According to the coroner's office, she wasfound dead in herbeach home. Arness was married twice, first to Virginia Chapman from 1948 until their divorce in 1960. In addition, the actor featured in 12 TV shows, 34 movies, as well as five Gunsmoke made-for-TV movies. James had a stint in performing onstage when he was young, but later on, he expressed little interest in pursuing a career out of it and heeded the call of the seas instead. Obviously, Janet accepted. Mini Bio (1) American leading man famed as the star of one of the longest-running shows in U.S. television history, Gunsmoke (1955). However, legendary Western actor John Wayne thought he had star potential. He served in the Battle of Anzio during World War II. Chapman. Additionally, he directed five episodes of the . Likely, they were also blessed with a daughter, Jenny Lee Arness who was born on May 23, 1950. He led an incredible life, serving in World War II and becoming an actor without little formal training in the craft. For some, the tragedies never seem to stop and they keep compounding in every phase of their lives. In high school, he appeared in school plays, but he showed no interest in performing instead, he yearned to go to sea. So, Janet went to dinner simply so she could tell her son that she met James Arness. After years of working together, Janet and the owner became friends. | Source: Getty Images. L-R: Actors James Arness, Milburn Stone, Amanda Blake, Ken Curtis and Burt Reynolds (seated). She was 60. Janets father and brother were both pilots. Apart, Arness had already become a grandfather of six grandchildren. Different rumors were there about the long-term relationship between James Arness and actress Thordis Brandt. He tried to make ends meet by taking up menial jobs while collecting veteran benefits as he drifted towards Hollywood. James Arness (born James King Aurness; May 26, 1923 - June 3, 2011) was an American actor, best known for portraying Marshal Matt Dillon for 20 years in the CBS television series Gunsmoke.Arness has the distinction of having played the role of Dillon in five decades: 1955 to 1975 in the weekly series, then in Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge (1987) and four more made-for-television Gunsmoke films . Theyre interesting to watch all these years later., I love to watch the old shows. in 1960 from Virginia Chapman. Their longest marriage was 33 years to Janet Surtees. One night she [her friend] said, Well, Jim is coming over for dinner. On the other hand, Craig pursued photography and became an official photographer for National Geographic. Some of his films include The Farmers Daughter, Roses are red, Man from Texas, Stars in My Crown, Flame of the Islands, and Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge. The series was so huge it even got a 400-page "epic-length" paperback novelization of one of its first few episodes. His chest- waist, and hips measurements were 48-36-36 respectively. Although he could not serve as a pilot, he was drafted into the U.S. Army in March 1943. A: Matt Dillon (James Arness) and Kitty (Amanda Blake) never married during the series 1955-75 run, although close watchers of the show were convinced they had connected at some time. Gunsmoke actor James Arness was frequently asked why characters Matt Dillon and Miss Kitty never got married. From 1955 to 1975, he starred in the weekly series "Gunsmoke." As of 2023, The net worth of James Arness to be at $10 million. His birth date ison May 26, 1923. We had great stories, great writing, and we had fine casting and directors. I had a wonderful life and was blessed with so many loving people and great friends. actorPeter Graves. Arness said he still watched Gunsmoke after retiring. Image dated September 27, 1993. This included the deaths of his daughter and ex-wife merely two years apart. Their parents were businessmen and journalists. But there was one person in particular that James wanted to thank most his wife, Janet. One night, her friend invited Janet over for dinner to meet James Arness. One of the most amazing actors of all time, and also a man over whom there always remained millions of crushes, James Garner, was born on April 7, 1928. Gangsta Boo Cause of Death: Did Gangsta Boo Tie The Knot? "The kids don't really have any part of my television life," he remarked after the divorce. Jamess make-up artist on the set of Gunsmoke married the woman who owned the clothing store. Not everyone is fortunate enough to live a life with minimal tragic incidents. Janet Surtees Arness is. Since they set up another dinner date, it became the start of their lifelong journey together as a couple. Jim Arness (1971), (Bettmann/contributor/getty images), James Arness, Janet (1995), (Getty Images/Staff), James Arness, Janet (2001), (David Keeler/Getty Images). His real issue though was his height. He stars in the CBS television western, Gunsmoke. In 1948 he married Virginia Chapman and adopted her child from Craig's previous marriage. After serving in the war, Arness started working in radio in Minneapolis before hitchhiking to Hollywood to pursue acting. Arness escorted