Actors usually have a hard time watching their own work, but this was not a problem for Arness. Grey resigns his Army commission but keeps tracking Luke due to the reward on him in Missouri over the incident with the sheriff. James Arness was a popular American actor who was best known for playing the roles of Marshal Matt Dillon for 20 years in the TV series Gunsmoke. Gunsmoke originated as a radio drama series in 1952 and was translated to television three years later, in 1955. Mr. Arnesss younger brother was the actor Peter Graves, who starred for years on television in Mission: Impossible and appeared in scores of movies, including Airplane! (1980) . After undergoing several surgeries, Arness was honorably discharged on January 29, 1945. Audiences had long been accustomed to western heroes who never were, having been sanitized by the trail songs of Gene Autry and Roy Rogers and the righteous gunplay of the Lone Ranger and Hopalong Cassidy . Played by Amy Stock-Poyton (now Amy Stoch), Beth would turn up in the final three Gunsmoke movies: 1992s To the Last Man, 1993s The Long Ride and 1994s One Mans Justice, by which time she had married a man named Readon. Arness might be known for Gunsmoke, but that was hardly the only thing he did. He . But Marshal Dillon never got the girl, did not love his horse, wore only one gun and fired it reluctantly, usually drawing last but shooting straightest in dusty street duels. Arness, who stood 6 feet, 7 inches, hoped to serve in World War II as a pilot, but his height made that impossible. - January 14, 2021 09:02 am EST. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. He had a son, Rolf, and daughter, Jenny, with Chapman. Read More Ava Dash (Dame Dashs Daughter) Age, College, Boyfriend, Lipstick alley, Parents, Net WorthContinue, Kylie Jenners Son Wolf Webster Kylie Jenner and her partner Travis Scott welcomed their first son and second child together Wolf Webster. In an interview with the Santa Clarita Signal, Arness said his co-stars never stood on anything to make them look taller in shots they shared with him on Gunsmoke. EVELYN HOCKSTEINRep. The screen tough guys were good friends in real life and Arness co-starred with Wayne in Big Jim McLain (1952), Hondo (1953), Island in the Sky (1953) and The Sea Chase (1955). Arness would become associated with Westerns, but his breakthrough role was in the 1951 science fiction movie The Thing from Another World. So in this article, we have covered every single detail of what exactly happened from the start of this unfortunate incident to the judgment day. After Gunsmoke, Arness starred in How the West Was Won. Read More Jenny Lee Arness (James Arness' Daughter) Cause of Death, Bio, Gunsmoke . Chapman and Arness adopted son Craig, who died in 2004, and were parents to daughter Jenny, who died in 1975, and son Rolf. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and is a member of the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. How the West Was Won is an American Western television series that starred James Arness, Eva Marie Saint, Fionnula Flanagan, Bruce Boxleitner, and Richard Kiley. After a slow start in which he took jobs as a carpenter and salesman, a role in MGM's "Battleground" (1949) was a career turning point. Arness joined the war effort after high school and became a rifleman with the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division. The marriage foundered and in 1963 Arness sought a divorce and custody of the three children, which he was granted. James Arness appears with entertainer Carol Burnett after she presented him with the "Man of the Year" award in broadcasting from the Hollywood Radio and Television Society in 1973. Arness died from natural causes at his home in Los Angeles on June 3, 2011, a family spokesman said at the time. Meanwhile, Zeb tracks down and kills Dutton. Theyre interesting to watch all these years later., I love to watch the old shows. In addition to this, the late actor also had a great contribution to protecting the nation during World War II. The late-'70s Western television series found its audience in Europe and was rebroadcast many times on networks in France, Germany, Italy and Sweden. In the next few years he was in dozens of films, including Big Jim McLain (1952) and Hondo (1953), which both starred John Wayne. He returned to Minneapolis to work as a radio announcer and in small theater roles. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. He moved to Hollywood in 1946 at a friend's suggestion. His father was a vendor for surgical instruments while his mom stayed home to tend the house and raise the kids she later became a newspaper columnist, and her marriage with Rolf . According to one of their neighbors, Buster and his girlfriend are a very lovely couple who always smile and say hello. Margaret Verble had a book rejected 92 times. