Outrageous Misfits Craig Russell
Outrageous Misfits: Female Impersonator Craig Russell and His Wife, Lori Russell Eadie
The cover of Outrageous Misfits: Female Impersonator Craig Russell and His Wife, Lori Russell Eadie, 2021 Heritage Toronto Awards Book Nominee.
Author: Brian Bradley
Publisher: Dundurn Press
Outrageous Misfits is an important contribution to Toronto’s cultural heritage. Brian Bradley gives readers a meticulously researched biography that provides both an intimate look into the lives of Craig and Lori Russel, and broader insight into the city’s LGBTQ, drag, and theatre history. Craig Russell was an internationally admired entertainer and actor, known for his outrageous impersonations of some of Hollywood’s greatest female celebrities: Mae West, Barbra Streisand, Bette Midler, Carol Channing, and Judy Garland, to name a few. Lori Russell Eadie, a shy theatre lover, was Craig’s No. 1 fan and, eventually, his wife. Through nearly one hundred interviews and extensive research, Bradley reveals the life and legacy of one of the world’s most popular female impersonators and his biggest fan.
About the Author: Brian Bradley
Brian Bradley is a writer, journalist, and biographer and work at the Toronto Star. He has researched the lives of Craig Russell and Lori Russell Eadie for over a decade. Brian lives in Hamilton, Ontario.