Millicent & Diablo

Growing up in beautiful Thousand Oaks, California, 38 miles North West of Hollywood, Millicent studied in the performing arts. Her schooling in music, ballet and martial arts has been an asset since her 18th birthday in 1985, where she landed her 1st AFTRA job opposite Gary Shandling and continues to enjoy her career as a performer in the entertainment industry. As an actress, Millicent has appeared in feature films including Casino and The Crossing Guard, working opposite such luminaries as Robert De Niro and Jack Nicholson. Singing and dancing, she's head-lined solid standards from the Gershwin Bros. to Cole Porter at local hot spots from Frankie's on Melrose to Overstreet in Beverly Hills from 1995-2000, with her dear friend and pianist, the late Walter Franklin Wissman. Millicent refers to Walter as her “Music God”. No man on the planet knew more about American Music than he. Currently she is mounting the stage play titled “Don’t Make Me Crash”, which she wrote. A comedic, and tabloid worthy; musical journey into the last 2 decades of her life. She also has gone back to her television & film work as full time union actress working most recently with Heidi Klum, TV Land, Warner Bros. and NYC Film academy at Universal. She also is completing the final draft of a Romance Novel, titled “10K Miles”, her continued to be published poetry is how she relaxes, and her memoirs are in the works for release when she turns 50.

How Millicent’s life began is not normal to say the least. Her first words and steps were less words and steps than song and dance. She needed to be the center of attention and that was the natural born performer in her. She was raised with her older sister, Alexandra, a former N.A.S.A. aeronautical engineer, now a small animal D.V.M., here in Los Angeles. The two California girls were raised by their loving and eccentric artist parents James Russell & Jocelyn Alexandra. Her mother, a half-Greek, half-Welsh French National was born and raised in the south of France and met James Russell, Millicent’s American born German father, a design engineer and inventor in Santa Monica on an blind date. The early 60’s were hot in Hollywood, if you ask Millicent’s parents! They sadly divorced when Millicent was 4, but are both now happily remarried for the 3rd time each and living over 12K miles away from each other. Millicent currently has her hands full, as the good daughter when it comes to traveling all over the planet, not to mention multiple step parents to love.

As a child, Millicent dreamed of becoming a horse-jockey. She wanted 5 kids, a horse breeding ranch, she also added performer to her list of dreams. By the time she was eleven years old, she shot up in height and was too tall for ballet or horse racing. She was taken off point shoes, and focused on Modern Jazz; where she studied under Sylvia Lewis, and Tap, where she studied under Joyce Dewitt. By the time Millicent was twelve, she found a way to spend her every weekends with horses, because 5 days a week were dedicated to the performing arts. Millicent could be found on horse back, trail guiding the rolling hills of Newberry Park, California at a local horse ranch off of Portero Road or riding her childhood friend's horses through the rolling hills of Lynn Ranch and Thousand Oaks and Westlake Village. If Millicent wasn’t performing at local convalescent hospitals, which taught her how wonderful it was to really entertain people and help make them smile, she was on a horse. Any horse…she could get on any horse, as quoted by her mother. She even rode retired race horse El Gatto, in Hidden Valley. Horses loved and respected Millicent as much as she loved and respected theses Noble Creatures. She is a self proclaimed “Horse-A-Holic”.

Finally at fourteen, with her mothers help, Millicent had the good fortune of landing a summer job working-out 8 half Quarter half Arab horses in Hidden Valley owned by the U.S. Ambassador to Spain. That summer job and multiple trips to the Los Angeles Equestrian Center for Barrel Racing Events and other Horse Shows with friends of the family had a major affect on Millicent. With these continued experiences on, with, and around “The Horse” planted an apple seed that has became her new found dream with the formation of the Hollywood Dolls Horse Club, Inc.

In early 2002, Millicent decided that she would start looking to buy her very own horse. Her marriage was over for many years and her son Johnny was a teenager and living his own dreams as USA Dance Dance Revolution Champion “JSB”. This was the perfect moment as an adult to get her very own horse.

Friend and fellow equestrian and Co-founder of the Hollywood Dolls, Rhonda Barnes, who was born and raised in San Diego, California, had been rescuing horses with own her mother since she was able to walk and talk always riding bareback & barefoot. Rhonda, who is one of the top 10 Los Angeles animal groomers, owning Pink Dog Mobile Grooming, agreed to help Millicent in her horse search.

Two weeks after arriving at his new home, Sunset Ranch and with plenty of time to gain needed weight and socialize with the other privately boarded horses, arrangements were made with the top eye surgeon on the west coast, Diablo had plenty of time on his Horse Hands to steal everyone else's hearts.

Together, Dr. Perdue and Millicent saved Diablo’s Life. Diablo's cancer surgery was a success and performed by Dr. A.T. Fischer, Jr. D.V.M. at Chino Valley Equine Hospital. He's been cancer free in his left eye for 6 years now. Diablo had severe glaucoma in this left eye in the summer of 2007, which was then successfully treated with Dr. Perdue overseeing his new eye surgeon at Eye Care for Animals in Pasadena; performed by Dr. Hoffman, DVM. Diablo sadly lost 100% of his vision in his left eye in the summer of 2007, but he felt no pain and could care less, for he loved performing and doing charity work, Pain Free. Besides, Diablo always enjoys riding with a buddy to watch his left side so being Blind is no issue when it comes to Diablo and his will to live and please, all who come in contact with him..

Two experiences have changed Millicent as a person, motherhood to an amazing son and becoming a full time equestrian 8 years ago, all while juggling being a mom, actress, singer and being the force behind the HDHC charity work. You see, Millicent decided to combine her love for children and animals with the entertainment and business skills she had acquired. Millicent's philosophy evolved through a combination of good hard work and her entertainment background. "If you must for 'publicity purposes' put a bunch of beautiful, successful, smart and socially conscience women and men center stage on the horses they own and have rescued to raise pubic support, than so be it." The birth of what is today the Hollywood Dolls.

Millicent, then co-founded, along side Rhonda Barnes, the Hollywood Dolls Horse Club, Inc., in early 2002. She felt this was the perfect avenue and trail to ride down to serve her community and add to her own emotional and physical well-being through the noble creature we call the "Horse" and the amazing "Dolls" and "Wrangler's" you are about to meet!

As for Diablo, the HDHC’s 1st rescued Horse, in fall of 2006, Diablo was then moved to a private boarding facility at the L.A.E.C. Semi -retired to flat-ground per Dr. Perdue’s “well being” program he designed; Diablo still made his “Star Rescue” appearances annually for the HDHC’s “Saddle Up for St. Jude Children’s Hospital and S.C.F.F.A.A. Foster Youth events and the Historical Hollywood Santa Parade.

It's sometimes hard to believe that a horse and their human could have access to such a beautiful place called Griffith Park, and that this magical city park can exist with 360* views in the mountains above the Movie Capital of the World! This is Hollywood Doll Land! Please enjoy viewing our charities website and if you have any questions or comments Millicent can always be reached, for to love what you do in this life is the “Greatest Gift Life Can Give You!