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Guy Madison
1922-1996
Updated 4/18/2008. Don't miss the Guy Madison Gallery.
biography
Born Robert Moseley on January 19, 1922, native Californian Guy Madison never planned to be an actor; the handsome star fell into it quite by accident. Madison had been a telephone lineman, but with the onset of World War II, he went into the Coast Guard. During a weekend leave in 1943, one of David O. Selznick's talent scouts spotted Madison, who was attending a broadcast of a popular radio program. The result of this was a small role in the wartime drama Since You Went Away (1944; with Claudette Colbert and Joseph Cotten); Madison completed his scene during a 48-hour pass, and then went back on duty. Folling the release of Since You Went Away, Selznick's studio was overwhelmed with fan mail for the handsome 22-year-old. Madison finished his tour of duty in 1946 and immediately went back to Hollywood to capitalize on his newfound fame. RKO Studios signed him to a contract upon his return. Throughout the late 1940s, Madison honed his craft mostly by acting in smaller theater productions, making few movies during that time. He was the subject of numerous beefcake photographs while building a film persona.
Various photos of Guy Madison; the first two include Guy's brother Wayne Moseley. You'll find more photos like these in the Guy Madison Gallery
In 1949, Madison married actress Gail Russell; however, Russell's legendary alcohol comsumption helped bring an end to the marriage in 1954. (Gail Russell died at the age of 36 in 1961 from an alcohol-induced heart attack.) Madison then married actress Kelly Ryan, but that union ended in the late 1950s. He then married Sheila Connolly in 1961, but the union was short-lived.
Madison with first wife Gail Russell
Guy Madison's second film and first starring role was the 1946 drama Till the End of Time, which explored the problems returning World War II veterans had in readjusting to civilian life. With the support of Robert Mitchum, Bill Williams, and Dorothy McGuire, Madison carries the weight of the film and does a very good job. Afterward, his film career hit a rough patch, making few movies during this period. He did quite a bit of stage work to build his acting skills in the late 1940s. Finally, Madison found fame on TV and radio on The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok. Produced from 1951 through 1956, the show made Guy Madison a household name and earned him a new crop of fans, especially among children. Soon, Madison's visage began appearing on cereal boxes, toys, and other promotional items. A total of 17 Wild Bill Hickok films were released to theaters between 1952 and 1955, which were merely edited episodes of the TV program. In reality, Madison made few films during his stint on the show, and upon cancellation of Wild Bill Hickok in 1956, Madison found he had been typecast as the western hero and as a TV actor. He made a dozen or so films in America between 1956 and 1959 but without a great deal of box office success. In 1959, Madison left Hollywood for a lucrative film career in Europe, where he starred in a number of war films and spaghetti westerns.
the films of guy madison
Till the End of Time (1946)
From RKO's Til the End of Time. LEFT and CENTER A: With Robert Mitchum. CENTER B: With Jean Porter. CENTER C: With Tom Tully as Madison's father. RIGHT: With love interest Dorothy McGuire
Texas, Brooklyn and Heaven (1948)
From the United Artists comedy Texas, Brooklyn and Heaven, directed by William Castle
The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok (1951-1956 TV Series)
Madison as U.S. Marshal James Butler "Wild Bill" Hickok, the role that made him famous. Andy Devine portrayed Jingles, Wild Bill's sidekick
The Command (1954)
With Joan Weldon in the Warner Bros. western The Command
5 Against the House (1955)
From the Columbia film noir release 5 Against the House. LEFT: With Kim Novak. RIGHT: With Brian Keith, Kim Novak, Alvy Moore, and Kerwin Mathews
The Beast of Hollow Mountain (1956)
From the United Artists western/horror blend The Beast of Hollow Mountain
On the Threshold of Space (1956)
From the 20th Century Fox release On the Threshold of Space. LEFT: As Captain Jim Hollenbeck. CENTER: With Martin Milner. RIGHT: With Virginia Leith
Bullwhip (1958)
From the Allied Artists western Bullwhip with Rhonda Fleming
Gunmen of the Rio Grande (1965)
Madison as Wyatt Earp in Gunmen of the Rio Grande
Payment in Blood (1968)
With Edd Byrnes in the spaghetti western Payment in Blood
later years
The 1960s saw Madison renewing his film career in Europe, where he enjoyed a ten-year run as a popular actor in German and Italian films; he made a surprising number of popular spaghetti westerns in the mid to late 1960s, including This Man Can't Die (1967; with Rik Battaglia) and Payment in Blood (1968; with Edd Byrnes). From the 1970s onward, Madison was mostly retired, making few films as a variety of health problems limited his activity. He took a few roles on such popular TV programs as Fantasy Island and The Smith Family. His last film appearance was in the 1988 western Red River (with James Arness and Ty Hardin. Sadly, he passed away at age 74 in February 1996 from complications arising from emphysema. He was survived by his four children.