her somewhere alone for lunch, clearly knowing exactly where he was heading. James Arness net worth: James Arness was an American actor who had a net worth of $8 million. (Humorous pause). He also had a daughter named Jenny who passed in 1975. James was medically discharged from the army because of his injury, which he got from a German machine gun. For the whole 20 years the series was on the air from 1955 until 1975, he appeared in an impressive 605 of 635 episodes, according to IMBD . Alden's wife worked with Janet at the time in a dress shop. He was 88. After appearing in numerous television series and movies, James earned a pretty good amount as his salary. We believe that every person's story is important as it provides our community with an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging, share their hopes and dreams. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); (function(d) { Located on 1,400 acres of land in Simi Valley, California, the Gunsmoke star's former ranch is owned by the Brandeis-Bardin Institute. by .. craig aurness pic.twitter.com/KGSr1BbGno James Arness was one of the most prominent television personalities in the 1950s up until the 1990s in the United States. The two married in 1978 and were together until James Arness passed in 2011. He and Peter participated in the Second World War, but unfortunately, he didn't leave the battlefield uninjured. James Arness passed away on June 3, 2011 at the age of 88 in Brentwood, California. That was a big factor.,
Arness was passionate about Gunsmoke, but he put his children ahead of his shooting schedule. He can also be spotted in John Fords underrated Wagon Master. That didn't happen until after three months, and she had been reluctant to call him because, as she told Alden's wife, he probably had a lot of ladies calling him. Learn how your comment data is processed. So I thought, Well, okay, Ill meet Jim and tell my son I met him,' said Janet. His muscular physique and charming and authoritative personality made him one of Hollywood's biggest Western drama stars at the time. The two spent the rest of the day horseback riding through nature and picnicking outdoors. James wrote, I wanted to take this time to thank all of you for the many years of being a fan of Gunsmoke, The Thing, How the West Was Won, and all the other fun projects I was lucky enough to have been allowed to be a part of. There is a longstanding rumor that John Wayne was considered for the part of Matt Dillon, but he turned it down. So, even after 33 years of marriage, there isnt a lot of information about the Hollywood actors wife. He is a big guy, and He was very polite," sherecallsof meeting James. He was born on May 26, 1923, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, US. Having been married for 15 years, they finally parted ways in 1963. s.src = p + "://api.content-ad.net/Scripts/widget2.aspx?" He married his wife Janet Surtees on December 16, 1978. . But the Gunsmoke star married the next woman he met after his split from Brand. He went to John Burroughs Grade School, Washburn High School, and West High School in Minneapolis. wid: "428986", And then it'd be a different show." "They'd say that would ruin it," Byrnes confirms. Arness was married to Virginia Chapman in 1948. He had one sibling, Peter Aurness, who would later become known as Mission: Impossible star Peter Graves. In 1987, he played the same character in the television film "Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge." Actors usually have a hard time watching their own work, but this was not a problem for Arness. Arness has the distinction of having played the role of Dillon in five decades: 1955 to 1975 in the weekly series, then in Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge (1987) and four more made-for-television Gunsmoke films in the 1990s. Born James King Aurness, his father was a traveling salesman, his mother was a newspaper columnist. The tragedy does not stop there. JAMES MARRIED HIS FIRST WIFE, AND TOGETHER THEY WELCOMED THREE KIDS, Virginia Arness and James Arness at home. James Arness' role as Marshal Matt Dillon made him an iconic hero to millions all over the world. Are you a James Arness fan? The couple shared two children, a son named Rolf Arness ( (born February 18, 1952) and a daughter named Jenny Arness (born May 23, 1950). He also has six grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Oh my God, I agree with him! However, they didn't get married or have children from their relationship. While Arnesss height made it hard for him to be a pilot, it would later come in handy during his days as a leading man in Hollywood. Mini Bio (1) American leading man famed as the star of one of the longest-running shows in U.S. television history, Gunsmoke (1955). He and his brother participated in the Second World War, but he didn't come out of it unscathed. At present, Arness's only surviving child is his sonRolf, whobecame a world surfing champion in 1970. Talking about his movies, he appeared in different movies, some of them include The Farmers Daughter, Iron Man, Hondo, The Sea Chase, The First