Veteran Hollywood character player and occasional lead since entering films as a 13-year-old in Joseph Losey's "The Boy With Green Hair" (1948) starring child star Dean Stockwell. Tamblyn proved capable as an eager juvenile in such diverse films as "Gun Crazy" (1949), playing John Dall's firearms-obsessed protagonist as a teen; Cecil B. DeMille's "Samson and Delilah" (1949); and Vincente Minnelli's Spencer Tracy-Elizabeth Taylor pairings "Father of the Bride" (1950) and "Father's Little Dividend" (1951). He later won acclaim for his remarkably acrobatic dancing ability in such screen musicals