James Arness, dead at 88

[PeterZ]

The Gunsmoke star (Marshall Matt Dillon) left behind a message to fans to be posted on his website after his death. Died in his sleep. His brother was the late, great Peter Graves.

 

[Toledo Eleven]

Link: http://www.jamesarness.com/

 

[KeyTimes950]

There are two fascinating stories about the hiring of James Arness. One, of course, is how John Wayne was offered the role and suggested Arness instead. The other is how William Conrad's fantastic voice for the Dillon role on radio would not be translated into a TV role. Now, Conrad and Arness can compare notes anew. May they all rest in peace. A golden age indeed has ended in U.S. TV history.

 

[wbhist]

Of course, within Gunsmoke's final years, Conrad became a TV star anyway - playing the lead role in Cannon, which lasted for a year longer after Gunsmoke's demise.

 

[Kelly Watts]

James Arness was a great choic for TV's Matt Dillon. William Conrad has a highly successful career in voice work and in Cannon. Both great actors. The hereafter is even more safe now with both of them on duty!

 

[Ultimajock]

Of course, within Gunsmoke's final years, Conrad became a TV star anyway - playing the lead role in Cannon, which lasted for a year longer after Gunsmoke's demise.

...and, of course, over a decade before that Mr. Conrad became a staple of television as the over-the-top narrator on Jay Ward's Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle cartoons...

 

[drt]

Here is the direct link to his greeting to be published after his death:

http://www.jamesarness.com/greeting.html

Thanks for posting the original link, just thought some might not know where to find the message.

In addition to his memorable acting on Gunsmoke and Cannon, he was a recepient of the Purple Heart from his service in WWII; a remarkable man has left us.

RIP

drt

 

[LKellerIII]

Here is the direct link to his greeting to be published after his death:

http://www.jamesarness.com/greeting.html

Thanks for posting the original link, just thought some might not know where to find the message.

In addition to his memorable acting on Gunsmoke and Cannon, he was a recepient of the Purple Heart from his service in WWII; a remarkable man has left us.

RIP

drt

I think you're getting confused, drt. James Arness retired after Gunsmoke. The star of Cannon in the mid 70s was William Conrad, who played Matt Dillon on the radio. When the TV series was being cast, Conrad and the radio cast lobbied heavily to be cast in the TV series, but were turned down. In Conrad's case, it was likely because his physicality (he was fat and not particularly handsome) wouldn't have fit viewers' image of a tall broad-shouldered and trim Matt Dillon.

Here's a link to a photo of the radio cast. Note that Howard McNear (later "Floyd the Barber" on The Andy Griffith Show) played Doc, and Parley Baer - later a TV guest-star stalwart - played Chester.

http://www.otrwesterns.com/westerns/gunsmoke/

 

[drt]

Here is the direct link to his greeting to be published after his death:

http://www.jamesarness.com/greeting.html

Thanks for posting the original link, just thought some might not know where to find the message.

In addition to his memorable acting on Gunsmoke and Cannon, he was a recepient of the Purple Heart from his service in WWII; a remarkable man has left us.

RIP

drt

I think you're getting confused, drt. James Arness retired after Gunsmoke. The star of Cannon in the mid 70s was William Conrad, who played Matt Dillon on the radio. When the TV series was being cast, Conrad and the radio cast lobbied heavily to be cast in the TV series, but were turned down. In Conrad's case, it was likely because his physicality (he was fat and not particularly handsome) wouldn't have fit viewers' image of a tall broad-shouldered and trim Matt Dillon.

Here's a link to a photo of the radio cast. Note that Howard McNear (later "Floyd the Barber" on The Andy Griffith Show) played Doc, and Parley Baer - later a TV guest-star stalwart - played Chester.

http://www.otrwesterns.com/westerns/gunsmoke/

Hey, I was born in the state of confusion!............ what would you expect?!?

I wasn't sure when I hit the post button and then when I found out for sure, it was too late to modify........ so I just crossed my fingers that no one would read my post! (thinking people would say, here's another confusing post from the drt character; I'll just skip this one)

Thanks for the correction and the additional information.

I didn't realize that James Anress was so tall. (6' 7" - hopefully I read that correctly!)

drt,
city: st. petersburg,
state: confusion

 

[wbhist]

I didn't realize that James Anress was so tall. (6' 7" - hopefully I read that correctly!)

At his height (no pun intended), he was . . . whereas Conrad was 5' 7".

 

[Mark Giardina]

I can't imagine any other actor playing the part of Matt Dillon.

With James Arness' passing, he is the last of the original cast from the show that has gone to meet his maker.

Amanda Blake
Milburn Stone
Dennis Weaver
Ken Curtis

 

[therealjm12]

Not to be too technical, but Ken Curtis was not an original cast member of Gunsmoke. Actually, he joined a couple years after Burt Reynolds joined the cast. There are several episodes with both the characters of Quint & Festus appeared. There are a few with Chester, Quint, & Festus all in them.

And the last I heard Burt Reynolds is alive & well and I hope he stays that way for many years to come.