Russell Napier was born in Perth, Western Australia. Originally a lawyer, Napier was active as an actor on the stage as early as 1936; on the screen, from 1947 to 1974, playing both comedic and dramatic roles in both cinema and television. Notably, he starred in a liveBBC television production of H. G. Wells' The Time Machine in 1949; still photographs of this production exist, but no actual footage.