Clint Eastwood is 6′4″, as was John Wayne. James Arness was 6′7″. Lee van Cleef was 6′2″. Charles Bronson was considerably shorter at 5′9″. Other western actor heights are easily found on Google.

Who was bigger, Chuck Connors or James Arness?

James Arness was 6' 7" (2.01m) tall. However, in this episode Hollywood tricks make him appear smaller than Chuck Conners, who was 6' 5½" (1.9m) tall. Chuck Conners was also known as "The Rifleman" in the series The Rifleman (1958).

How tall was Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke?

At 6 feet 7, James Arness as Marshal Matt Dillon redefined “tall in the saddle.” So imposing was the star of CBS' pioneering “Gunsmoke” series that when he told some no-account varmint to get out of Dodge, the skunk seldom needed a second invitation.

What was James Arness height?

However, it was his 6-ft, 7-in (2.01 m) frame that ended his chances because the height limit for aviators was set at 6 ft, 2 in (1.88 m). He was drafted into the US Army and reported to Fort Snelling in Hennepin County, Minnesota in March 1943.

Did James Arness do his own horse riding in Gunsmoke?

Arness was known for his physicality and willingness to do his own action scenes, including horse riding, fighting, and other physical challenges. However, for particularly dangerous or high-risk stunts, a stunt double would sometimes be used to ensure the safety of the actors.

john wayne and james arness.

How many pounds did James Arness weigh?

According to an article on television westerns in "Time" magazine (3/30/59), Arness stood 6' 7", weighed 235 lbs, and had chest-waist-hips measurements of 48-36-36.

How many people did James Arness shoot on Gunsmoke?

As for how many people he killed, a commonly quoted figure is 165 (158 men and seven women), but I do not know the original source of that figure. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. Arness died in 2011 at the age of 88.

How old was James Arness during Gunsmoke?

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. "Go ahead and take it, Jim," Wayne urged him.

What kind of person was James Arness?

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.

What religion was James Arness?

He was raised as a Methodist. Arness attended John Burrows Grade School, Washburn High School and West High School in Minneapolis. Despite “being a poor student and skipping many classes”, he graduated from high school in June 1942. He then enlisted in the United States Army to serve in World War II.

Did the cast of Gunsmoke get along?

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.

Who was the fastest draw on Gunsmoke?

How many times did James Arness get married?

Virginia Chapman: James Arness's First Marriage

In his lifetime, James Arness was married twice. James first married Virginia Chapman in 1948.

How many times was Mat Dillon shot?

In 2013, Marshall Trimble, the board president of the Arizona Historical Society and vice president of the Wild West History Association, documented that Matt Dillon's TV character was shot at least 56 times, knocked unconscious 29 times, stabbed three times, and poisoned once.

Was James Arness a natural blonde?

In this role, as in others, James Arness is shown with his natural colored hair, blonde. Later, he had to dye his natural blond hair since dark hair was considered more masculine, especially for the role of Matt Dillon in Gunsmoke.

Did James Arness ever get married in real life?

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.

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.

What happened to James Arness's first wife?

1 (UPI)‐The death of Virginia Arness, former wife of James Arness, star of the television series “Gunsmoke” has been ruled an accidental overdose of sleeping pills. The coroner's office said yesterday that Mrs. Ainess, 56 years old, was found dead‐ in • her beach home Friday. The Arnesses had been divorced since 1963.

Who taught James Arness to shoot?

Among the TV and film stars that Ojala taught to shoot included James Arness, Robert Culp, James Garner, Kevin Kline, Paul Newman, Hugh O'Brian, Clint Walker, Marilyn Monroe and Thomas F. Wilson. He was a close personal friend to Audie Murphy with Murphy becoming Arvo's children's Godfather.

Why did Burt Reynolds quit Gunsmoke?

Reynolds left Gunsmoke to pursue a career in movies, which ultimately led him to become an iconic movie star.

What actor was the fastest with a gun?

Who Was Glenn Ford, the Fastest Gun in Hollywood? Gwyllyn Samuel Newton Ford, more commonly known as Glenn Ford, was a highly celebrated Canadian-American actor.

Did Burt Reynolds get along with James Arness?

Although he was only in 50 episodes and joined mid-season, Reynolds didn't feel like an outsider. In fact, while he was there, he and the cast became great friends. "He was a wonderful guy to work with, and we all became friends," Arness said. "He just fit right in with the family group, and we had a wonderful time.

Did James Arness and Dennis Weaver get along?

' ” 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.