Russell Bates was born on June 6, 1941 in Lawton, Oklahoma, USA. He was a writer and actor, known for Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973), Freddie of the Jungle (1981) and Isis (1975). Was a student of Gene L. Coon, who taught at The Writer's Guild of America Open Door Program, a diversity initiative. Also worked with Coon on It Takes A Thief and The Name of The Game. He died on April 9, 2018 in Lawton.
- IMDb Mini Biography By: Justin L. Murphy
Bates was a Native American from the Kiowa Tribe. He was an activist for Native American rights and featured characters from that background in his scripts. The episode he wrote for Star Trek the Animated Series included the first Native American character to serve in Starfleet and a plot involving Amerindian mythology.
Russell was an avid ghost hunter. Visiting numerous cemeteries and haunted venues with his cousin Milton Paddlety. Both writers wrote an unproduced Star Trek: The Next Generation script, "Brothers of the Blood".