Misc James Arness died at 88

ROYC75 · 06-03-2011, 12:45 PM

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 Friday.

He was 88.

The actor died in his sleep at his home in Brentwood, Calif., according to his business manager, Ginny Fazer.
Arness' official website posted a letter from Arness on Friday that he wrote with the intention that it be posted posthumously: "I had a wonderful life and was blessed with some many loving people and great friends," he said.

"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. I had the privilege of working with so many great actors over the years."

As U.S. 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.

The wealth and fame Arness gained from "Gunsmoke" could not protect him from tragedy in his personal life: His daughter and his former wife, Virginia, both died of drug overdoses.

Arness, a quiet, intensely private man who preferred the outdoor life to Hollywood's party scene, rarely gave interviews and refused to discuss the tragedies.

"He's big, impressive and virile," co-star Amanda Blake (Miss Kitty) once said of Arness, adding, "I've worked with him for 16 years, but I don't really know him."

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. "You're too big for pictures. Guys like Gregory Peck and I don't want a big lug like you towering over us. Make your mark in television."

"Gunsmoke" went on to become the longest-running dramatic series in network history until NBC's "Law & Order" tied in 2010. Arness' 20-year prime-time run as the marshal was tied only in recent times, by Kelsey Grammer's 20 years as Frasier Crane from 1984 to 2004 on "Cheers" and then on "Frasier."

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. "It was a face that would age well and that, while aging, would carry intimations of waste, loss and futility."

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.

Peter, who changed his last name to Graves, went on to star in the TV series "Mission Impossible."
A self-described drifter, Arness left home at age 18, hopping freight trains and Caribbean-bound freighters. He entered Beloit College in Wisconsin, but was drafted into the Army in his 1942-43 freshman year.

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.

He moved to Hollywood in 1946 at a friend's suggestion. After a slow start in which he took jobs as a carpenter and salesman, a role in MGM's "Battleground" (1949) was a career turning point. Parts in more than 20 films followed, including "The Thing," "Hellgate" and "Hondo" with Wayne. Then came "Gunsmoke," which proved a durable hit and a multimillion-dollar boon for Arness, who owned part of the series.

His longtime co-stars were Blake as saloon keeper Miss Kitty, Milburn Stone as Doc Adams and Dennis Weaver as the deputy, Chester Goode.

When Weaver died in February 2006, Arness called it "a big loss for me personally" and said Weaver "provided comic relief but was also a real person doing things that were very important to the show."

The cancellation of "Gunsmoke" didn't keep Arness away from TV for long: He returned a few months later, in January 1976, in the TV movie "The Macahans," which led to the 1978-79 ABC series "How the West Was Won."

Arness took on a contemporary role as a police officer in the series "McClain's Law," which aired on NBC from 1981-82.

Despite his desire for privacy, a rocky domestic life landed him in the news more than once.
Arness met future wife Virginia Chapman while both were studying at Southern California's Pasadena Playhouse. They wed in 1948 and had two children, Jenny and Rolf. Chapman's son from her first marriage, Craig, was adopted by Arness.

The marriage foundered and in 1963 Arness sought a divorce and custody of the three children, which he was granted. He tried to guard them from the spotlight.

"The kids don't really have any part of my television life," he once remarked. "Fortunately, there aren't many times when show business intrudes on our family existence."

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.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment...#ixzz1OEwqnZkr

JohninGpt · 06-03-2011, 12:48 PM

RIP Marshall Dillon.

**Easy 6** · 06-03-2011, 12:49 PM

RIP Marshall Dillon, there was a long period of time where i would insist mom call me in when Gunsmoke came on.

ROYC75 · 06-03-2011, 12:52 PM

The man was all class, when Hollywood went wild, he stayed the same.

Frazod · 06-03-2011, 12:58 PM

Bummer. The first TV shows I remember watching as a kid were Gunsmoke and Captain Kangaroo.

RIP

FishingRod · 06-03-2011, 01:02 PM

RIP I really did like that show as a kid.

MOhillbilly · 06-03-2011, 01:03 PM

Mom named me after Marshall Dillon. Love Gunsmoke.

