Among his decorations are the Bronze Star Metal, the Purple Heart, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal and the Combat Infantryman Badge. The actor died in his sleep at his home in Brentwood, Calif., according to his business manager, Ginny Fazer. But his real success was on television, where in addition to his cowboy roles he shared the screen with a 600-pound black bear on "Gentle Ben" and faced down a murderous big-rig in the early Steven Spielberg movie "Duel.". "He was a wonderful man and a fine actor, and we will all miss him," said Burt Reynolds, who appeared with Weaver in "Gunsmoke" in the early 1960s. Fans of the BNDs Answer Man, Roger Schlueter, may remember his 2015 column about de Havilland and fellow actor Errol Flynn. Although Arness died almost a decade ago, his work continues to be held in high regard by fans who grew up watching him keep the peace in Dodge City. Arness was born James King Aurness on May 26, 1923, in Minneapolis, the son of businessman Rolf Aurness and journalist Ruth Duesler. 'Gunsmoke' Star James Arness Dies at Age 88 | Fox News How Each Gunsmoke Cast Member Died - Facts Verse Born James Aurness in Minneapolis (he dropped the "u" for show business reasons), he and brother Peter enjoyed a "real Huckleberry Finn existence," Arness once recalled. There the family learns that the first battle of the war is likely to occur at Bull Run, near Zeb and Tim's parents' home. Her brother, Patrick Mahomes II is an NFL Quarterback playing for the Kansas City Chiefs. "The kids don't really have any part of my television life," he once remarked. 18 Things You Didn't Know About 'Gunsmoke' - Wide Open Country His father's name is Rolf Virkler Aurness who was from Norway. Alexs son was born Richard Alexander Buster Murdaugh. James Arness appears with entertainer Carol Burnett after she presented him with the "Man of the Year" award in broadcasting from the Hollywood Radio and Television Society in 1973. Do Not Sell My Information - CA Residents. "I wanted to take this time to thank all of you for the many years of being a fan of Gunsmoke, The Thing, How the West Was Won and all the other fun projects I was lucky enough to have been allowed to be a part of. When he gets there, he finds out about his daughter, who has just been taken captive by the Apaches.. The emotionally troubled Virginia Arness attempted suicide twice, in 1959 and in 1960. ", "Gunsmoke" went on to become the longest-running dramatic series in network history until NBC's "Law & Order" tied in 2010. Read More Lucia-Belen Duffy (Rachel Campos Duffys Daughter) Age, Height, Siblings, FatherContinue, Who is Kelly Dale Anderson? James Arness, the 6-foot-6 actor who towered over the television landscape for two decades as righteous Dodge City lawman Matt Dillon in "Gunsmoke," died in 2011 He was 88. James Arness as Matt Dillon is shown with actress Amanda Blake,as Kitty Russell during a break in filming of the "Gunsmoke" television series in 1960. Los Angeles Times. All rights reserved. Weaver died Friday from . Her sister, a wealthy widow named Molly Culhane, arrives from Chicago to reunite with her only remaining family. He won the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. As the plot thickens, Matt has another problem besides his physical wounds he cant remember his past. In Kittys Love Affair on Oct. 22, 1973, Matt and Kitty get on a stage for St. Louis, of all places, but Matt is forced to return to Dodge on business. Long before he was cast as Matt Dillon, James Arness served in the US Army during World War II. The show was still in the Top 30 when it was canceled in 1975. Wayne was still making box office hits at the time anyway, so it would have been a shocker for him to take a lead part in the then-nascent world of television. Arness adopted Chapmans son Craig, who died in 2004. Required fields are marked *. Try to name all the famous people on magazine covers in 1979. (1954). The perfect tummy control bodysuit, a popcorn gadget, more bestsellers starting at $8. James Arness: Birth, Parents, Ethnicity. While in the hospital, nurses suggested that his voice would be perfect for the radio, reports The Guardian. In its 20-year run, there had been 635 episodes. James attended public schools and graduated from West High School in Minneapolis in 1942. James Arness - Biography - IMDb He also played the title character in The Thing From Another World and starred in Them! / CBS/AP. 'Gunsmoke': The Life and Death of James Arness - TV I guess people just had to get used to it, he said. Arness stood 6-foot-7, making him one of the tallest leading men of his era. The marriage foundered and in 1963 Arness sought a divorce and custody of the three children, which he was granted. The ratings declined until 1967, when color and a new time slot sent Gunsmoke back into the Top 10 until the 1973-74 season. He served in the Battle of Anzio during World War II. Born November 20, 1946, he was one of the sons of actor James Arness and one of the founders of the stock photography agency Westlight, now owned by Corbis. In 1978 he married Janet Surtees; they lived in the Brentwood section of Los Angeles. Alex returned home and discovered that Maggie and Paul were shot dead on the Islandton property. