Who was Guy Madison? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Also Known As: Robert Ozell Moseley

Died At Age: 74

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Gail Russell (m. 1949–1954), Sheila Connolly (m. 1954–1963)

siblings: and a sister, Harold and David, Rosemary, Wayne

children: Bridget Catherine Madison, Dolly Ann Madison, Erin Patricia Madison, Robert Madison

Actors Radio Personalities

Height: 6'0" (183 cm), 6'0" Males

Died on: February 6, 1996

place of death: Palm Springs, California, United States

Notable Alumni: Bakersfield College

Cause of Death: Emphysema

U.S. State: California

More Facts

education: Bakersfield College

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Career

Guy Madison worked as a telephone lineman for a brief period during the early 1940s and then joined the United States Navy. During his time at the US Navy, Madison visited Hollywood on a leave. It was his good looks and sporty physique that enabled him to enter the show business. Iconic film producer David O. Selznick’s talent company’s head Henry Willson noticed Madison when he was visiting Hollywood and decided to offer him a role in Selznick's next film. Madison featured in the 1944 drama film ‘Since You Went Away’ as ‘Sailor Harold E. Smith’. His strong physique and Navy-man look earned him many soldier roles. He appeared in films like ‘Honeymoon’, ‘Massacre River’, ‘Drums in the Deep South’, and ‘Red Snow’ in such roles.

In the 1950s, Guy Madison’s career took a positive turn that established his image in the show business for good. He was cast in the role of American Old West folk hero James Butler Hickok in the television show ‘The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok’. The show aired on CBS as well as on ABC on a different timeline for eight seasons with the title sponsor being the Kellogg's cereal company. The show ran from 1951 to 1958. During this time, 16 movies containing combined episodes of the series were also aired. Madison became quite famous for playing the role of ‘Wild Bill Hickok’ and won a special Golden Globe Award in 1954 for the best western star. Madison also played the character of Hickok on radio for a long time. In 1960, Guy Madison was awarded two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for television and radio at 6333 and 6933 Hollywood Boulevard, respectively.

After the tremendous success of ‘The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok,’ Madison went to Europe and featured in multiple European films, including some German films in the 1960s. Some of his noteworthy performances came in movies like ‘Slave of Rome’, ‘Sword of the Conqueror’, ‘Women of Devil's Island,’ ‘The Executioner of Venice’, ‘Superargo and the Faceless Giants’, ‘Hell in Normandy’, and ‘Battle of the Last Panzer.’ The other European films he appeared in between 1964 and 1967 include ‘Desafío en Río Bravo’, ‘Das Vermächtnis des Inka’, ‘Kidnapped to Mystery Island’ and ‘Son of Django’.

Madison also made appearances in different television shows in his later career. Some of his notable appearances were in ‘Climax!’, ‘Schlitz Playhouse of Stars’, ‘Death Valley Days’, ‘Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theater’, and ‘Crossbow’.

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Family & Personal Life

Guy Madison was born as Robert Ozell Moseley in Pumpkin Center, Kern County, California, on January 19, 1922. He grew up with his three brothers, Wayne, Harold and David, and their only sister, Rosemary. He married actress Gail Russell in 1949 and divorced her on 6 October 1954. In the same year, exactly after 19 days, Madison again got married, this time to Sheila Connolly, and the couple had four children together. After ten years of being together, the couple ended their marriage with a divorce on April 3, 1964.

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Death

Madison died of emphysema, a type of lung disease, on February 6, 1996, at the Desert Hospital Hospice in Palm Springs, California. He was interred at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Cathedral City, California. His friend Don Burnett delivered a speech at his funeral.

Guy Madison Biography