Gail Russell was born on September 21, 1924, in Chicago, Illinois. She spent her childhood in the Windy City before moving to California with her parents at the age of 14. Russell's academic performance was above average, and after graduating from Santa Monica High School, she was signed by Paramount Studios.
Due to her striking beauty, Russell was groomed to be one of Paramount's top stars. Although she was shy and had limited acting experience, the studio believed her beauty could be leveraged with the help of a studio acting coach.
Russell's film debut came at the age of 19 in Henry Aldrich Gets Glamour (1943). Her subsequent roles included The Uninvited (1944) with Ray Milland and Our Hearts Were Young and Gay (1944) with Diana Lynn. The latter film was based on a popular book and became a profitable venture for the studio.
In 1945, Russell appeared in Salty O'Rourke (1945) and The Unseen (1945). The following year, she was teamed with Diana Lynn again for Our Hearts Were Growing Up (1946). Unfortunately, this film failed to live up to the standards of their previous collaboration.
Russell bounced back with Calcutta (1947),starring Alan Ladd, and Angel and the Badman (1947) with John Wayne. She also appeared in the musical Variety Girl (1947). After a series of films, including Song of India (1949),El Paso (1949),and Captain China (1950),Russell married matinee idol Guy Madison.
After The Lawless (1950),Paramount decided not to renew her contract due to her worsening drinking problem. She was convicted of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, and the studio did not want to be associated with someone who could not control their drinking.
Following Air Cadet (1951),Russell disappeared from the screen for five years as she attempted to regain control of her life. She divorced Madison in 1954.
Russell returned to the screen in 1956 with a minor role in 7 Men from Now. She continued to appear in films, including The Tattered Dress (1957) and No Place to Land (1958). However, her struggles with alcohol continued, and she was absent from the screen until 1961's The Silent Call.
Tragically, Russell's life came to an end on August 26, 1961, when she was found dead in her small studio apartment in Los Angeles, California.
