Free Republic

The "Marshal Dillon" show is in black and white. The first time you see this show, you will note that Matt Dillon's hair is jet black, even his eyebrows. James Arness, who plays Dillon, had light hair in real life. As the "Marshal Dillon" series progresses, Dillon's hair gets less black. By the time "Gunsmoke" rolls around, Dillon's hair is a brown color.

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...