Wilcox's paternal figure, a physician in Rochester, New York, sadly met his untimely demise when Wilcox was just 16 years old. This pivotal event in his life likely had a profound impact on his subsequent trajectory.
He then ventured to the University of Southern California, but his academic tenure was short-lived, as he soon dropped out. However, fate had other plans for him, as a talent scout discovered him in a summer-stock production of "The Petrified Forest", leading to a string of "B" movies.
In 1937, Wilcox tied the knot with Florence Rice, the daughter of renowned sportswriter Grantland Rice. Tragically, their marriage was short-lived, and they divorced just two years later.
As the Second World War commenced, Wilcox left the glamour of Hollywood behind to serve his country in the Army. He began his military career as a private, eventually rising through the ranks to become a captain.
In 1950, Wilcox married the twice-divorced Diana Barrymore, whose struggles with alcoholism were later chronicled in her 1957 autobiography, "Too Much, Too Soon". Interestingly, she dedicated the book to him.
In a shocking turn of events, Wilcox was found dead in his berth while on a train trip back to his hometown of Rochester, bringing an abrupt end to his life.