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. James Arness, the 6-foot-6 actor who towered over the television landscape for two decades as righteous Dodge City lawman Matt Dillon in "Gunsmoke," died Friday. Remarkably, by the time he had hung up his holster for good, Arness had played the iconic marshal across five decades (more on that below). James Arness portrayed the role of Marshal Matt Dillon for almost 21 years in the TV series, Gunsmoke and stole the hearts of millions. Miffed, the owner of the Long Branch Saloon continues on her own, only to be saved by handsome gunslinger Will Stambridge (Richard Kiley). (Law & Order reached the 20-year mark in 2010, but was canceled before it could overtake Gunsmoke. No other show currently on the air comes close.) "When the garbage man comes," Jay Leno once quipped, "how does he know where the garbage begins and the house ends? Although best known for his work in such shows as Cannon and Jake and the Fatman, Conrad was the original Matt Dillon on the Gunsmoke radio series, which ran from 1952 to 1961 and whose scripts and dialogue often were adapted into TV episodes. While James dropped the "u" for his stage name, his brother, Peter, used the maternal family name, "Graves," for his stage moniker. Dan Dailey and James Arness took their lives. Who is Lucia-Belen Duffy? A family spokeswoman, Ginny Fazer, confirmed the death. His father's name is Rolf Virkler Aurness who was from Norway. While Busters whereabouts at the time of his loved ones murder are not made clear in the Netflix documentary series. In 1975, Jenny Arness died of an apparently deliberate drug overdose. See also Alexs son was born Richard Alexander Buster Murdaugh. The novel, sharing the title of the series, is not to be confused with the identically titled 1962 feature film which was itself adapted into a novel by Louis L'Amour. Two years later, an overdose that police deemed accidental killed her mother. At the same time, the fugitive Les Dean (played by well-known character actor Victor French) urges Yardners neighbor to drive her out of her home over water rights. Money was the issue. Justice would be Arness final screen appearance even though he did not die until 2011 at age 88. Wounded in the leg during the 1944 invasion at Anzio, Italy, Arness was hospitalized for a year and left with a slight limp. Market data provided by Factset. (1954). The kids dont really have any part of my television life, he once remarked. The first season ends with the family leaving the homestead to travel west to Oregon, which was their original intention. 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. Tiger Woods is a professional golf player who ranks second in mens major championships and holds numerous golf records. Amanda. . The show was a great success in Europe, apparently finding a larger and more lasting audience there than in the United States. He tried to guard them from the spotlight. He was born on February 2nd, 2022. Perhaps, after watching Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal on Netflix, you can now believe that this is a real incident. The actor was 32 when friend John Wayne declined the lead role in Gunsmoke and recommended Arness instead. The actor died in his sleep at his home in Brentwood, Calif., according to his business manager, Ginny Fazer. They would move to Indiana seven years later before Abe finally wound up in Macon County, Illinois, 10 miles west of Decatur, in 1830. She pushed with Canadas adoption regulations to learn who her biological parents were, only to be shocked when she did. TV Land, theyre on there; we were on the Westerns channel but then a few months ago they took us off. He often talked about watching Gunsmoke whenever he saw it on TV. Tim returns to Virginia while the family winters in the Indian Territories. But from 1957 to 1961, when it became a one-hour series, it was the top-rated show on television, seen every week by 40 million Americans and millions more in Britain, where it was called Gun Law. It bred dozens of copycats, including Have Gun, Will Travel, Wagon Train, Rawhide, The Rifleman and Bonanza.. The outlaw insists on a showdown, and the marshal, always a moral touchstone, must accommodate him. While in the hospital, nurses suggested that his voice would be perfect for the radio, reports The Guardian. Dennis Weaver, the American actor and television star, famous for his roles in 'McCloud' and 'Gunsmoke.' in Hollywood with his wife and two year old son, Rusty. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Zebulon Macahan is a well-known mountain man and scout working for the U.S. Army in the Indian Territories. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Buster Murdaugh is the surviving son of Alex Murdaugh and Margaret Maggie Murdaugh. Arness took on a contemporary role as a police officer in the series "McClain's Law," which aired on NBC from 1981-82. March 16, 2014 5:13 AM PT. James Arness, who played Marshal Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke, died on June 3, 2011, at age 88 from natural causes. Arness' official website posted a letter from Arness on Friday that he wrote with the intention that it be posted posthumously: "I had a wonderful life and was blessed with some many loving people and great friends," he said. All rights reserved. Gunsmoke was not an instant success. He gets a letter from Mike asking him to come to her ranch. James led a quiet life until his death in 2011 at his home in Brentwood, Los Angeles California USA. When Weaver died in February 2006, Arness called it a big loss for me personally and said Weaver provided comic relief but was also a real person doing things that were very important to the show., The cancellation of Gunsmoke didnt keep Arness away from TV for long: He returned a few months later, in January 1976, in the TV movie The Macahans, which led to the 1978-79 ABC series How the West Was Won.. Arness met future wife Virginia Chapman while both were studying at Southern Californias Pasadena Playhouse. When that genre died out, . Marshal Dillon in the 1955-75 CBS Western series, Arness created an indelible portrait of a quiet, heroic man with an unbending dedication to justice and the town he protected. Over the years, the marshal was shot 30 times. Luke tells his superiors that he will no longer serve and is about to be shot as a deserter when shelling nearly kills his entire platoon. FILE - A customer picks up some food to-go from Sweetie Pie's owner Robbie Montgomery, center, and Montgomery's son, James "Tim" Norman, right, at Sweetie Pie's in St. Louis, April 19, 2011. The Associated Press contributed to this report. According to reports, Paul was fatally shot with a shotgun in the chest and head, while his mother was killed with an assault rifle. Of course, if youre a Lincoln scholar, you know he wasnt born in what has become known as the Land of Lincoln. He was 88. Buster Murdaugh is the surviving son of Alex Murdaugh and Margaret "Maggie" Murdaugh. The effects were longterm and had drastic ramifications on his walking. Afraid of being typecast, Arness initially rejected it. ", "Gunsmoke" went on to become the longest-running dramatic series in network history until NBC's "Law & Order" tied in 2010. Many of them I never had a chance to see when we did them because it was (on television) on Saturday night and I was usually out doing something else at the time. On the day of the fatal shootings, Alex called Buster and asked whether he was sitting down, according to his testimony. What actress was cast as Andy Griffiths love interest in the first season of The Andy Griffth Show? The last movie, One Man's Justice, was Arness' final performance. [3] He was severely wounded in his right leg during the Battle of Anzio, [6] and medically evacuated from Italy to the US, where he was sent to the 91st General Hospital in Clinton, Iowa. Now you may be thinking that Mike is an odd name for a Western lady, but in this case it apparently was taken straight from real life. He got his acting start with RKO Pictures, and his first film role was in 1947's The Farmer's Daughter, in which he played the brother of Loretta Young's character. His real issue though was his height. Can you guess the show by the first and last episode titles? He has got to be eliminated.. Gunsmoke was the longest-running primetime television drama in television history, tied with the original Law & Order, until Law & Order: Special Victims Unit broke the record when its 21st season debuted in 2019. He died at the age of 88. Guys like Gregory Peck and I dont want a big lug like you towering over us. James Arness died on June 3, 2011, and his body was interred in the Sanctuary of Abiding Hope alcove in the Jasmine Terrace section of the Great Mausoleum at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California. Arness said he still watched Gunsmoke after retiring. