Guy Madison

Guy Madison (born Robert Ozell Moseley; January 19, 1922 – February 6, 1996) was an American film, television, and radio actor. He is best known for having played Wild Bill Hickok in the Western television series The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok from 1951 to 1958.

During his career, Madison was given a special Golden Globe Award in 1954 and two stars (radio, television) on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960.

Early life Madison was born January 19, 1922, in Pumpkin Center, California. He attended Bakersfield College, a junior college, for two years and then worked briefly as a telephone lineman before joining the United States Navy in 1942 during World War II. He had three brothers, Wayne, Harold, and David, and a sister, Rosemary. Wayne Moseley was an actor, using the stage name Wayne Mallory.

Career David O. Selznick In 1944, Madison was visiting Hollywood on leave when his boyish good looks and physique caught the eye of Henry Willson, the head of talent at David O. Selznick's newly formed Vanguard Pictures. Willson was widely known for his stable of good-looking young actors with unusual names that he had bestowed upon them, and he immediately rechristened Moseley as Madison and cast him in a bit part as a sailor in Selznick's Since You Went Away (1944).

Although Madison was on the screen for only three minutes, the studio received thousands of letters from fans wanting to know more about him. He received extensive coverage in the influential fan magazines of the time, including Photoplay where his agent Henry Willson had once worked.

RKO

Madison returned to military service. When he got out, Selznick assigned his contract to RKO Pictures. RKO gave him a starring role in Till the End of Time, a drama about veterans returning after World War II (1946). The film was a big hit, although it was overshadowed by The Best Years of Our Lives, a film on a similar theme. However, Madison's acting was criticized as wooden.

Madison's second starring role paired him with fellow Selznick contract player Shirley Temple in Honeymoon (1947), which was a huge flop. His career began to suffer, in part because of his limited acting ability.

Madison was borrowed by William Castle for Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven (1948). He also appeared in Massacre River (1949) and Drums in the Deep South (1951).

The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok

Madison was eventually dropped by Selznick, along with most of Selznick's contract-players.

During its run, Madison also continued to make features: Red Snow (1952), a war movie for Columbia; The Charge at Feather River (1953), a Warner Brothers Western for Fox in 3-D and a huge hit; The Command (1954), another popular Western for Warner; 5 Against the House (1955), for Columbia; The Last Frontier (1955), supporting Victor Mature; On the Threshold of Space (1955), a science fiction film for Fox; Hilda Crane (1956), a melodrama for Fox; The Beast of Hollow Mountain (1957), shot in Mexico; The Hard Man (1957), a Western; and Bullwhip (1958), another Western.

Europe Madison went to Britain for Jet Over the Atlantic (1959) then went to Europe, where he found greater success in sword-and-sandal, spaghetti Western and macaroni combat films. He went to Italy for Slave of Rome (1961), Sword of the Conqueror (1961), Women of Devil's Island (1962), and The Executioner of Venice (1963).

Madison went to Germany for Old Shatterhand (1964) then made a spaghetti Western, Gunmen of the Rio Grande (1964). He did Kidnapped to Mystery Island (1964), Gentlemen of the Night (1964), The Adventurer of Tortuga (1964), Legacy of the Incas (1965), Renegade Riders (1967), and Son of Django (1967).

He made Bang Bang Kid (1967), The Devil's Man (1967), Superargo and the Faceless Giants (1968), Long Days of Hate (1968), Hell in Normandy (1968), Battle of the Last Panzer (1969), and Reverend's Colt (1970).

Personal life

Madison married the actress Gail Russell in 1949. They separated in 1953 and divorced in October 1954.

Later that month, Madison married actress Sheila Connolly in Juarez, Mexico. They had three daughters: Bridget, Erin, and Dolly. They separated in November 1960 and divorced in April 1963. He had an affair with Gia Scala and, before her death, she made him the beneficiary to her portion of the Screen Actors Pension Fund. He had a son, Robert Madison, who also became an actor.

Death Following his retirement, Madison built a large ranch home in Morongo Valley, California. He died of emphysema at the Desert Hospital Hospice in Palm Springs, California, on February 6, 1996, at the age of 74. He is buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Cathedral City, California. His friend, actor turned stockbroker Don Burnett (Scala’s ex-husband), spoke at his funeral.

