RETRO BILL MAKES SAFETY, OPTIMISM FUN.

Byline: CAROL ROCK Staff Writer

VALENCIA -- He's recognized all over the country. On airplanes, pilots tell him how much their children love him. And bald-headed men look at him wistfully, admiring his towering black pompadour.

``People ask me what I'm on,'' said Valencia resident Bill Russ. ``I tell them I'm not on anything, this is me. I get up every morning thankful to be alive.''

Better known as Retro Bill, Russ is the most requested school assembly speaker in America, and he travels the United States to spread his message of making good choices to children and teens -- and sometimes to their parents.

His throwback look takes an hour a day and a can of hair spray a week, but the resemblance to Elvis ends there. He tells people that ``The King'' is no longer with us because of bad choices -- something Retro Bill will help them avoid.

Becoming Retro Bill took a lot more than buying a car emblazoned with flames and wearing bright-turquoise checkered shirts and sneakers.

In 2001, he used his talents as a writer, actor, director and producer, drained his bank account and produced a video teaching safety and self-esteem in a fun way. The video won several awards and became an instant hit.

``I got tired of reading news stories about rising crime and violence. The nation had no role models, so I thought it was time to step up,'' he said. ``The kids are our nation's future. And it's a real honor to help kids realize that it's cool to be themselves.''

Spending 300 of 365 days on the road, he personally sees more than a million kids every year. He reaches millions more with the video, his gigs as celebrity spokesman for KidsPeace and ScanUSA, and as host of National and International Kids Day.

Recently, he's been asked to produce a video on Internet safety. He's turning down work to finish the project because it's an important subject.

``Kids don't get it. They get mad or have a bad day, so they lock themselves in their rooms and log on to the computer looking for a friend. I ask them if they would go up to a stranger and give them their name and address. I remind them that's exactly what they do when they get on MySpace.

``I'm not telling them anything they haven't heard before. I'm just making it fun and making them think.''

While attending Columbia College, he earned a scholarship from Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment to finish his studies at the University of Southern California.

During a recent appearance at Charles Helmers School, he talked about a one-time classmate who scoffed at his dreams of being a writer, producer, actor, director, artist and motivational speaker.

``He was one of those guys who would smoke and drink, and he went to jail for a while,'' Russ said. ``Later on, he asked me for a job. I said no.

``Everybody needs everybody else. You shouldn't flip off that guy who cut you off in traffic because he just might end up to be the heart surgeon who saves your life.''

He doesn't need to struggle to find a reason to keep Retro Bill going strong. Parents, teachers and the kids themselves remind him. ``A mom came up to me recently and said `You have no idea what a gift you have,''' he said.

She told him that her 15-year-old daughter had left for school that morning screaming that she hated her mother. When the mother came home, she found the house was clean, the laundry done and dinner ready -- all thanks to the same daughter.

``She said Retro Bill had talked to her class about forgiveness and that parents tell their kids to straighten up because they love them,'' he said.

``People get two things on their tombstone -- the day they were born and the day they die,'' he said. ``Then there's that little dash in the middle. I want my tombstone to read: `Retro Bill: Good thing that guy lived. He made a positive difference in life.'''

For more information on Retro Bill, visit his Web site at www.retrobill.com

carol.rock(at)dailynews.com

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(1 -- 3 -- color) Kids at Helmers School smile, above, as they listen to Retro Bill, right, talk about staying drug-free. Millions of kids nationwide know the character played by Bill Russ of Valencia.

David Crane/Staff Photographer