Lee J. Cobb named him as a Communist, resulting in his blacklisting. Along with ten scenarists, he shared an $80,000 out-of-court settlement from MPAA in 1965.
Has a granddaughter who works in San Francisco as an English and History teacher.
Originally, his name was "Druskin," but he changed it after he went into an acting career. All of his descendants carry the name "Ruskin."
Was mainly of Polish and Russian ancestry.