Traveling Saleslady, and many more. Janet described meeting Arness after he had already begun filming Gunsmoke in an interview with A Word on Westerns. Then there was a knock at the door. Janet remarked, After we were through, what had truly struck me about Jim was he stood up and he picked up all the trash that had been left on the ground by people who had camped there before and he put it in his saddlebag. He tidied up the entire area, and I thought, Now, thats a cool man. Trending :Joanna Gaines || Pat Sajak || Brandi Love || Kamala Harris || Elizabeth Warren ||. As a result, he played a role in getting Arness to accept the role of Matt on Gunsmoke, the show that would prove to be the pinnacle of his career. Peter was famous for his portrayal of Jim Phelps in the CBS TV series Mission: Impossible. But my son was a really big fan of Gunsmoke and was watching it every Monday night. And shes an avid humanitarian. At the time of his death, he had an estimated net worth of $8 million US dollars. When he was acting in a theatre in Los Angeles, a Hollywood agent spotted him and linked him toDore Schary, who gave him a few roles in 1947. James Arness, who played Marshal Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke, eventually became CBS's most important actor overall. tim 90 day fiance weird body; . James had completed his education at Minneapolis Washburn high school. He served in the United States Army for two years from 1943 to 1945. But Arness usually stated that his height was 6 feet 6 inches in the regular newspaper and TV interviews. It was a wonderful thing. How Did James Arness Die? Arness was born James King Aurness on May 26, 1923, in Minneapolis, the son of businessman Rolf Aurness and journalist Ruth Duesler. })(document); Virginia Chapman (m. 1948; div. Arness was sent to General Hospital at Clinton Iowa during the time by the U.S. Army because of his short height where he was the 1st one offered to have a landing craft for the determination of the complexity of the water. Her parents married in 1948 and divorced in 1963 after 15 years of marriage. Born James King Aurness to businessman Rolf Cirkler Aurness and journalist Ruth Duesler,Jameslived a pretty wealthy life being from Norweigan and of German descent. "They said they had to keep Matt independent." Image date May 4, 1957.| Source: Getty Images. A: Matt Dillon (James Arness) and Kitty (Amanda Blake) never married during the series 1955-75 run, although close watchers of the show were convinced they had connected at some time. Sadly, Chapman passed away in 1977 after a heroin overdose. Apart from his iconic role in "Gunsmoke" which he reprised many times even after it ended in 1975, James played roles in television dramas like "How The West Was Won", "McClain's Law" and more . After Cry Macho, What Clint Eastwoods Next Movie Should Be. Miss Blake died Wednesday night at Mercy General Hospital, said hospital spokeswoman Jerri Ewen. After dinner, he walked me out to my car and said, Well, Id like to call you,' said Janet. However, StrictlyWeddings.com is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information. At first, Janet was skeptical about meeting James, a television star, but since her son was a fan of his, she tried and took that leap of fate. Other than that, there is no controversy surrounding him. In 1978, James Arness married Janet Surtees and she remained with him before his death. After appearing on The Farmers Daughter, Arness dropped the u in his name and would be credited as James Arness for the rest of his life. He served in the Battle of Anzio during World War II. James Arness and his wife went on the most romantic first date ever. They also shared an adopted a son who Virginia Chapman had from another marriage. 1960) Janet Surtees (m. 1978) In reality, Wayne suggested Arness for the part and even introduced the first episode of Gunsmoke. var p = 'https:' == document.location.protocol ? The move was a fulfilling one for Chapman, who started a motel service opened to all in California because she believed integration could only happen when white people, especially those at the top, stepped forward to mix with the black society. "Gunsmoke" star James Arness has died at age 88, CBS spokesman Chris Ender confirmed. Keeping this in mind, the American actor James Arness build up his profession in acting, despite having a dream to be a naval fighter pilot. Yes, he was tall, handsome, polite, and a famous actor, but he dropped the ball after a super romantic date with his future wife, Janet Surtees. He went on to star in a few more Western-themed programs after Dodge City was canceled, but he eventually made his way back to the role of Dillon in a series of television movies released in the early 90s. They say its not a matter in what field you are engaged, if you are working hard with equal dedication, you will definitely gain both name and fame. Let us know, and pass this on to your family, friends, and other James Arness fans! Arness might be known for Gunsmoke, but that was hardly the only thing he did. Marshal Matt Dillon on the popular Western series that aired for a then-record 20 seasons on television Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories! Surtees was surprised when she saw James pick up all the trash and stuff it in his saddle and is convinced he was a "cool guy.". During the 20th and final season of GUNSMOKE (1955-1975), . Extremely private personality, James Arness refused to talk about his life's biggest tragedies. James and Janet lived happily, even after his stint as Marshal Matt Dillon in "Gunsmoke" and his movies. His nationality is American. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Garner was born in Norman, Oklahoma, United States of America, and at the moment of his death, Garner was 86 years old. All Rights Reserved. He believed the family seen on Gunsmoke was why people kept going back to it for two decades. But fate stepped in. Your email address will not be published. He enjoyedpoetry, sailboat racing, and surfing. He eventually called her and asked her on a dinner date that led to the relationship that lasted till his death. The couple got married in 1979 and they stayed together until Carl Ann died. He was also listed as the star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960 at 1751 Vine Street. How The Actor Died. His second wife, who was married to him until he passed away, wasJanet Surtees. She died in 1977 from a drug overdose, following her daughter's death two years prior on the same cause. Moreover, he has six grandchildren and one great-grandchild. James Arness was first married in 1948 to Virginia Chapman. The actor added, he had the privilege of working with numerous great actors over the years. He was 88. They went on to have two more children, whom they named Jenny and Rolf but were divorced by 1963. This is not the case. Moreover, he had also won the Golden Boot Award. But, his role as Zeb Macahan in "How The West Was Won" sealed him as a television icon in the United States and Europe. The. His unexpected act of generosity left a lasting impression on her. Arness had hoped to serve as a pilot but thought his poor eyesight would be a problem. James Arness is the first son of Rolf Cirkler Aurness and Ruth Duesler. Janet was working for a clothing store owned by the wife of Jims make-up artist. var qs = Object.keys(params).reduce(function(a, k){ a.push(k + '=' + encodeURIComponent(params[k])); return a},[]).join(String.fromCharCode(38)); Both James and Janet had children from previous marriages. James Arness enjoyed a wonderful professional career but the same can't be said of his personal life where he prematurely lost so many people he loved before he inevitably passed away himself. Then there was a knock at the door. He had started surfing from a young age with the support of his father. There was a high rumor about a long-term relationship between James Arness and actress, Thordis Brandt, but they never get married. What Happened To Patty Duke? However, he had a lifelong disability from an injury to his right leg sustained in the Battle of Anzio. }; Celebritys Net worth, Biography, Sports, Health, Technology, & Entertainment. James Arness married Virginia Chapman in 1948. He was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. James adopted her son, Craig. Isn't James and Janet's relationship adorable? 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Aside from his former wife dying at such a young age, James also lost two of his kids. Arness died on June 3, 2011, at age 88 from natural causes. Arness stood 6-foot-7, making him one of the tallest leading men of his era. Marshal Matt Dillon on the popular Western series that aired for a then-record 20 seasons on television. James's make-up artist on the set of Gunsmoke married the woman who owned the clothing store. Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation by your doctor. Arness Became Famous In Hollywood In 1955 | Source: Getty Images. The star, James Arness was married twice in his life. The couple tied the knot in 1978 in a private wedding ceremony. He acted alongside John Wayne in Big Jim McLain, Hondo, Island in the Sky, and The Sea Chase. His former wife Virginia also died of a drug overdose in 1977. However, after 15 years of marriage, James and Virginia had a divorce, and James was granted legal custody of their children. Arness' remained with his second wife until his death in 2011. They also adopted her son Craig (1946-December 14, 2004). His younger brother Peter Greaves used the stage name "Graves" which was a maternal family name. He had an insatiable appetite. Arness adopted Chapman's son Craig, who died in 2004. Although Arness died almost a decade ago, his work continues to be held in high regard by fans who grew up watching him keep the peace in Dodge City. He didn't remarry for 18 whole years until Janet Surtees came along. Despite the glamorous life behind the scenes, James had a pretty complicated life leading to her divorce, up until his marriage to his second wife, who became his life-long partner until the very end. He also became the adoptive father to Virginia's son Craig. They had tied the knot in 1948. 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