Amanda Blake and James Arness (Marshall Dillon and Miss Kitty)
Posted on 06/03/2011 10:35:24 AM PDT by Wilum
Banner Only
Amanda Blake and James Arness (Marshall Dillon and Miss Kitty)
Sad news going into the weekend...RIP, Marshall...
Dennis Weaver did a stint on the Westerns Channel some years back. Don’t know if he continued it up to or shortly before his death as I cancelled my subscription for a time. They’re all gone now. About the only ones I can think of who are still around are Burt Reynolds and Buck Taylor (son of actor “Dub” Taylor.
Still watch Gunsmoke, a great series.
RIP, Marshal Dillon.
He was studying at Beloit College when the war broke out. His ambition was to become a navy pilot, but his height, six feet and seven inches, disqualified him. His Anzio wounds landed him in the hospital for 18 months, and during that time he became involved with an acting group.
Discharged with a bronze medal and Purple Heart, he enrolled at a radio announcing school in Minneapolis, and he worked as a disc jockey and announcer at a local station. On a lark, he and a buddy drove to Los Angeles. His mother predicted he would never return. She was right.
An appearance at a little theatre led to an RKO contract and his first movie, The Farmer’s Daughter, as one of Loretta Young’s three brothers. More featured roles followed, including the horror classic The Thing.
Then came the fateful interview with John Wayne at his Republic Studio office.
“He asked me a couple of questions about my acting,” Arness recalled. “Then he said, ‘The main thing I have to know, is — do you drink?’ I didn’t want to say, because I didn’t know him at the time; maybe he was a teetotaler. I said, ‘Well, I have been known to take one occasionally.’ We got a laugh out of that, and he put me on the picture, Big Jim McLain.”
Arness appeared in four Wayne films during three years under contract to him.
http://www.jamesarness.com/interview.html
A very touching posthumous message from Mr. Arness just went up at that website...
Bummer
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/gunsmoke-star-james-arness-dies-194732
http://www.latimes.com/news/custom/scimedemail/la-me-james-arness-20110604,0,1034881.story
Yes, they did originally want John Wayne. I believe William Conrad was interested in taking the role from radio to TV, but was considered too hefty. Raymond Burr was also considered. I don’t really see him as the western type, though.
I’ve seen Ken Curtis’ Sons of the Pioneers work and I remember seeing him in the early ‘60’s series called “Ripcord.” He so completely transformed himself into Festus that it’s almost hard to believe it was the same person. I remember reading an interview his wife gave and she said, “Oh, Ken is really nothing like Festus. For example, he’s very clean.” :)
R.I.P., Marshall Dillon.
I used to watch “Gunsmoke” with my father. Both are now gone. RIP.
Oh my goodness, this hurts. I grew up watching Gunsmoke; in fact, like millions around the world, I watch it all the time on the Western Channel, YouTube’s Gunsmoke Channel, or on Netflix.
I was watching last night. All the main “regulars” were in a scene together, and I thought to myself, they’ve all passed away, Milburn, Ken, and Amanda, all except Jim.
He was a fine, courageous man - an honored, decorated veteran of WWII - a wonderful actor, and a “heartbreaker”, too... especially today. Rest in peace, Mr. Arness.
James Arness may be gone from us, but the pleasant memories his name conjures up are not.
Got my Dad an autographed picture of Mr. Arness for Christmas a couple of years ago.....
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.