Born in 1940, Russell King grew up in Greymouth, attended St Andrew's College in Christchurch and graduated from the School of Architecture, University of Auckland in 1963. After specialising in hotel design and completing further study at the Stadler Hotel School, Cornell University, New York, he forsook his architectural practice to take over the development and running of the family business, Kings' Hotel, in Greymouth.After a long period in the hospitality industry, he now lives in Nelson, where he has been able to devote time to completing Gentle Giant.