Guy Madison facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Guy Madison
Madison in 1957
Born	Robert Ozell Moseley (1922-01-19)January 19, 1922 Pumpkin Center, Kern County, California, U.S.
Died	February 6, 1996(1996-02-06) (aged 74) Palm Springs, California, U.S.
Resting place	Forest Lawn Cemetery
Education	Bakersfield College
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1944–1989
Spouse(s)	Gail Russell ​ ​ (m. 1949; div. 1954)​ Sheila Connolly ​ ​ (m. 1954; div. 1964)​
Children	4

Guy Madison (born Robert Ozell Moseley; January 19, 1922 – February 6, 1996) was an American actor who worked in movies, television, and radio. He is most famous for playing Wild Bill Hickok in the Western TV show The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok from 1951 to 1958.

During his career, Madison received a special Golden Globe Award in 1954. He also earned two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960, one for his work in radio and one for television.

Early Life and Navy Service

Guy Madison was born on January 19, 1922, in Pumpkin Center, California. He went to Bakersfield College for two years. After college, he worked briefly as a telephone lineman. In 1942, during World War II, he joined the United States Navy. He had three brothers, Wayne, Harold, and David, and one sister, Rosemary. His brother Wayne also became an actor, known as Wayne Mallory.

Becoming a Star: Guy Madison's Acting Career

Discovery in Hollywood

In 1944, while on leave from the Navy, Madison visited Hollywood. His good looks caught the attention of Henry Willson, a talent scout for David O. Selznick's new company, Vanguard Pictures. Willson was known for finding young, handsome actors and giving them new names. He changed Robert Moseley's name to Guy Madison. Madison then got a small part as a sailor in Selznick's movie Since You Went Away (1944).

Even though he was only on screen for three minutes, many fans wrote letters wanting to know more about him. He was featured in popular fan magazines like Photoplay.

Early Movies and Challenges

After his time in the military, Madison's contract was given to RKO Pictures. RKO gave him a main role in Till the End of Time (1946). This movie was about soldiers returning home after World War II and was very popular. However, some people felt his acting was a bit stiff.

Madison's next main role was with Shirley Temple in Honeymoon (1947), which was not a success. His career faced some challenges as he was still developing his acting skills. He also appeared in movies like Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven (1948), Massacre River (1949), and Drums in the Deep South (1951).

Wild Bill Hickok and Westerns

Guy Madison by Don Ornitz, 1954

In 1951, Guy Madison got his most famous role as the main character in the TV series The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok. He starred alongside Andy Devine, who played his friend, Pete "Jingles" Jones. The show was very popular and ran for seven years until 1958. During this time, some episodes were even combined into feature films and released in movie theaters.

While working on the TV series, Madison also continued to make movies. He appeared in war films like Red Snow (1952) and many Westerns, including The Charge at Feather River (1953) and The Command (1954), which were big hits. He also acted in other types of films like 5 Against the House (1955), a science fiction movie called On the Threshold of Space (1955), and the drama Hilda Crane (1956).

Working in Europe

After his success in American Westerns, Guy Madison moved to Europe. There, he found even more opportunities in different kinds of movies. He starred in "sword-and-sandal" films (historical adventure movies), "spaghetti Westerns" (Westerns made in Italy), and "macaroni combat" films (war movies made in Italy).

He made movies in Italy such as Slave of Rome (1961) and Sword of the Conqueror (1961). He also worked in Germany on films like Old Shatterhand (1964). Madison continued to make many more films in Europe throughout the 1960s, including Son of Django (1967) and Hell in Normandy (1968).

Personal Life

Guy Madison married actress Gail Russell in 1949. They separated in 1953 and divorced in 1954. Later that same month, Madison married actress Sheila Connolly. They had three daughters named Bridget, Erin, and Dolly. They separated in 1960 and divorced in 1963. Guy Madison also had a son, Robert Madison, who later became an actor.

He supported the Republican Party and Dwight D. Eisenhower in the 1952 presidential election.

Later Years and Death

After he retired from acting, Guy Madison built a large ranch home in Morongo Valley, California. He passed away from emphysema on February 6, 1996, at the age of 74, in Palm Springs, California. He is buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Cathedral City, California. His friend, actor Don Burnett, spoke at his funeral.

Recognition and Awards

Guy Madison received several honors for his work in entertainment.

• In 1954, he won a special Golden Globe Award for being the Best Western Star.
• For his contributions to radio and television, Madison has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His radio star is at 6933 Hollywood Boulevard, and his television star is at 6333 Hollywood Boulevard.
• In 1996, a Golden Palm Star was dedicated to him on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars in Palm Springs, California.

Filmography

Awards

See also

In Spanish: Guy Madison para niños