James Arness, the towering actor best known for portraying Marshal Matt Dillon, the strong and commanding symbol of frontier justice on the landmark TV western series "Gunsmoke," died Friday.. Actors usually have a hard time watching their own work, but this was not a problem for Arness. The two were inseparable after that and married a few years later. 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. Aside from his former wife dying at such a young age, James also lost two of his kids. James was one of the most experienced actors in Hollywood. He met her four years after his divorce from Chapman and dated her for six years. Together with her adopted son, Craig, they created a family. The actor founded Westlight, a stock photography agency. He dropped the 'u' in his last name when he began acting. Arness and his wifeVirginia Chapman in 1956. He received theBronze Star and thePurple Heart. Thank you again for all the many letters, cards, emails, and gifts we received from you over the years. [4] She died of a drug overdose [4] in 1976. Jim used to enjoy going to this grocery store and spending money. He often talked about watching Gunsmoke whenever he saw it on TV. Fv 27, 2023 . After that day they didn't meet again for about three months. He was an infantryman and was wounded in the battle of Anzio, Italy, but his brother was posted to the Army Air Force which later became a separate branch of the U.S. military. Rolf was a Norwegian and his wife, Ruth was a journalist. AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. (Arness would later say that Matt's . Who is the woman who captured the heart of the 67 tall actor, James Arness? Arness Became Famous In Hollywood In 1955 | Source: Getty Images. Arness could rest easy knowing that he will forever be associated with the Wild West thanks to the shows lasting rerun success. A year later, he married his first wife,Virginia Chapman. James "Jim" Arness And Wife Janet Pose For A Photograph In Their Garden In 1995 In Brentwood, Ca. Different rumors were there about the long-term relationship between James Arness and actress Thordis Brandt. She would later admit that she lost him to his work, describing him as a comet that left her lonely on earth. James Arness' second marriage was to a woman called Janet Surtees. Arness was a respected soldier of World War II. (Arness would later say that Matt's only onscreen kiss was in that episode, "Matt's Love Story," but Kitty did in fact kiss him once.) The series was so huge it even got a 400-page "epic-length" paperback novelization of one of its first few episodes. Why dont you come over and meet him? Sierra McClain. And he lived a private family life with them. In the 1940s, he married Dorothy Gillooly (19262012), who had served in the Women's Army Corps. Their longest marriage was 33 years to Janet Surtees. Their marriage lasted 15 years until they divorced in 1963. His birth date ison May 26, 1923. Other than that, there is no controversy surrounding him. Janet was working for a clothing store owned by the wife of Jims make-up artist. "We were introduced to each other, we sat down, and Jim was so friendly he was just so down-to-earth, and my nervousness went away. Arness portrayed the iconic role of US Marshall Matt Dillon in Gunsmoke. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Eventually, Virginia fleed to San Bernardino, California, vanishing immediately after the divorce. James Arness with his first wife Virginia Chapman He was very polite and friendly.. Moreover, in theEuropean-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, he won three bronze battle stars. He earned a huge amount of salary from his career and maintained a huge net worth. He also reprised his role in the movies that came after: "Gunsmoke: The Last Apache" in 1990, "Gunsmoke: To the Last Man" in 1992, "Gunsmoke: The Long Ride" in 1993, and "Gunsmoke: One Man's Justice" in 1994. James Arness and his wife went on the most romantic first date ever. Arness' remained with his second wife until his death in 2011. Notably, James gained massive popularity when he took on the role of Marshal Matt Dillon in the CBS Television series "Gunsmoke," a role he played for 20 years. His wife passed away due to a drug overdose. Here is a look at his life and career. Arness had hoped to serve as a pilot but thought his poor eyesight would be a problem. His chest- waist, and hips measurements were 48-36-36 respectively. So there are many of the shows that I had never seen, Arness told the Signal. Arness' daughter Jenny committed suicide on 12th May 1975 by drug overdose. James Arness 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. And here comes this huge man through the door, I was like, oh my gosh. For some, the tragedies never seem to stop and they keep compounding in every phase of their lives. And here comes this huge man through the door. It was reported James passed away peacefully in his sleep at his Brentwood home in Los Angeles. 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But she died of a drug overdose in 1975. After years of working together, Janet and the owner became friends. The couple tied the knot in 1978 in a private wedding ceremony. Since they set up another dinner date, it became the start of their lifelong journey together as a couple. Arness had a dream to be a pilot as a naval fighter. James Arness and Virginia Chapman gave birth to a son, Rolf, (born February 18, 1952) and a daughter, Jenny Lee Arness (May 23, 1950 - May 12, 1975). His father was a traveling salesman of medical supplies and his mother . The two later got divorced in 1960 after having two children; Rolf and Jenny. How many times was James Arness married? Arness was 88 years old. Relationship Status In 1948, Arness married Virginia Chapman and adopted Craig, her son. So, even after 33 years of marriage, there isnt a lot of information about the Hollywood actors wife. Surtees was reluctant, but her son was a "Gunsmoke" fan, so she went just so she could tell him she had met his favorite actor. They were character study shows, Arness once told the Associated Press. Not everyone is fortunate enough to live a life with minimal tragic incidents. Image date July 23, 1955.