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Read More Jenny Lee Arness (James Arness' Daughter) Cause of Death, Bio, Gunsmoke . Anyone can read what you share. In first season, Tim's sons have different names than in the rest of the series. The years showed on the weathered-looking Arness, but he and his TV character wore them well. "The camera really loved his face, and with good reason," novelist Wallace Markfield wrote in a 1975 "Gunsmoke" appreciation in The New York Times. Your email address will not be published. Now you may be thinking that Mike is an odd name for a Western lady, but in this case it apparently was taken straight from real life. I want major pictures and I dont care if its not the leading role.. Peter, who changed his last name to Graves, went on to star in the TV series "Mission Impossible. And although Learned faded from the scene, it wasnt the last we saw of the father-daughter duo. The actor was 32 when friend John Wayne declined the lead role in "Gunsmoke" and recommended Arness instead. "Justice" would be Arness' final screen appearance even though he did not die until 2011 at age 88. He had one sibling, Peter Aurness, who would later become known as Mission: Impossible star Peter Graves. "He provided comic relief but was also a real person doing things that were very important to the show. (Law & Order reached the 20-year mark in 2010, but was canceled before it could overtake Gunsmoke. No other show currently on the air comes close.) Original Publication: People Disc - HM0217 People Disc - HM0217 (Photo by Keystone . During the battle, he wounded his right leg and was medically evacuated from Italy to Iowa. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), 11 new Disney Food & Wine Festival foods ranked from best to worst See the list, Rowdy crowd temporarily pauses Rolling Loud fest, but the party continues in Inglewood. I dont remember him even kissing anyone during the series. Bruce Boxleitner's character was renamed "Luke", and William Kirby Cullen's character renamed "Josh". The actor died in his sleep at his home in Brentwood, Calif., according to his business manager, Ginny Fazer. Wounded in the leg during the 1944 invasion at Anzio, Italy, Arness was hospitalized for a year and left with a slight limp. Knowing that Dutton swore vengeance on him and fearing for his family, Zeb attempts to intercept Dutton before he can reach the Macahan homestead. Arness career began in 1947 when he played one of Loretta Youngs brothers in The Farmers Daughter. James Arness was best known for playing Marshal Matt Dillon for two decades on CBS Gunsmoke. Ken Curtis - Biography - IMDb He is an actor, known for ISF World Surfing Championships (1964), Pacific Vibrations (1970) and Cosmic Children (1970). "You're too big for pictures. The actor was 32 when friend John Wayne declined the lead role in "Gunsmoke" and recommended Arness instead. Craig Aurness, known for his work in National Geographic, died Dec. 14, 2004, in Panorama City, Calif. Aurness had been undergoing treatment for lung and anemia complications. Marshal Dillon in the 1955-75 CBS Western series, Arness created an indelible portrait of a quiet, heroic man with an unbending dedication to justice and the town he protected. According to the coroner's office, she was found dead in her beach home. Will a young widow be forced to find another little house on the prairie? He can also be spotted in John Fords underrated Wagon Master. I had the privilege of working with so many great actors over the years." Parts in more than 20 films followed, including "The Thing," "Hellgate" and "Hondo" with Wayne. Her newest took years to publish. [3] He was severely wounded in his right leg during the Battle of Anzio, [6] and medically evacuated from Italy to the US, where he was sent to the 91st General Hospital in Clinton, Iowa. The towering Gunsmoke marshal was called to the waves at San Onofre Surf Beach and enjoyed hanging ten. He spoke at the United Nations and Congress, as well as to college students and school children about fighting pollution. His birth date is on May 26, 1923. Kelly Dale Anderson is the main character in the famous adoption story that has remained a mystery for more than 30 years. Hes big, impressive and virile, co-star Amanda Blake (Miss Kitty) once said of Arness, adding, Ive worked with him for 16 years, but I dont really know him.. He could save a girl from kidnappers, but not from her fathers brutality. Guest stars included Ricardo Montalban as Satangkai, a chief of the Sioux Nation, Ron Hayes as Sheriff Pinter, Med Flory (three episodes as a sheriff), Rodolfo Hoyos, Jr., Harry Lauter as Sheriff Charlie Benton, Gregg Palmer as Loman, Tom Simcox as Marshal Logan, Read Morgan as Morton in "The Slavers", and John M. Pickard as Colonel Caine, James Stephens as C. L. Bradley (the pilot and two episodes), and Jim Turner (three episodes). The marriage foundered and in 1963 Arness sought a divorce and custody of the three children, which he was granted.