Since You Went Away [DVD](1944) DVD
Powerhouse tearjerker about a homefront family coping with hardship and tragedy during World War II, written and produced by David O. Selznick. Exceptional cast includes Claudette Colbert, Jennifer Jones, Shirley Temple, Joseph Cotten, Monty Woolley and Lionel Barrymore. 177 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English, Spanish, French.
Texas, Brooklyn And Heaven [DVD](1948) DVD
Before he turned out such suspense gems as "The Tingler" and "House on Haunted Hill," William Castle directed this screwball comedy about a Texas couple who come to New York in search of fame and fortune and find it when they buy a riding academy. Guy Madison, Diana Lynn, Lionel Stander and Margaret Hamilton star. Standard; Soundtrack: English. Plays All Regions.
Drums In The Deep South [DVD](1951) DVD
The Civil War is the battleground for emotions and loyalties when a group of West Point comrades find themselves fighting on opposite sides. Guy Madison, Barbara Payton, Craig Stevens star; directed by William Cameron Menzies. 87 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English mono.
The Last Frontier [DVD](1955) DVD
After having his furs stolen by the Indians, a fur trapper (Victor Mature) joins his two partners as a scout at a cavalry fort overseen by a demented colonel (Robert Preston). After the colonel plans to send his troops on a mission against hostile Indians, the trapper attempts to stop him. With Guy Madison, Anne Bancroft; Anthony Mann directs. AKA: "Savage Wilderness." 98 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital stereo; Subtitles: English, Japanese.
The Executioner Of Venice (Il Boia Di Venezia) [DVD](1963) DVD
Set in medieval Italy, this sensational swashbuckler stars Lex Barker as a courageous executioner attempting to prove that the Grand Inquisitor is working with murderous pirates. Enlisting the help of his godson, he tries to bring justice to Venice. With Guy Madison, Alessandra Panaro. AKA: "Blood of the Executioner." Standard; Soundtrack: English (dubbed). Dubbed in English.
Apaches' Last Battle [VHS](1964) VHS
Offbeat and interesting German-made Western, third in the "Winnetou" series based on Karl May's novels. Lex Barker stars as grizzled ex-railroader Shatterhand, who, along with Indian blood brother Winnetou (Pierre Brice) tries to stop power-hungry Cavalry officer Guy Madison from fermenting war between the Apache and Comanche. Sultry Daliah Lavi also stars. AKA: "Old Surehand," "Shatterhand." 98 min.
Gunmen Of The Rio Grande [VHS](1964) VHS
Rip-roaring western adventure (filmed in Spain) about famed lawman Wyatt Earp's attempts to help a French saloonkeeper trying to stop an outlaw from ransacking local silver mines. This thrilling mix of history and legend stars Guy Madison, Madeleine Lebeau and Gerard Tichy. AKA: "Duel at Rio Bravo."
Sandokan Fights Back [DVD](1964) DVD
Ray Danton plays the dashing Sandokan, a feared pirate who attempts to claim his rightful throne from an evil European who killed his family and now sits as ruler. Sandokan saves his enemy's niece from a tiger, but when Sandokan's identity is revealed, trouble ensues. With Franco Bettoia. Standard; Soundtrack: English (dubbed).
