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The young son of the scandalous Evelyn Nesbit, Russell Thaw appeared solely in the films of his mother, most of which were apologetic depictions of the scandal that made the Thaw family a cause célèbre in the first decade of the 20th century. In June of 1906, Philadephia socialite Harry K. Thaw shot and killed his young bride's reputed lover, architect Stanford White. The assassination, as it were, took place in full view at the rooftop restaurant above Madison Square Garden, one of White's most famous creations. Evelyn, who testified on behalf of her husband, later swore that Russell was Thaw's son, despite the fact that he was born four years after the trial when Harry was still incarcerated at Matteawan. She eventually admitted that Russell was not Harry's but refused to name the identity of his real father. Billed as Russell Thaw, the child co-starred with his mother in at least five films, most notably the aptly titled Redemption, in which Evelyn played a woman forced to confess a past indiscretion to her son. The adult Russell Thaw became a noted aviator.