Friday, June 3, 2011

James Arness : Iconic 'Gunsmoke' Lawman Dead At '88'

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

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

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

By the time Arness got the pat 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 films , including 'Hondo' and ' Big Jim McClain.'

It was wayne that recommended Arness for 'Gunsmoke' and  an on air endosement  from the film great himself . "I knew there was only one man to play in it , "James Arness." Wayne told viewers  (watch the 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 Marshell 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 larger ensemble cast.

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

Arness brought Matt Dillon back for five 'Gunsmoke' movies starting in 1987s 'Gunsmoke : Return To Dodge City .

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

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