Adventurer Of Tortuga (Cold Steel For Tortuga) [DVD](1965) DVD
Exciting pirate yarn with Rick Battaglia as a Spanish pirate who finds himself in hot water when he falls for beautiful Indian princess Ingeborg Schoner. Taking his interest personally is treacherous governor Guy Madison, who wants the princess for himself. Nadia Gray, Mino Doro also star. 95 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English (dubbed).
Cold Steel For Tortuga (Adventurer Of Tortuga) [VHS](1965) VHS
Exciting pirate yarn with Rick Battaglia as a Spanish pirate who finds himself in hot water when he falls for beautiful Indian princess Ingeborg Schoner. Taking his interest personally is treacherous governor Guy Madison, who wants the princess for himself. Nadia Gray, Mino Doro also star. 95 min. Dubbed in English.
Superargo [DVD](1967) DVD
After donning a bulletproof leotard and getting a lesson in levitation from his lama, a wrestler-turned-superhero is ready to wrangle with a mad scientist and his mummified goons. Ken Wood and Guy Madison star in this entry from the hit Italian beefcake series. AKA: "Superargo and the Faceless Giants." 95 min. Soundtrack: English (dubbed). Dubbed in English.
Superargo [VHS](1967) VHS
After donning a bulletproof leotard and getting a lesson in levitation from his lama, a wrestler-turned-superhero is ready to wrangle with a mad scientist and his mummified goons. Ken Wood and Guy Madison star in this entry from the hit Italian beefcake series. AKA: "Superargo and the Faceless Giants." 95 min.
This Man Can't Die [VHS](1967) VHS
Pistol-packin' pasta Western featuring Guy Madison as a gunrunner who returns home to find the black hats that killed his parents and raped his sister. Peter Martel co-stars. 90 min.
Dogs O' War Collection: WWII: The European Front 10-Film Set [DVD] DVD
Ten World War II classics! Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin are targeted for death, in "Desert Commando" (1967). A hidden fortune is fought over by Nazis and Allied prisoners, in "Dirty Heroes" (1969). A British officer chases German saboteurs, in "Eagles Over London" (1969). An American major is stranded behind enemy lines, but he and his "Hellcommandoes" (1969) still have a mission to complete! A pair of G.I.s link up with a Yugoslavian resistance group to harass the Germans, in "Operation: Cross Eagles" (1969). Can a German soldier and an American (Guy Madison) make peace long enough to survive the dangers of the North African desert, or will the "War Devils" (1969) perish in the attempt? A British officer tries to teach "Heroes Without Glory" (1971) the proper way to win a war. A young Greek woman working for the Resistance must seduce a Nazi officer in order to steal vital war plans, in "Mediterranean in Flames" (1972). A small band of escaped Allied POWs receives a suicide mission: to cross "The Bridge to Hell" (1986). "War Boy" (1987) observes the horrors of conflict through a small boy's eyes. 15 3/4 hrs. total on three discs. Soundtrack: English.
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filmography
FILM
Red River (1988) with Ty Hardin, Robert Horton, Gregory Harrison, and James Arness
The Adventures of William Tell (1986) with Johnny Crawford and Guy Rolfe
Where's Willie? (1978) with Robert Clarke
Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood (1976)
The Pacific Connection (1975) with Gilbert Roland and Nancy Kwan
Il Baco da seta (1974)
Comando al infierno (1970)
The Reverend's Colt (1970) with Richard Harrison
War Devils (1969) with John Ireland
Bang, Bang (1968) with Tom Bosley
The Battle of the Last Panzer (1968)
A Place in Hell (1968) with Helene Chanel
Payment in Blood (1968) with Edd Byrnes
Superargo (1967) with Ken Wood
The Devil's Man (1967)
The Return of Django (1967) with Daniele Vargas
This Man Can't Die (1967) with Sara Bay and Rik Battaglia
Hell in Normandy (1967) with Erika Blanc
The Five Giants From Texas (1966)
