We're almost certain you've heard the name "Wild Bill Hickok" before. You've probably deduced that, with a name like that, this guy's undoubtedly a cowboy. And if you've ever seen radio and TV's The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok, you're futher along than most in your knowledge of this 1800s icon. Here are a few little known facts about the real Wild Bill... and the man who played him on TV:

1. Born in 1837, James Butler Hickok left home at 18 to be a stagecoach driver on the Oregon Trails. Along the way, he picked up a reputation for being a master gunsman.

2. Named a town constable in Nebraska just six years later, Hickok is credited for singlehandedly bringing down a band of marauders--the McCanles gang.

3. Though he served as an army scout, his most lingering legacy was as a professional gambler.

4. Wild Bill Hickok went on to be the Abilene, Texas marshal, tour with Bufallo Bill's Wild West Show and date Calamity Jane.

5. The term "Dead Man's Hand" dates back to the death of Wild Bill Hickok. He was killed in a saloon while playing poker. So goes the legend that when Wild Bill was shot in the back, he was holding a pair of Aces and a pair of eights, all cards black.

6. The Wild Bill Hickok you may have come to know and love as a kid while watching the half-hour TV show, The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok from 1951 to 1958, was played by handsome and charismatic actor Guy Madison. Madison's portrayal of Wild Bill was only loosely based on the genuine article. The TV persona wasn't a gambler at all, he was four-square forthright U.S. marshal.

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