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Arness played the marshal in all 20 seasons of Gunsmoke, as well as several made-for-TV movies in the 1980s and 1990s. ", "It is a very sad time and a big loss for me personally," Arness said. In 1948 he married Virginia Chapman and adopted her son by a previous marriage, Craig. A family spokesman confirmed the news to the New York Times following his death. Read More Mia Randall Mahomes Bio, Age, Parents, Father, Brother, Patrick, MotherContinue, Who are Tiger Woods Children? How Did James Arness Die? "Because of Dennis, Ron and I exist Dennis was a great guy," said Clint Howard, who acted alongside Weaver in the 1967 film "Gentle Giant.". The former star of St. Louis-based reality-TV show "Welcome to Sweetie Pie's" was sentenced Thursday to life in prison for arranging the shooting death of his nephew to collect a life . He entered Beloit College in Wisconsin, but was drafted into the Army in his 1942-43 freshman year. This 1956 file photo shows actors Dennis Weaver, left, as the slow-witted deputy Chester and James Arness as Marshall Matt Dillon, are shown in a scene from CBS' TV classic western "Gunsmoke" in 1956. Los Angeles Times. John Wayne even recommended that Arness star in Gunsmoke and introduces his friend in a prologue to the first episode of the series. James Arness as Marshal Matt Dillon, right, with Dennis Weaver as his sidekick, Chester, on Gunsmoke in 1956. James's make-up artist on the set of Gunsmoke married the woman who owned the clothing store. Where is Buster Murdaugh? Arness adopted Chapmans son Craig, who died in 2004. Mr. Arness had been in the saddle for all of them, and would ride again through decades of reruns and sequels. Although he could not serve as a pilot, he was drafted into the U.S. Army in March 1943. Characters and actors came and went in tales that often focused on travelers passing through on their way west. "It was a face that would age well and that, while aging, would carry intimations of waste, loss and futility.". He acted alongside John Wayne in Big Jim McLain, Hondo, Island in the Sky, and The Sea Chase. It was a face that would age well and that, while aging, would carry intimations of waste, loss and futility.. Family (2) Trivia (3) Son of James Arness and Virginia Chapman. The show was still in the Top 30 when it was canceled in 1975. And it was the 6' 7" frame of the hardy James Arness that gave the Gunsmoke lawman a towering presence. In the premiere, which established the tone for the series, Marshal Dillon faces a gunslinger who had killed an unarmed man. She Suffered A Terrible Break-Up Before Committing Suicide; Information On Jenny's Failed Love Life But I digress. After a slow start in which he took jobs as a carpenter and salesman, a role in MGMs Battleground (1949) was a career turning point. Jonathan Peck, 30, shot himself to death more than three . He was 88. Then came "Gunsmoke," which proved a durable hit and a multimillion-dollar boon for Arness, who owned part of the series. Actors Richard Basehart, Ken Curtis, Michael Conrad, Christopher Lee and Jack Elam also guest starred. I dont remember him even kissing anyone during the series. He was 81. He entered Beloit College in Wisconsin, but was drafted into the Army in his 1942-43 freshman year. What Does He Do for A Living? He died in March 2010. Chapmans son from her first marriage, Craig, was adopted by Arness. "He's big, impressive and virile," co-star Amanda Blake (Miss Kitty) once said of Arness, adding, "I've worked with him for 16 years, but I don't really know him." Arness has died at 88. Yardner was played by none other than Michael Learned, who, at the same time, was entering her second season as mom Olivia on The Waltons. (I wonder if John-Boy knew she was cheating on John-Man?). But there is more to the actor than his impressive run as Marshal Matt Dillon. He returned to Minneapolis to work as a radio announcer and in small theater roles. The actor died in his sleep at his home in Brentwood, according to his business manager, Ginny Fazer. Weaver died in 2006. Go ahead and take it, Jim, Wayne urged him. Weaver wasn't immediately taken with Deputy Chester Goode, his character in "Gunsmoke," he wrote in his 2001 autobiography, "All the World's a Stage.". They would probably be even more surprised to learn that he began his show business career as a singer in the big-band era, . How the West Was Won is an American Western television series that starred James Arness, Eva Marie Saint, Fionnula Flanagan, Bruce Boxleitner, and Richard Kiley.Loosely based on the 1962 Cinerama film of the same name, it began with a two-hour television film, The Macahans, in 1976, followed by a mini-series in 1977, and a regular series in 1978 and 1979. He later played the character in five made-for-TV movies that aired between 1987 and 1993. Besides being a golfer, Wood is a father to his, Read More Tiger Woods Children, Son Charlie and Daughter SamContinue. Former National Geographic photographer Craig Aurness died Tuesday, December 14, at Kaiser Hospital in Panorama City, Los Angeles. The adopted son of James Arness, Aurness grew up on a ranch in Southern California. Escaping on foot, he reaches Missouri, finding the abandoned horse of a dead soldier and rides the horse until a local sheriff, Martin Stillman, and his men find Luke, accusing him of horse thievery. Arness had hoped to serve as a pilot but thought his poor eyesight would be a problem. She was 104. Guest stars included Ricardo Montalban as