James Arness, Iconic 'Gunsmoke' Lawman, Dead at 88

By PopEater Staff Posted Jun 3rd 2011 02:30PM

James Arness, a bigger-than-life actor who kept the peace as Marshal Matt Dillon on 'Gunsmoke' for its 20-year run, died Friday of natural causes at his home in Brentwood, Calif., his family told the Los Angeles Times. He was 88.

'Gunsmoke' debuted on CBS in 1955 and ran until 1975, in the process making Arness one of the more enduring stars on television and the Matt Dillon character one of its most beloved and trusted.

The 6 foot 7 Arness towered over the cast, including Dillon's deputy, Chester, played by Dennis Weaver. Other supporting stars included Amanda Blake as Kitty and Milburn Stone as Doc Adams.

By the time Arness got the part of Dillon, he had been a WWII combat veteran and appeared in several films, most notably the science-fiction classics 'Them!' and 'The Thing From Another World,' in which he played an alien.

The Minneapolis native's younger brother, actor Peter Graves, who died last October, encouraged him to get into acting. He cut his Western teeth in four John Wayne film, including 'Hondo' and 'Big Jim McLain.'

It was Wayne that recommended Arness for 'Gunsmoke' and an on-air endorsement from the film great himself. "I knew there was only one man to play in it, James Arness," Wayne told viewers (watch video below). "He's a young fella and may be new to some of you. But I've worked with him, and I predict he'll be a big star. So you might as well get used to him, like you've had to get used to me."

The role of Marshal Dillon proved a complex one and became a focus of the show, but Arness is said to have pushed producers to move the focus off him and onto the large ensemble cast.

When 'Gunsmoke' ended in 1975, appeared a string of TV shows including the miniseries 'How The West Was Won' and in the early 1980s, turned leading man again in cop drama 'McClain's Law.'

He brought Matt Dillon back for five 'Gunsmoke' movies starting in 1987's 'Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge.'

Arness is survived by his wife, Janet, two sons and six grandchildren.

Tags: Gunsmoke, James Arness

Comments

(381)

Friday 03 June

By linda

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I was 5 years old, sitting on my role models lap, my Grandpa, every week we watched those great westerns of the 50's...even when I was too old to sit on Grandpas lap, we watched Gunsmoke,
Palladin, the old Steve McQueen western, (whose name escapes me now)>
We baby boomers are losing our beloved heroes..RIP MrArness...you were one of the best...Thank you for all you did to keep us entertained with good clean television...

By HGin MN

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I rmember watching reruns in the 70s w/Grandma, thinking Matt Dillon was cute for a grown up!

By Thad

John Wayne was right. James Arness was the right person.

By Mitch

This can't be true. Matt could never die. His films will out many of us still alive today. May we each strive to be more like Matt!!

By wakeupamerica

Grown up watching Gunsmoke. A real actor to look up to. Also a great role model for my generation. Another set of shoes that almost all the actors of today can't fill. Thanks James for the great memories. RIP

By rocky

So many great actors who blazed the trail are gone, and now Dodge
City will never be the same R.I.P Marshall Dillion and thank you!

By Bob Smith

I think I'm gonna cry!

By Wayne Flynn

Say hello to Peter & John when you get there. My dad loved your show has I did the reuns.

Thanks

By bgdjohnny8

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Television's John Wayne. Great in his own right though.

By Nelson Edwards

"Gunsmoke" was one of the best series ever on television. Rest in peace James (Marshal Dillon)Arness.

By weather53

Can still see me and my grandmom and pop-pop sitting in their living room watching the show. They have both been gone 40 years now but those were the cherished times.

By Roy

we all have to die sometimes, but it is such a great loss to lose people like him and the duke and many others, true actors to the core......... RIP Mr. Dillon

By dlee4144

Wow, never saw a color picture of him before. Too bad, with those eyes, he was born before color tv. He was a knockout in black and white, but with those eyes-- drool!!!

By Steve

It makes me sad to think that both William Conrad who played Marshal Dillon on the radio version of Gunsmoke and now James Arness have past on. I was more or less weined on Gunsmoke and still enjoy the radio version with Conrad. These episodes were the greatest dipictions of the old west during the 1870's. Dodge City was inmortalizaed by the likes of Earp, Holiday and other famous lawmen which the character of Dillon played as mix of all these tough rugged lawmen. It is amazing how well the character actors form radio and Televisin were so well matched. I personally liked the radio version best with it's great sound effects and realism putting your imagination in high gear picturing the background and cast as realistic as your minds eye can project. RIP Matthew......

By PCAP

Growing up in NY watching Gunsmoke was required watching per my Dad back then wheather we liked it or not. Arness and Wayne were very much role models in those days which now I can call 'Happy Days' We could use Matt Dillon right now on our borders in Tx, Az, NM......Sorry to hear Jim is gone.

By Rita

So sad to hear the news. My husband and I grew up watching Gunsmoke. My 4 sons grew up watching the re-runs and now our 4 grandbabies are watching the re-runs with us. May God bless you and your family as they go through this sad time. And I hope they will know that everyones thoughts and prayers are with them.

By Debbie

He was a fantasic actor, I loved the old westerns.
Besides being a great actor he was very handsome and a joy to watch.

test

By Chuck

R.I.P.Mr. Dillon. Perhaps TVland can run a Gunsmoke marathon.

By salfa1154

rip james arness. loved watching gunsmoke and i still watch the reruns.

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