[1] Early in his New York career, press stories frequently mentioned his Illinois roots and religiously strict upbringing: "I come from the severest aspects of the Midwestern Bible belt.
The following year he won critical acclaim and both the Tony and Theatre World Awards for his performance opposite Ethel Merman in Call Me Madam.
[5] One Broadway columnist provided a measure of how quickly he rose from obscurity in the show: "A week ago, Russell Nype was such an unknown that Celebrity Service, which keeps files on performers, didn't even list his name.
Nype later appeared in revivals of Carousel, Brigadoon, and Morning's at Seven, and opposite Elaine Stritch in the short-lived musical Goldilocks, for which he won his second Tony.
On television he appeared in Studio One, Fantasy Island, One Day at a Time, The Cosby Show, Murder, She Wrote, Who's the Boss?, and productions of One Touch of Venus, Kiss Me, Kate and Morning's at Seven.