Viva Gringo (1966) with Rik Battaglia, Fernando Rey, and Raf Baldassarre
Adventurer of Tortuga (1965) with Rik Battaglia
Duel at Rio Bravo (1965)
The Mystery of Thug Island (1964) with Giacomo Rossi-Stuart
Sandokan Fights Back (1964) with Ray Danton and Raf Baldassarre
Sandokan Against the Leopard of Sarawak (1964) with Ray Danton
Gentlemen of the Night (1964)
The Executioner of Venice (1963) with Lex Barker and Raf Baldassarre
Apaches Last Battle (1963) with Lex Barker, Daliah Lavi, Pierre Brice, and Rik Battaglia
Sword of the Conqueror (1962) with Jack Palance
Women of Devil's Island (1961)
Slave of Rome (1960) with Rossana Podestà, Raf Baldassarre, and Giacomo Rossi-Stuart
Jet Over the Atlantic (1959) with George Raft, Virginia Mayo, Brett Halsey, and Anna Lee
Bullwhip (1958) with Rhonda Fleming and Burt Nelson
The Hard Man (1957) with Lorne Greene and Myron Healey
On the Threshold of Space (1956) with Virginia Leith, Ken Clark, John Hodiak, and Martin Milner
The Beast of Hollow Mountain (1956) with Patricia Medina
Hilda Crane (1956) with Jean Simmons and Jean-Pierre Aumont
Reprisal! (1956) with Felicia Farr; Madison also served as producer
The Last Frontier (1955) with Victor Mature and Anne Bancroft
Five Against the House (1955) with Kim Novak, Kerwin Mathews, Brian Keith, Alvy Moore, and William Conrad
The Matchmaking Marshal* (1955) with Andy Devine and Lyle Talbot
Phantom Trails* (1955) with Andy Devine and Steve Brodie
Timber Country Trouble* (1955) with Andy Devine and Kenne Duncan
The Titled Tenderfoot* (1955) with Andy Devine, Clayton Moore, and Jeanne Cagney
The Command (1954) with Joan Weldon and Harvey Lembeck
Marshals In Disguise* (1954) with Andy Devine and Bud Osborne
Outlaw's Son* (1954) with Andy Devine and Sally Fraser
Trouble on the Trail* (1954) with Andy Devine, Martha Hyer, and Robert Blake
The Two Gun Teacher* (1954) with Andy Devine
Border City Rustlers* (1953) with Andy Devine and Gloria Talbott
The Charge at Feather River (1953) with Vera Miles, Steve Brodie, and Neville Brand; originally shot in 3-D
Secret of Outlaw Flats* (1953) with Andy Devine
Six Gun Decision* (1953) with Andy Devine
and Lyle Talbot
Two-Gun Marshal* (1953) with Andy Devine
and Minerva Urecal
The Ghost of Crossbones Canyon* (1953) with Andy Devine and Marjorie Bennett
Behind Southern Lines* (1952) with Andy Devine
Red Snow (1952) with Carole Mathews
Trail of the Arrow* (1952) with Andy Devine and Monte Blue
The Yellow Haired Kid* (1952) with Andy Devine
Drums in the Deep South (1951) with Barbara Payton and Craig Stevens
Massacre River (1949) with Rory Calhoun, Carole Mathews, and Cathy Downs
Texas, Brooklyn and Heaven (1948) with Margaret Hamilton and Irene Ryan; directed by William Castle
Honeymoon (1947) with Shirley Temple and Franchot Tone
Till the End of Time (1946) with Dorothy McGuire, Robert Mitchum, and Bill Williams
Since You Went Away (1944) with Claudette Colbert, Jennifer Jones, Joseph Cotten, Agnes Moorehead, and Alla Nazimova
Film titles with an asterisk * denote films that are actually episodes of The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok, edited into full-length features.
TELEVISION
The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok. Madison starred as Hickok, with Andy Devine as his sidekick, Jingles. This syndicated series produced 113 episodes from 1951 to 1956. Madison and Devine also did a radio version of the show from 1951-1956 on the Mutual Network. The TV series also ran on CBS daytime from 1955-1958 and on ABC daytime from 1957-1958.
Zane Grey Theater, episode Jericho, originally aired May 18, 1961
Wagon Train, episode The Riley Gratton Story, originally aired December 4, 1957
Climax, CBS-TV series, 1954-1958. This dramatic anthology adapted plays for television broadcast, usually aired live. Madison starred in episode A Farewell to Arms, aired 1956.
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