Over-Head · 06-03-2011, 01:06 PM

A class act, just like Bogey

KCFalcon59 · 06-03-2011, 01:13 PM

Just found out today that Peter Graves was his brother. R.I.P

whoman69 · 06-03-2011, 01:18 PM

This is one of those things where I need to check the dead or not dead website more often. Could have sworn he was already dead.

**HemiEd** · 06-03-2011, 02:10 PM

****, I guess it is true, we are all going to die. R.I.P. Mr. Dillon, you were a childhood hero.

**gblowfish** · 06-03-2011, 02:12 PM

Bummer, man.
Back in the 1980's I had a job on the graveyard shift. I could watch TV, which was cool, and Gunsmoke came on channel 41 at 3AM every night. I think I saw every Gunsmoke episode ever.

Did you know Peter Graves from "Mission Impossible" was his brother?

**RNR** · 06-03-2011, 02:19 PM

"I bet you've never heard ol' Marshall Dillion say
Miss Kitty have you ever thought of running away
Settling down would you marry me?
If I asked you twice and begged you pretty please
She'd have said yes in a New York minute
They never tied the knot
His heart wasn't in it
He just stole a kiss as he rode away
He never hung his hat up at Kitty's place
I should have been a cowboy..."
RIP~

**mlyonsd** · 06-03-2011, 02:28 PM

Back in the 60's a local tv station ran old scary movies at 10:30 on Friday's. I still remember 'The Thing' scaring the crap out of me.

ClevelandBronco · 06-03-2011, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whoman69

This is one of those things where I need to check the dead or not dead website more often. Could have sworn he was already dead.

Yeah, for a couple of decades at least.

06-03-2011, 12:45 PM
ROYC75 Time For Your Wake Up Call !!! Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Barn Yard Casino cash: $2257400	James Arness died at 88 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 Friday. He was 88. The actor died in his sleep at his home in Brentwood, Calif., according to his business manager, Ginny Fazer. Arness' official website posted a letter from Arness on Friday that he wrote with the intention that it be posted posthumously: "I had a wonderful life and was blessed with some many loving people and great friends," he said. "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. I had the privilege of working with so many great actors over the years." As U.S. 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. The wealth and fame Arness gained from "Gunsmoke" could not protect him from tragedy in his personal life: His daughter and his former wife, Virginia, both died of drug overdoses. Arness, a quiet, intensely private man who preferred the outdoor life to Hollywood's party scene, rarely gave interviews and refused to discuss the tragedies. "He's big, impressive and virile," co-star Amanda Blake (Miss Kitty) once said of Arness, adding, "I've worked with him for 16 years, but I don't really know him." 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. "You're too big for pictures. Guys like Gregory Peck and I don't want a big lug like you towering over us. Make your mark in television." "Gunsmoke" went on to become the longest-running dramatic series in network history until NBC's "Law & Order" tied in 2010. Arness' 20-year prime-time run as the marshal was tied only in recent times, by Kelsey Grammer's 20 years as Frasier Crane from 1984 to 2004 on "Cheers" and then on "Frasier." 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. "It was a face that would age well and that, while aging, would carry intimations of waste, loss and futility." 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. Peter, who changed his last name to Graves, went on to star in the TV series "Mission Impossible." A self-described drifter, Arness left home at age 18, hopping freight trains and Caribbean-bound freighters. He entered Beloit College in Wisconsin, but was drafted into the Army in his 1942-43 freshman year. 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. He moved to Hollywood in 1946 at a friend's suggestion. After a slow start in which he took jobs as a carpenter and salesman, a role in MGM's "Battleground" (1949) was a career turning point. Parts in more than 20 films followed, including "The Thing," "Hellgate" and "Hondo" with Wayne. Then came "Gunsmoke," which proved a durable hit and a multimillion-dollar boon for Arness, who owned part of the series. His longtime co-stars were Blake as saloon keeper Miss Kitty, Milburn Stone as Doc Adams and Dennis Weaver as the deputy, Chester Goode. When Weaver died in February 2006, Arness called it "a big loss for me personally" and said Weaver "provided comic relief but was also a real person doing things that were very important to the show." The cancellation of "Gunsmoke" didn't keep Arness away from TV for long: He returned a few months later, in January 1976, in the TV movie "The Macahans," which led to the 1978-79 ABC series "How the West Was Won." Arness took on a contemporary role as a police officer in the series "McClain's Law," which aired on NBC from 1981-82. Despite his desire for privacy, a rocky domestic life landed him in the news more than once. Arness met future wife Virginia Chapman while both were studying at Southern California's Pasadena Playhouse. They wed in 1948 and had two children, Jenny and Rolf. Chapman's son from her first marriage, Craig, was adopted by Arness. The marriage foundered and in 1963 Arness sought a divorce and custody of the three children, which he was granted. He tried to guard them from the spotlight. "The kids don't really have any part of my television life," he once remarked. "Fortunately, there aren't many times when show business intrudes on our family existence." 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. Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment...#ixzz1OEwqnZkr
Posts: 37,945

