In the last few years of his life he became a teacher of singing. Among his pupils were Shirley Jones, George Chakiris, Natalie Wood, Celeste Holm, Peter Falk and Beau Bridges.
Singer with the Henry Hall Orchestra, he was put under contract by MGM and moved to Hollywood, changing his name to Gilbert Russell.
Gilbert Russell's birth name was Valerian Rosing, but his stage name was Val Rosing until he moved to America in 1938. At the urging of Louis B. Mayer, Val changed his name to Gilbert Russell.