James Arness, Marshal on ‘Gunsmoke,’ Dies at 88

New York Times ^ | 6/3/11 | Robert McFadden

[Evil Slayer]

James Arness, who burnished the legend of America’s epic West as Marshal Matt Dillon, the laconic peacemaker of Dodge City on “Gunsmoke,” one of the longest-running dramatic series in television history, died on Friday at his home in Los Angeles. He was 88.

A family spokeswoman, Ginny Fazer, confirmed the death. Mr. Arness was terribly shy and had almost no training as an actor. A wartime leg wound made it painful for him to mount a horse. But he became the best-known tin star of his era, portraying the towering, weathered marshal for 20 years, from 1955 to 1975. He also made some 50 films and television movies, mostly westerns, in a career that stretched across five decades.

To a generation of television viewers, Mr. Arness and “Gunsmoke” embodied a new, more adult vision of the mythic Old West: a quiet, vulnerable lawman facing not stereotyped villains and clichéd situations but a chaotic frontier freighted with moral judgments and occasional failure. He might be too late to stop a killing. He could save a girl from kidnappers, but not from her father’s brutality.

[Evil Slayer]

[Doogle]

RIP Mr Arness, the big man with a small ego.

[arderkrag]

He’s not gone, he just rode on ahead to save me a seat at the saloon.

[hinckley buzzard]

Yeah. Gunsmoke was one of the best. Don't forget Kitty, at the Long Branch Saloon.

[yarddog]

He really was a big guy. I remember him as the monster in an old Sci Fi movie. He looked like, well a monster.

He did seem a decent man.

[muawiyah]

Peter Graves was his brother.

Their folks came to America from Norway after their town burned down in winter.

It was one of those places where there's a lot of overlap between the Norse and the Sa'ami ~ I always found James Arness to be one of the most entertaining actors on TV way back when.

[ex-snook]

“Mr. Dillon, Mr. Dillon” Thank you.

[CheezyD]

He will be missed. One of my favorites and a great American.

[Evil Slayer]

[The Mayor]

RIP... That was a good show and I had no idea he was brother to Peter Graves until today.

[Evil Slayer]

[dfwgator]

When I think of Gunsmoke, all I think of is the Bill Cosby routine about "Froofie the Dog": "But...but...Ma....Dad is watching Gunsmoke...and the the men on Gunsmoke are drowning little baby kittens."

"So now I'm watching Fr-Fr-Fr-Froofie the Dog."

[RobbyS]

He was a huge man who spoke his lines with great authority. Some of his interviews are on Youtube. I was surprised how articulate he was. None of Our Fearless Leaders hems and haws. Thwey say that on set he was a fun guy who liked to break people up. Yet, especially during the early episodes, he put a hard edge on his performances of Matt Dillion, just like the Matt Dillion on the radio. As he said, the writers had already fined tuned the characters when he took up the part. In fact, he could hasve done the radio roles, as he had a fine radio voice. Had Willam Conrad's "growl," but just a half octave higher. Very professional actor, even if his size kept him from doing other roles. It may be just my recollection is faulty, but I noticed him in the role of Loretta Young's brother in "Farmer's Daughter," and I thought how BIG he was.During the few scenes there were in together, he had to bend over just to get into the frame. And John Wayne seems to have loved the guy, and did the other members of the "Gunsmoke" cast.

Rest in peace, Mr.Arness.

[paddles]

That was the original “The Thing” right?

[Krankor]

Yeah. Gunsmoke was one of the best. Don't forget Kitty, at the Long Branch Saloon.

I loved that show. When I watched it as a kid, I never realized the girls at the Long Branch` were prostitutes.

[kbennkc]

[Young Werther]

I grew up in the "Cow Boy era of the 50's and 60's! In college I was a History and Political Science Major and discovred that the "Frontier Thesis" of American History was mirrored in these characters presented on TV.

I saw and shook hands with Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, at the Rodeo shows that were presented at the Madison Square Garden.

Matt Dillion, Festus, Lone Ranger were fictional but they still portrayed the Good Over Evil and communitry improvements whether it was building a church, city hall or school!

RIP to those folks at the Long Branch Saloon!

[spodefly]

Gunsmoke was my favorite show when I was a kid.

End of an era.

RIP

[yarddog]

Yes it was “The Thing”. I could not recall the name of it. Just had a mental block.

[Wife of D28Man]

God bless you, James Arness; rest in peace.

“Gunsmoke” was one of the best - back in the days when “drama” came from the challenge of character and moral dilemma, not from pyrotechnics and sex.

God bless them all.