06-03-2011, 12:48 PM	#2
JohninGpt Dammit Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Busted Stick, IT Casino cash: $4238304	RIP Marshall Dillon.
Posts: 4,161

06-03-2011, 12:49 PM	#3
Easy 6 pie is never free Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: the drivers seat Casino cash: $-52225	RIP Marshall Dillon, there was a long period of time where i would insist mom call me in when Gunsmoke came on.
Posts: 98,369

06-03-2011, 12:52 PM	#4
ROYC75 Time For Your Wake Up Call !!! Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Barn Yard Casino cash: $2257400	The man was all class, when Hollywood went wild, he stayed the same.
Posts: 37,945

06-03-2011, 12:58 PM	#5
Frazod Did you hear what I said? Join Date: Aug 2000 Casino cash: $-656615	Bummer. The first TV shows I remember watching as a kid were Gunsmoke and Captain Kangaroo. RIP
Posts: 121,727

06-03-2011, 01:02 PM	#6
FishingRod Veteran Join Date: Mar 2006 Casino cash: $10016661	RIP I really did like that show as a kid.
Posts: 4,265

06-03-2011, 01:03 PM	#7
MOhillbilly Mama Tried Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Missouri Casino cash: $9949903	Mom named me after Marshall Dillon. Love Gunsmoke. __________________ True Son of Liberty
Posts: 23,371

06-03-2011, 01:06 PM	#8
Over-Head Boom, Boom , Crash Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: In my shed Casino cash: $9995760	A class act, just like Bogey __________________ ...Illegitimus non Carborundum est...
Posts: 12,040

06-03-2011, 01:13 PM	#9
KCFalcon59 MVP Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Topeka, Kansas Casino cash: $-310000	Just found out today that Peter Graves was his brother. R.I.P
Posts: 6,796

06-03-2011, 02:10 PM	#11
HemiEd Supporter Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ozarks Casino cash: $-379436	****, I guess it is true, we are all going to die. R.I.P. Mr. Dillon, you were a childhood hero.
Posts: 34,825

06-03-2011, 02:12 PM	#12
gblowfish Be Kind To Your Pets Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Glorious Independence, MO Casino cash: $16896178 VARSITY	Bummer, man. Back in the 1980's I had a job on the graveyard shift. I could watch TV, which was cool, and Gunsmoke came on channel 41 at 3AM every night. I think I saw every Gunsmoke episode ever. Did you know Peter Graves from "Mission Impossible" was his brother?
Posts: 41,011

06-03-2011, 02:19 PM	#13
RNR America is great assholes~ Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: In some people's mind~ Casino cash: $10027990	"I bet you've never heard ol' Marshall Dillion say Miss Kitty have you ever thought of running away Settling down would you marry me? If I asked you twice and begged you pretty please She'd have said yes in a New York minute They never tied the knot His heart wasn't in it He just stole a kiss as he rode away He never hung his hat up at Kitty's place I should have been a cowboy..." RIP~ __________________ The Trump campaign and Black Lives Matter movement are perfect for each other. Both sides filled with easily led and angry nitwits convinced they are victims~
Posts: 31,085

06-03-2011, 02:28 PM	#14
mlyonsd Supporter Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Spink, SD Casino cash: $-2096238	Back in the 60's a local tv station ran old scary movies at 10:30 on Friday's. I still remember 'The Thing' scaring the crap out of me.
Posts: 39,471