| Source: Getty Images. Died on June 2011, American Actor James Arness Was Married Twice; Has Three Children; Know More About His Family, Updated On 09 Aug, 2018 Published On 09 Aug, 2018. Jenny and Chapman died of drug overdoses in 1975 and 1977, respectively. Janet revealed that he was very polite and friendly. The two spent the entire night talking and at the end of the night, James asked Janet for her phone number. We had great stories, great writing, and we had fine casting and directors. Garner was born in Norman, Oklahoma, United States of America, and at the moment of his death, Garner was 86 years old. Arness and Janet rented horses and had a heart-to-heart while riding and talking. Furthermore, Gunsmoke earned him three nominations for the Primetime Emmys. Turns out, Janets son was a huge fan of Gunsmoke. Arness is immortal in TV history as Marshal Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke, the longest-running network. The whole package just came together.. James Arness has been divorced once, in 1960. James frequently donated items hed collected from the sets he worked on to charity. Let's have a look at the details of his death, his multiple married life, his numerous children, as well as the loved ones he lost. Arness' 20-year prime-time run as the marshal was tied only in recent times, by Kelsey Grammer's 20 years . James flew Janet back later that day. Let us know, and pass this on to your family, friends, and other James Arness fans! Moreover, he had also won the Golden Boot Award. Mini Bio (1) American leading man famed as the star of one of the longest-running shows in U.S. television history, Gunsmoke (1955). As a young child, most of his life, James usually found it hard in his . But my son was a really big fan of Gunsmoke and was watching it every Monday night. Trending :Joanna Gaines || Pat Sajak || Brandi Love || Kamala Harris || Elizabeth Warren ||. where it was shown numerous times in the decades that followed. 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 ended in the 40s. Late actor James Drury was wed three times, but the love of his life will always be his third wife, Carl Ann Drury. Janet met James while she was working at a clothing store. Janets father and brother were both pilots. exitPopMobile: true, Despite this, Janet and Arness had a great day as they strolled by a beautiful waterfall. His first marriage was to Virginia Chapman; an actress. The big thing with the show was that we had a lot of really fine actors, and more than that, we had started out with great writing., The two gentlemen who originated the show you know, it was on the radio for two or three years before they brought it to television John Meston was the man who conceived the idea of the whole thing. During the 20th . He also became the adoptive father to Virginia's son Craig. His father belonged to Norwegian ancestry whereas his mother's belonged to German. However, Arness was eventually pulled back to Gunsmoke, starring in five made-for-TV movies between 1987 and 1993. Previously, Arness had tied the knot with his long-term girlfriend, Virginia Chapman in 1948. Arnes was of American nationality and used to belongs to the white ethnicity. What Happened To Patty Duke? There they had food and spoke about their families. He called her the next date and the two went on a super romantic horseback riding date. I was like, Oh my gosh, he is a big guy,' said Janet with a laugh. Your health is important to us. He drifted around Mexico for some time; then, he returned to Hollywood with a burning desire to become an actor. 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. What Is Sage Stallone Cause Of Death, And What We Need To Know About Sage Stallones Career? Janet Surtees Arness is. He enjoyedpoetry, sailboat racing, and surfing. I was like, Oh my gosh, he is a big guy,' said Janet. James Arness - Net Worth 2022 Being a well-celebrated actor of his time, James had made a pretty good amount of wealth. James Arness was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota in May 1923 . In 2006, Arness said he felt like the luckiest guy in the world because of his experiences. 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. He went to John Burroughs Grade School, Washburn High School, and West High School in Minneapolis. In 1948, a few years before the premiere of Gunsmoke on television, Arness married his first wife, Virginia Chapman. To make up for the lost role, an actor . To start, we went to a food store, Janet explained. However, after 15 years of marriage, James and Virginia had a divorce, and James was granted legal custody of their children. He served in the Battle of Anzio during World War II. James Arness was married to He first shared wedding vows withVirginia Chapman in 1948. 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. That was too bad, because we were on two hours every night, seven days a week.. "Tell Gregg I love him," were the last words Jenny wrote in a death note with a a cop at the Malibu, Calif., scene . I want major pictures and I dont care if its not the leading role.. The $8 million net worth of American actor James Arness. Arness was married twice, first to Virginia Chapman in 1948, and then to Janet Surtees in 1978. 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 . Watching Gunsmoke whenever he saw it on TV Dillon on Gunsmoke, starring five... 4 ] she died of drug overdoses in 1975 and 1977, respectively letters, cards, emails, website. 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