Russell made fewer films during the 1950s, but kept busy with her huge success in the musicalized "Eileen", renamed "Wonderful Town". Not really a singer, Russell nevertheless bowled audiences over by sheer force of personality, capturing practically every award the theater community had to offer. She later tried a variety of semi-character roles in film which generally relied on the aggressiveness and exuberance of her established star persona. In a number of leading ("Auntie Mame" 1958) and supporting ("Picnic" 1955) roles tinged with seriocomic eccentricity she was quite successful, but her turn as the domineering mother in "Gypsy" (1962) received a split verdict from critics. She continued making films into the early 70s and devoted much of her time to charity work, for which she was awarded a Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Russell was long married to producer Frederick Brisson, who helped manage her career.