Following the aforementioned "Gunsmoke" TV movies (the last in 1994, when Arness was 71), Arness basically retired. His marriage to Virginia Chapman ended in divorce in 1960. They had three children, one of whom, Jenny Lee, committed suicide in 1975. Arness subsequently married Janet Surtrees in 1978.
In the unedited version, there is an odd scene where Matt and Chester approach a gypsy in Dodge City played by James Arness's wife at the time, Virginia Chapman. She is uncredited in this show; however, in a previous episode, Reed Survives (1955), she is credited as a gypsy but never seen.
Arness married Virginia Chapman in 1948, and adopted her son Craig (1946 – December 14, 2004). Arness and Chapman also had a son, Rolf (born February 18, 1952), and a daughter, Jenny Lee Arness (May 23, 1950 – May 12, 1975).
A: Matt Dillon (James Arness) and Kitty (Amanda Blake) never married during the series 1955-75 run, although close watchers of the show were convinced they had connected at some time. But in a 1973 episode, Matt had a brief affair with another woman, Mike Yardner (Michael Learned), while he had amnesia.
The cast of Gunsmoke was able to get pretty chummy with each other during the show's twenty-season run, to the point where they felt like a family. Leading this cast of Western stars was James Arness, a man who was— apparently— as tall as he was kind.
In fact, they flirted, teased, hugged, and walked off with their arms around one-another, but they never kissed. But oh, those deep stares! Burgoyne explains, “They just had the eyeball routine, to keep it a mystery.
Following the aforementioned "Gunsmoke" TV movies (the last in 1994, when Arness was 71), Arness basically retired. His marriage to Virginia Chapman ended in divorce in 1960. They had three children, one of whom, Jenny Lee, committed suicide in 1975.
' ” Arness, who remained close to Weaver after he left the series, praised him as a “really fine actor.” “We really liked each other a whole lot,” Arness said.
James Arness was the quiet type while he was away from his character, Marshal Matt Dillon. His Gunsmoke character was known for his strong moral code, sense of justice, and fairness, but off-screen Arness was known to limit personal appearances and interviews.
TV viewers loved their love, and most were desperate for more romance between the two characters before Gunsmoke ended in 1975. Kitty even won herself a famous nickname created by TV viewers and critics across the country: "Kissless Kitty."
Following from Wikipedia — Miss Kitty was written out in 1974. The actress said she was tired and quit to protect the cast and crew she loved so much. When Blake decided not to return for the show's 20th (and final) season, the character was said to have returned to New Orleans.
The emotionally troubled Virginia Arness attempted suicide twice, in 1959 and in 1960. In 1975, Jenny Arness died of an apparently deliberate drug overdose. Two years later, an overdose that police deemed accidental killed her mother. Arness married Janet Surtees in 1978.
First of 6 episodes where Pat Hingle played Dr. John Chapman as a replacement for Doc Adams when Milburn Stone left the series for heart bypass surgery.
How many times did James Arness' wife play on Gunsmoke?
A few years later, Virginia had the chance to work with her husband, popping up in two episodes of Gunsmoke, "Reed Survives" and "The Killer." Both times, she played a gypsy. The actress also had small roles on the action shows Highway Patrol and Whirlybirds.
What was the cause of Miss Kitty's death on Gunsmoke?
For nearly 20 years, Blake played Miss Kitty Russell on the popular Western TV series Gunsmoke. Although when she died in August 1989, the media initially reported that she died of cancer, the cause of death was later confirmed to be AIDS-related complications. It is not known how she contracted the virus.
Who turned down the role of Miss Kitty on Gunsmoke?
But that was the reasoning behind Polly Bond's decision to refuse the part of Miss Kitty on Gunsmoke. The former Polly Ellis had recently married Tommy Bond, a former child actor most famous for playing "Butch" on The Little Rascals.
Fully retired to his ranch in 1975 after the show's cancellation, he was eventually awarded an honorary doctorate from St. Mary of the Plains College in (of course) Dodge City, Kansas. Married to Jane Garrison, the 75-year-old veteran died of a heart attack on June 12, 1980 in La Jolla, California.
He had a lifelong affiliation with the Methodist church. Had many times sailed with Buddy Ebsen. He is survived by his wife, Janet Surtees of Brentwood, Los Angeles, California; son, Rolf Arness; stepson, Jim Surtees; six grandchildren, and a great grandchild.
Matt is now a cattle rancher in the Dragoon Mountains northeast of Tombstone along with his daughter Beth (Amy Stock-Poynton), whose mother "Mike" has just died (from season 19, episode three, wherein Michael Learned portrayed a widowed rancher named Mike Yardner).
Things all turn out for the best in the end. Festus helps save the Pugh family's welfare, Av Marie and Toby get married and plan to leave for California, and Dibble even gets up from under his tree, but the rest of the Gunsmoke leads have nothing to do at all.
Ken Curtis, a singer and actor who played the scruffy deputy Festus on the television series "Gunsmoke," died in his sleep on Sunday at his home. He was 74 years old. His death was attributed to natural causes, said A. C. Lyle, a producer at Paramount Studios. Mr.
