James Arness had blond hair. He had to keep it dyed black all those years for the show.
It’s obvious in that bottom picture, even the eyebrows are made over.
In the middle 1950’s, he seemed to have darker eyes. They sort of reminded me of a matinee idol’s in silent films. I wonder if they were darkening his lashes.
Maybe he didn’t like the look, or the color irritated his eyes, because not long after, his lashes were a light color and no longer matched his hair or brows.
When Gunsmoke went to color, his hair became a lighter color, too, but I always preferred Matthew with dark hair.