Recognition For his contribution to the radio and television industries, Madison has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The star for his contributions to radio is located at 6933 Hollywood Boulevard; the star for his television contributions is located at 6333 Hollywood Boulevard

Filmography + Film Year Title Role Notes 1944 Since You Went Away Sailor Harold E. Smith 1946 Till the End of Time Cliff W. Harper 1947 Honeymoon Corporal Phil Vaughn 1948 Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven Eddie Tayloe Alternative title: The Girl from Texas 1949 Massacre River Lieutenant Larry Knight 1951 Drums in the Deep South Major Will Denning 1952 Smoky Canyon Henchman Uncredited Red Snow Lieutenant Phil Johnson 1953 The Charge at Feather River Miles Archer 1954 The Command Captain Robert MacClaw 1955 5 Against the House Al Mercer The Last Frontier Capt. Glenn Riordan Alternative title: Savage Wilderness 1956 On the Threshold of Space Capt. Jim Hollenbeck Hilda Crane Russell Burns The Beast of Hollow Mountain Jimmy Ryan Reprisal! Frank Madden aka Neola Executive producer 1957 The Hard Man Steve Burden 1958 Bullwhip Steve Daley 1959 Jet Over the Atlantic Brett Murphy 1961 Slave of Rome Marco Valerio Alternative titles: La schiava di Roma, Slave Warrior Sword of the Conqueror Amalchi Alternative title: Rosmunda e Alboino 1962 Women of Devil's Island Henri Vallière Alternative title: Le prigioniere dell'isola del diavolo 1963 The Executioner of Venice Rodrigo Zeno Alternative titles: Il boia di VeneziaBlood of the Executioner 1964 Old Shatterhand Capt. Bradley Alternative titles: ShatterhandApaches' Last Battle Sandokan to the Rescue Yanez Sandokan Against the Leopard of Sarawak Yanez Alternative title: Throne of Vengeance Gunmen of the Rio Grande Wyatt Earp / Laramie Kidnapped to Mystery Island Souyadhana Alternative title: I misteri della giungla nera Gentlemen of the Night Massimo Tiepolo Alternative title: Il vendicatore mascherato 1965 The Adventurer of Tortuga Alfonso di Montélimar Alternative title: L'avventuriero della tortuga Legacy of the Incas Jaguar / Karl Hansen Alternative titles: Das Vermächtnis des InkaViva Gringo 1966 Five for Revenge Tex Alternative title: I cinque della vendetta 1967 LSD Flesh of Devil Rex Miller Alternative title: LSD – Inferno per pochi dollari Renegade Riders Col. Thomas Blake Alternative title: Sette winchester per un massacro Son of Django Father Fleming Alternative titles: Il figlio di DjangoReturn of Django Bang Bang Kid Bear Bullock Alternative titles: The Bang-Bang KidBang, Bang 1968 Superargo and the Faceless Giants Prof. Wendland WondAlternative title: The King of Criminals Long Days of Hate Martin Benson Alternative title: I lunghi giorni dell'odio Hell in Normandy Capt. Jack MurphyAlternative title: Testa di sbarco per otto implacabili 1969 Battle of the Last Panzer Lofty Alternative title: La Battaglia dell'ultimo panzer Un posto all'inferno Major Mac Graves Alternative title: Raiders of the Bloody Beach Hell Commandos Major Carter Alternative title: Comando al infierno The Devil's Man Mike Alternative title: Devilman Story I diavoli della guerra Capt. George Vincent 1971 Reverend's Colt Reverend Miller Alternative title: Reverendo Colt 1973 The Silkworm Robert Alternative title: The Silk Worm 1975 The Pacific Connection The Old Man 1976 Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood Star at screening 1978 Where's Willie? Tony Flore Alternative titles: Computer KidComputer Wizard 1979 The Hughes Mystery 1989 Crossbow: The Movie Gerrish Direct-to-video release

+ Television Year Title Role Notes 1951–1958 The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok U.S. Marshal James Butler "Wild Bill" Hickok 112 episodes 1955–1956 The Ford Television Theatre Various roles 2 episodes 1955–1957 Climax! 2 episodes 1957 Wagon Train Riley Gratton Episode: "The Riley Gratton Story" 1958 General Electric Theater Adam Tenney Episode: "Bold Loser" 1959 Schlitz Playhouse of Stars Episode: "You Can't Win 'Em All" 1959 The Ann Sothern Show Episode: "Katy and the Cowboy" 1959 The Red Skelton Show Prospector Episode: "San Fernando's Treasure Hunt" 1960 Death Valley Days Luke Short Episode: "Extra Guns" 1961 Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre Jericho Episode: "Jericho" 1979 Fantasy Island Brick Howard Episode: "Yesterday's Love/Fountain of Youth" 1979 The Rebels Lieutenant Mayo Television film 1987–1988 Crossbow Gerrish 3 episodes 1988 Red River Bill Meeker, rancher Television film, (final film role)

Awards Year Award Category 1954 Golden Globe Award Special Award (Best Western Star) 1986 Golden Boot Awards Golden Boot