Private School... for Girls 1984 The A-Team Tina TV, 1 episode 1985 Avenging Angel Molly "Angel" Stewart Tomboy Tomasina "Tommy" Boyd Out of Control Chrissie Baret 1986 The A-Team Adrian Prescott TV, 1 episode Murder, She Wrote Doris Robinson TV, 1 episode 1986-1987 1st & Ten TV, 3 episodes 1987 Cheerleader Camp Alison Wentworth Alternative title: Bloody Pom Poms 1989 Trapper County War Lacey Luddigger Roxanne: The Prize Pulitzer Liza Pulitzer Television movie Superboy Serene TV, 1 episode 1991 Camp Fear Jamie Alternative title: The Millennium Countdown 1992 Delta Heat Vicky Forbes 1993 Amore! Cheryl Schwartz 1995 Platypus Man Becky TV, 1 episode The Break Candy 2000 The Flunky 2006 Saw III Jill Tuck-Kramer 2007 Saw IV Jill Tuck-Kramer 2008 Chain Letter Sergeant Hamill Post-production Saw V Jill Tuck-Kramer Completed