Satangkai, a chief of the Sioux Nation, Ron Hayes as Sheriff Pinter, Med Flory (three episodes as a sheriff), Rodolfo Hoyos, Jr., Harry Lauter as Sheriff Charlie Benton, Gregg Palmer as Loman, Tom Simcox as Marshal Logan, Read Morgan as Morton in "The Slavers", and John M. Pickard as Colonel Caine, James Stephens as C. L. Bradley (the pilot and two episodes), and Jim Turner (three episodes). Like his daughter, Arness's first wife, Chapman, died of a drug overdose in 1977, two years after the couple's daughter passed away. He served in the Battle of Anzio during World War II. In an episode entitled Matts Love Story, our intrepid hero is shot by a fugitive he is chasing and left for dead. He tried to guard them from the spotlight. Legal Statement. James Arness was best known for playing Marshal Matt Dillon for two decades on CBS Gunsmoke. "The kids don't really have any part of my television life," he once remarked. Can you fill in these blank classic TV episode titles with the correct foods? Miffed, the owner of the Long Branch Saloon continues on her own, only to be saved by handsome gunslinger Will Stambridge (, Heres what the BNDs Answer Man had to say about Olivia de Havilland in a 2015 column, Lottery player thought she won $500. (His parents divorced in the 1940s.). Youre too big for pictures. That was a big factor., Your email address will not be published. That honor goes to Kentucky, where, on Feb. 12, 1809, Nancy Hanks Lincoln gave birth to her famous son in a log cabin on a farm in what is now Larue County. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. James Arness, is shown as Marshal Matt Dillon on "Gunsmoke" in October 1967. James Arness, the 6-foot-6 actor who towered over the television landscape for two decades as righteous Dodge City lawman Matt Dillon in "Gunsmoke," died Friday. As the plot thickens, Matt has another problem besides his physical wounds he cant remember his past. BeforePaul Murdaugh met his tragic death, hehad received threatening messages onlinefrom unknown people. James Arness, the towering actor best known for portraying Marshal Matt Dillon, the strong and commanding symbol of frontier justice on the landmark . Arness went on to star in every season of Gunsmoke as Dillon until the series ended in 1975. Two years later, an overdose that police deemed accidental killed her mother. During the battle, he wounded his right leg and was medically evacuated from Italy to Iowa. After the war he returned to Minnesota, took odd jobs and was a radio announcer before moving to Los Angeles in 1946. Arness died on June 3, 2011, at age 88 from natural causes. Actor Jim Arness is shown in 2002 at his home in the Brentwood section of Los Angeles. Weaver and actor James Arness were close friends since their 1955 screen test for "Gunsmoke. February 27, 2006 / 1:22 PM Weaver had other series over the years, most of them short-lived. In reality, Wayne suggested Arness after their work together. After Gunsmoke ended in 1975, Arness played Zeb Macahan in How The West Was Won from 1977 to 1979. I had the privilege of working with so many great actors over the years." While American audiences will forever know Arness as Marshal Matt Dillon, the actor reached cult status in Europe as Zeb Macahan in How the West Was Won. She and Rolf Arness survive him, along with a stepson, Jim Surtees. So there are many of the shows that I had never seen, Arness told the Signal. In 2006, Arness said he felt like the luckiest guy in the world because of his experiences. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Actor James Arness shown portraying Marshal Matt Dillon in 'Gunsmoke' in an undated photo. Hes a gunman, Doc, Dillon says to Doc Adams. He might be too late to stop a killing. He did an outstanding job in the lead role of U.S. 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. Despite his desire for privacy, a rocky domestic life landed him in the news more than once. Related:Kay Flock Wikipedia, Age, Girlfriend, Real Name, Shooting and Sentence. in France, Germany, Italy, Norway and Sweden, and has built a cult following. Arness stood 6-foot-7, making him one of the tallest leading men of his era. He developed slowly, appearing in 30 movies before his mentor, John Wayne, rejected the Dillon role and recommended him instead. Remember Arness by commenting on our Facebook page"The camera really loved his face, and with good reason," novelist Wallace Markfield wrote in a 1975 "Gunsmoke" appreciation in The New York Times. Arness, a quiet, intensely private man who preferred the outdoor life to Hollywood's party scene, rarely gave interviews and refused to discuss the tragedies. He passed away of natural causes at 88 years old. Then came Gunsmoke, which proved a durable hit and a multimillion-dollar boon for Arness, who owned part of the series. ", The cancellation of "Gunsmoke" didn't keep Arness away from TV for long: He returned a few months later, in January 1976, in the TV movie "The Macahans," which led to the 1978-79 ABC series "How the West Was Won.". 