The actor was 32 when friend John Wayne declined the lead role in "Gunsmoke" and recommended Arness instead. Afraid of being typecast, Arness initially rejected it.

How old was James Arness when Gunsmoke first aired?

At the time it aired, James Arness was 64, twice the age he was (32) when he started 'Gunsmoke' in 1955.

What caused James Arness death?

Arness died from natural causes at the age of 88 years at his Brentwood home in Los Angeles on June 3, 2011. His body was interred in the Sanctuary of Abiding Hope alcove in the Jasmine Terrace section of the Great Mausoleum at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.

Did James Arness wife appear on Gunsmoke?

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.

Did Dennis Weaver and James Arness get along on Gunsmoke?

' ” 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 FROM GUNSMOKE. The Johnny Carson Show from 1955.

How many times did James Arness wife play on Gunsmoke?

Arness adopted Chapman's son at the time. The couple had two children, Jenny Lee and Rolf, in the early 1950s. 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.

Why did James Arness walk with a limp?

Wounded in the leg during the 1944 invasion at Anzio, Italy, Arness was hospitalized for a year and left with a slight limp. He returned to Minneapolis to work as a radio announcer and in small theater roles.

Why did Kitty leave Gunsmoke?

Amanda Blake, who played Miss Kitty, grew tired of commuting from her Phoenix home to Hollywood and quit the show in 1974. --that`s a nasty thing for me to say, but it`s true,'' she said, grinning. Blake went on to live through her own personal drama. She got cancer.

Could James Arness ride a horse?

Mr. Arness was terribly shy and had almost no training as an actor. A wartime leg wound made it painful for him to mount a horse. But he became the best-known tin star of his era, portraying the towering, weathered marshal for 20 years, from 1955 to 1975.

Who did Matt Dillon marry in Gunsmoke?

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.

Did James Arness own a ranch?

In 1968, he donated his 1,400-acre ranch in northern Los Angeles County to the Brandis Institute. On 6/20/05 he was honored at Los Angeles City Hall by the mayor, the 15 City Council members and the City Attorney with a resolution honoring his life's work as an actor and 60-year resident of Los Angeles.

Who died first Peter Graves or James Arness?

Peter Graves passed away only one year before his older brother James Arness. Peter Graves died on March 14, 2010 while James Arness died on June 3, 2011. Passed away on March 14, 2010, just four days before his 84th birthday. Before he was a successful actor, he worked in a variety of jobs, such as cabdriver.

Did James Arness ride the same horse during Gunsmoke?

James Arness rode the same Buckskin horse (Buck) in this movie as he rode in many episodes of Gunsmoke (1955).

Did James Arness have a favorite Gunsmoke episode?

James Arness's Favorite 'Gunsmoke' Episode: "Chato"

That's 20 years of work! Actually, it was one of the later tales that stood out in his mind. It was the 16th season opener! "The episode 'Chato' is probably my all-time favorite show," Arness told the Chicago Tribune in 2005.

Why did Gunsmoke end?

CBS likely felt Gunsmoke was outdated and wanted to replace it with more contemporary shows, though it was still performing well. This abrupt cancellation meant the crew weren't able to give Gunsmoke a proper finale, however.

Did James Arness daughter appear on Gunsmoke?

Jenny Lee Arness, who appears in this episode as "Amy", is the real-life daughter of James Arness.

What happened to Matt Dillon's daughter on Gunsmoke?

When he arrives, Mike tells him that a renegade Apache named Wolf has abducted her daughter, Beth. He's one of Geronimo's War Chiefs and he is dangerous. Much to Dillon's surprise, he also discovers that Beth is not just Mike's daughter…she's his daughter too!