Charismatic, handsome and very easy-going, Guy Madison was an American movie star who stunned movie lovers with his immense talent. He became a darling of many Americans, not just because of his acting prowess, but because he possed good-looking features. He appeared in so many movies and TV series, winning awards for his incredible work on camera and apparently cementing his place as one of the most interesting Hollywood stars of his generation. A multi-talented man, Guy was also a radio star who was loved for having a ‘soothing voice’.
As an actor, he’s best known for his portrayal of Wild Bill Hickok in the Western television series The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok from 1951 to 1958. He’s also known for his work on Till the End of Time, a drama film and so many other projects he worked on during his lifetime.
Who was Guy Madison?
Guy Madison was born on the 19th of January in the year 1922. The actor was born in Pumpkin Center, a community in California, USA. Even though he became wildly known as Guy Madison, it is noteworthy that his real birth-name was actually Robert Ozell Moseley.
The actor grew up in California with four siblings; three brothers and one sister. His brothers have been identified as Wayne, Harold and David Moseley and his sister’s name has been revealed to be Rosemary Moseley. They shared close ties during their lifetime.
Nothing is known about where Guy Madison had his elementary education. We, however, know that he attended Bakersfield College in California for about two years before proceeding to work as a telephone lineman. After some time, he decided to join the United States Navy in 1942, during World War II.
In 1944, shortly before the end of World War II, Guy, who was on leave at the time, visited Hollywood to see the sights there. During his visit, his handsome features caught the eyes of Henry Willson, a talent scout for Vanguard Pictures. This was when Guy Madison’s journey as a movie star began.
Movies and TV Shows
Guy Madison kick-started his acting career in 1944 after he met with Henry Willson, the talent scout. Henry consequently cast him in Since You Went Away, a drama film. When the movie was released, so many fans were impressed with Guy Madison and wrote thousands of letters to the Vanguard Pictures studios, asking to know who he was. It was clear that the audience loved Guy and he started featuring in more films.
In 1946, when he got out of military service, Guy Madison starred in Till the End of Time as Cliff W. Harper and made some buzz with the role. The next year, he portrayed Corporal Phil Vaughn in Honeymoon, then played the role of Eddie Tayloe in the 1948 movie, Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven. By this time, Guy was already becoming a favorite of movie lovers in America, especially because of his good looks.
Guy Madison scored one of the biggest acting roles of his career in 1951 when he was cast as Wild Bill Hickok in The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok, an American Western TV series. The series became a big hit and shot the actor into a new level of fame among Americans and the fans abroad. He played the role across 112 episodes from 1951 to 1958, winning admiration for his talent and becoming a household name.
The actor also played other big roles in movies such as The Beast of Hollow Mountain in 1957, Jet Over the Atlantic in 1959, Slave of Rome in 1961, The Executioner of Venice in 1963, Old Shatterhand in 1964, Renegade Riders in 1967, Reverend’s Colt in 1970, Il baco da seta in 1974, Where’s Willie? in 1978, The Rebels in 1979, William Tell in 1987, and Red River in 1988, among many others.
Net Worth
There is no doubt in the world that Guy Madison was able to rake in quite a lot of money during his career as an actor. He starred in many movies, stunning fans with his talent and becoming a darling of many people. He also worked on radio, consolidating his financial independence.
According to sources, Guy Madison was worth about $1.4 million at the time of his death in 1996.
Meet Guy Madison’s Wife
Guy Madison married different women during his lifetime. His first marriage was to Gail Russell, an American actress. They got married in 1949 after dating for a while. However, their marriage turned sour and they separated in 1953 before eventually divorcing in October 1954.
That same month of October in 1954, Guy married his second wife, Sheila Connolly, another American actress. The couple got married in Juarez, Mexico and eventually had three daughters together – Bridget, Erin, and Dolly. However, their marriage did not last forever as they separated in November 1960 and eventually divorced in April 1963.
Guy Madison is also reported to have had an affair with Gia Scala, a British-American actress, and model. However, their affair did not lead to marriage.
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Was He Gay?
Guy Madison was a very handsome man and it is easy for people to think he was gay. However, there is no evidence at all to show that he was gay during his lifetime. He was married to different women and had an affair with Gia Scala. Apparently, he was very fond of women.
His Death
Guy Madison died on February 6, 1996, at the Desert Hospital Hospice in Palm Springs, California. He died of emphysema at the age of 74 and was buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Cathedral City, California.