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. He was 88. He founded the Institute of Ecolonomics, which sought solutions to economic and environmental problems. After serving in the war, Arness started working in radio in Minneapolis before hitchhiking to Hollywood to pursue acting. Arness and his wife Virginia Chapman in 1956. He won the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. James Arness, famous as the star of one of the longest-running shows in U.S. television history, "Gunsmoke," was born to Rolf Aurness and Ruth Duesler Graves. AP Television Writer David Bauder and Entertainment Writer Jake Coyle in New York contributed to this story. "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. He reportedly said, I walked in the door and saw him, gave him a hug. The thick walls helped keep the inside temperature even year-round. Her brother, Patrick Mahomes II is an NFL Quarterback playing for the Kansas City Chiefs. "Fortunately, there aren't many times when show business intrudes on our family existence." He could save a girl from kidnappers, but not from her fathers brutality. In Kittys Love Affair on Oct. 22, 1973, Matt and Kitty get on a stage for St. Louis, of all places, but Matt is forced to return to Dodge on business. I had the privilege of working with so many great actors over the years., See photos of James Arness throughout his career. His father James Arness died of natural causes at the age of 88 years at his Brentwood home in Los Angeles. Two years later, an overdose that police deemed accidental killed her mother. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. His odd gait and his drawling "Mis-ter Dil-lon" gave him a memorable on-screen presence - even in the shadow of the 6-foot-7 Arness, who played Marshal Dillon. "He's big, impressive and virile," co-star Amanda Blake (Miss Kitty) once said of Arness, adding, "I've worked with him for 16 years, but I don't really know him.". He had one sibling, Peter Aurness, who would later become known as Mission: Impossible star Peter Graves. The second season starts with Kate having died in a barn fire. Colorado, the son of the town sheriff. The supporting cast was a snug family, stock but multilayered characters who spent much time talking: the beer-drinking philosopher, Doc (Milburn Stone); the careworn Long Branch saloonkeeper, Miss Kitty (Amanda Blake), her love unrequited; and the lame sidekick, Chester Goode (Dennis Weaver). Alex was given two consecutive life sentences without the chance of release on March 3, 2023. Marshal Dillon in the 1955-75 CBS Western series, Arness created an indelible portrait of a quiet, heroic man with an unbending dedication to justice and the town he protected. Zeb learns that a friend has been murdered by Dutton, who escaped from an Army Guardhouse he was in for murdering innocent Indians. Survivors also include six grandchildren and a great-grandchild. He was 88. The White House condemned Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) for his "incredibly ugly and inappropriate" remarks suggesting President Joe Biden's late son, Beau . The actor died in his sleep at his home in Brentwood, Calif., according to his business manager, Ginny Fazer. Why Gunsmoke Actor James Arness Was the John Wayne of Television, Dirty Harry: Clint Eastwood created one of the most seminal and iconic characters in American film history. Here is a look at his life and career. The years showed on the weathered-looking Arness, but he and his TV character wore them well. Arness took on a contemporary role as a police officer in the series "McClain's Law," which aired on NBC from 1981-82. Dennis Weaver, an actor with a Midwestern twang who played stiff-legged Chester the deputy on "Gunsmoke" and the cowboy cop hero in "McCloud," has died. The wealth and fame Arness gained from "Gunsmoke" could not protect him from tragedy in his personal life: His daughter and his former wife, Virginia, both died of drug overdoses. After his discharge from the Army, Arness worked as a radio announcer in Minneapolis for a spell before hitchhiking his way to Hollywood. The sport ran in the family. Q: I recently saw an old Gunsmoke movie in which Matt Dillon had a daughter. "It was a face that would age well and that, while aging, would carry intimations of waste, loss and futility." Nine years later, he was earning a then-princely $9,000 a week. Born James Aurness in Minneapolis (he dropped the u for show business reasons), he and brother Peter enjoyed a real Huckleberry Finn existence, Arness once recalled. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter!