Gail Russell

Her death was attributed to alcohol. Her final film, The Age of Innocence (1993) was released shortly after her death. 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 Los Angeles, California at the age of 36. She was married to the actor Craig Stevens from 1944 until her death in Los Angeles, California from brain cancer. She divorced Madison in 1954, and returned to work in a minor role in the western Seven Men From Now (1956), and had a bigger role in The Tattered Dress (1957). In 1972 she won a Tony Award for "Best Actress in a Musical" for her role in Follies, and was nominated for an Emmy Award for a guest appearance in the sitcom Cheers in 1990. Over the next 10 years she tried to regain control of her life. In her later years she concentrated mainly on stage and television appearances.

She continued working after 1947, and married 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. Carrolls, (1947) and The Young Philadelphians (1959). Gail later appeared in the more popular films, Calcutta (1947) with Alan Ladd, and Angel and the Badman (1947) with John Wayne. Some of her other films include Rhapsody In Blue (1945), Of Human Bondage (1946), The Two Mrs. Gail appeared in several more films in the early and mid 1940s, the most notable being Our Hearts Were Young and Gay (1944), in which she co-starred with Diana Lynn. Her earliest roles were uncredited bit parts and it took several years for her career to gain momentum, but her appearance in The Constant Nymph was well received and let to bigger parts. During the forties she appeared opposite some of the most popular male stars such as Errol Flynn in San Antonio (1945). At the age of 19 she appeared in her first film, Henry Aldrich Gets Glamour (1943). Born Gladys Smith in Penticton, British Columbia, Canada, she was signed to a contract by Warner Brothers Studios when seen appearing in a play.