Gail Russell

Gail Russell (21 September, 1924 - 27 August, 1961) was an American actor.

Related Topics:
21 September - 1924 - 27 August - 1961 - American - Actor

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She was born in Chicago, Illinois, and then moved to the Los Angeles, California area when she was a teenager. Russell's extraordinary beauty brought her to the attention of Paramount Studios in 1942. Although she was shy and had no acting experience, Paramount had great expectations for her and employed an acting coach to work with her.

Related Topics:
Chicago, Illinois - Los Angeles, California - Paramount Studios - 1942

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At the age of 19 she appeared in her first film, Henry Aldrich Gets Glamour (1943). Gail appeared in several more films in the early and mid 1940s, the most notable being The Uninvited (1944) with Ray Milland, and Our Hearts Were Young and Gay (1944), in which she co-starred with Diana Lynn. Gail later appeared in the more popular films, Calcutta (1947) with Alan Ladd, and two films with John Wayne, Angel and the Badman (1947) and Wake of the Red Witch (1948).

Related Topics:
Henry Aldrich Gets Glamour - 1943 - 1940s - The Uninvited - 1944 - Ray Milland - Our Hearts Were Young and Gay - Diana Lynn - Calcutta - 1947 - Alan Ladd - John Wayne - Angel and the Badman - Wake of the Red Witch - 1948

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She continued working after 1947, and married actor Guy Madison in 1949, but by 1950 it was well known that she had become a victim of alcoholism, and Paramount did not renew her contract. She started drinking on the set of The Uninvited to ease the overwhelming insecurity, lack of self-confidence, and paralyzing fear that she felt.

Related Topics:
1947 - Guy Madison - 1949 - 1950 - Alcoholism

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Over the next 10 years she tried to regain control of her life. She divorced Madison in 1954, and after a five-year absence returned to work in a minor role in the western Seven Men From Now (1956), produced by her friend Wayne, and had a bigger role in The Tattered Dress (1957).

Related Topics:
1954 - Seven Men From Now - 1956 - The Tattered Dress - 1957

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She appeared in two more films after that, but was not able to control her addiction, and on August 26, 1961, Gail was found dead in her apartment in Brentwood, California at the age of 36. She died from a heart attack attributed to alcohol.

Related Topics:
August 26 - 1961 - Brentwood, California

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