James Arness
James King Arness (May 26, 1923 – June 3, 2011) was an American actor. He was best known for his role in Gunsmoke. He played the character Marshal Matt Dillon. His younger brother was actor Peter Graves.
James "Marshal Dillon" Arness | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | James King Aurness May 26, 1923 |
| Died | June 3, 2011 (aged 88) |
| Cause of death | Natural causes[1] |
| Resting place | Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Minneapolis Washburn High School Minneapolis West High School |
| Alma mater | Beloit College |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1947–94 |
| Height | 201 cm (6 ft 7 in) |
| Television | Gunsmoke, How the West Was Won |
| Spouse(s) | Virginia Chapman (m.1948–1960, divorced) Janet Surtees (m.1978–2011, his death) |
| Children | Rolf, Craig (deceased), Jim, Jenny Lee (deceased) |
| Relatives | Peter Graves (brother, deceased) |
| Website | jamesarness.com |
Early life
Arness was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He dropped the "u" when he started acting. His mother was of German ancestry; his father was of Norwegian ancestry.[2] The family name had been Aursnes, but when Rolf's father, Peter Aursnes, emigrated from Norway in 1887, he changed it to Aurness.[3] Arness and his family were Methodists.[4] He served in the army in Italy during World War II. He received the Bronze Star.
Death
Arness died in Los Angeles at age 88 of natural causes.[5]
Filmography
Movies
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Television
- The Lone Ranger (1950, 1 episode as Deputy Bud Titus[8][9])
- Lux Video Theatre, "The Chase" (1954)
- Gunsmoke (1955–1975)
- Front Row Center (1956)
- The Red Skelton Chevy Special (1959)
- The Chevrolet Golden Anniversary Show (1961)
- A Salute to Television's 25th Anniversary (1972)
- The Macahans (1976)
- How The West Was Won (1977-1979 TV series)
- McClain's Law (1981-1982 TV series)
James Arness Media
As Gunsmoke's Matt Dillon in 1956
Arness with his son, Rolf, in 1959
1963 Gunsmoke cast: Amanda Blake (Kitty), Arness (Matt Dillon), Milburn Stone (Doc Adams), and Burt Reynolds (Quint Asper)
Publicity photo of James Arness as Sheriff Matt Dillon from the television program Gunsmoke.
References
- ↑ "'Gunsmoke' star James Arness dies at 88". today.msnbc.com. June 3, 2011. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
- ↑ "Ancestry of James Arness" Archived 2010-09-26 at the Wayback Machine genealogy.com Accessed 12 January 2014
- ↑ James Arness, James E. Wise Jr. (2001) "James Arness: an Autobiography", ISBN 0-7864-1221-6, McFarland & Company Inc., Accessed January 12, 2014
- ↑ "Famous Methodists". Adherents.com. Archived from the original on 2019-06-17. Retrieved 2014-01-12.
- ↑ Hinckley, David (2011-06-03). James Arness, actor best remembered on 'Gunsmoke,' dies at age 88. New York City. http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/2011/06/03/2011-06-03_james_arness_of_gunsmoke_fame_dies_at_88.html. Retrieved 2011-06-03.
- ↑ "The Alamo Thirteen Days to Glory-Overview" New York Times, Accessed 12 January 2014
- ↑ "James Arness-Filmography" Archived 2013-07-03 at the Wayback Machine Fandango.com Accessed 12 January 2014
- ↑ "Lone Ranger Fan Club" Archived 2016-02-17 at the Wayback Machine lonerangerfan.com Accessed 12 January 2014
- ↑ "Gunsmoke was not James Arness' first television western," GunsmokeNet.com