He had one sibling, Peter Aurness, who would later become known as Mission: Impossible star Peter Graves. 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. And then it'd be a different show." "They'd say that would ruin it," Byrnes confirms. James Arness Had Two Relationships Afterward Arness later found love in Thordis Brand. JAMES MARRIED HIS FIRST WIFE, AND TOGETHER THEY WELCOMED THREE KIDS, Virginia Arness and James Arness at home. Subscribe to our newsletter for new stories, tips & events. Having been married for 15 years, they finally parted ways in 1963. (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.) Previously, Arness worked as a courier for a jewelry wholesaler loading and unloading railway boxcars on Minneapolis Burlington freight yards, and logging in Pierce, Idaho. Talking about his achievements in his acting career, he had won the Bronze Wrangler Award thrice. His muscular physique and charming and authoritative personality made him one of Hollywood's biggest Western drama stars at the time. The couple shared two children, a son named Rolf Arness ((born February 18, 1952) and a daughter named Jenny Arness (born May 23, 1950). Gunsmoke actor James Arness was frequently asked why characters Matt Dillon and Miss Kitty never got married. There they had food and spoke about their families. James father, Rolf Cirkler Aurness was a business person, and his mother, Ruth Duesler was a journalist. Mini Bio (1) American leading man famed as the star of one of the longest-running shows in U.S. television history, Gunsmoke (1955). We had great stories, great writing, and we had fine casting and directors. Jenny and Chapman died of drug overdoses in 1975 and 1977, respectively. Arness was 88 years old. 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. His performance as a quiet man with an amazing sense of justicewas appreciated by millions of fans. 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. pictures of jenny lee arness. We obtain this information from publically accessible sources and endeavor to make sure it's correct. They found out they had a common interest in skiing, and it led to a date at an old miners' cabin he owned. His father was a traveling salesman of medical supplies and his mother . Not everyone is fortunate enough to live a life with minimal tragic incidents. During theBattle of Anzio, he was severely wounded in his right leg. When Graves decided to pursue acting professionally, he adopted the surname 'Graves' to honor his mother's family. James Arness was one of the most prominent television personalities in the 1950s up until the 1990s in the United States. 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. Luckily, she gave him the benefit of the doubt and went on a second date (three months later) and the two were married for 33 years. But the couple gets divorced in 1963, and Arness was granted legal custody of the children. But because of his poor vision and problem with eyesight was the major obstacle that blocked him from it. actorPeter Graves. Depp Net Worth 2022: How Many Times Depp Divorced? The pair divorced in 1963, leaving him with legal custody of their children.. In 2006, Arness said he felt like the luckiest guy in the world because of his experiences. . She said, I am sure Jim has countless girls calling him. He called Janet the next day and asked if he could fly her to the mountains on his private plane (nice move, Jim). After serving in the war, Arness started working in radio in Minneapolis before hitchhiking to Hollywood to pursue acting. However, their first date took an odd turn when they saw an advertisement for Gunsmoke that featured Matt and Miss Kitty. ', Your email address will not be published. James Arness is not having an affair with anyone presently. It was reported James passed away peacefully in his sleep at his Brentwood home in Los Angeles. He met Janet through his makeup artistGlen Alden'swife. He initially worked as a courier for a jewelry wholesaler as a high school student. They went on to have two more children, whom they named Jenny and Rolf but were divorced by 1963. But I never met him. Stephen Greif Cause Of Death: When Stephen Greif Passed Away? Jamess make-up artist on the set of Gunsmoke married the woman who owned the clothing store. He had a son, Rolf, and daughter, Jenny, with Chapman. Many of you met her at Dodge City so you understand what a special person she is.. He and his brother participated in the Second World War, but he didn't come out of it unscathed. in 1960 from Virginia Chapman. At some point, Alden's wife urged her to join them for dinner since James would also be there. And he lived a private family life with them. (Arness would later say that Matt's . And it was great. They also shared an adopted a son who Virginia Chapman had from another marriage. Furthermore, he was also nominated for thePrimetime Emmy Awards thrice. Actor James Arness (right) with his brother, actor Peter Graves.| Source: Getty Images. They tied the knot in 1978 and lived in Brentwood, Los Angeles. The $8 million net worth of American actor James Arness. where it was shown numerous times in the decades that followed. 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. Primetime Emmy . One night, her friend invited Janet over for dinner to meet James Arness. There just was never anybody else like him.. 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. 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. Their parents were businessmen and journalists. What made us different from other Westerns was the fact that Gunsmoke wasnt just action and a lot of shooting. wid: "428986", (Photo: Twitter) if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'hollywoodmask_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_10',173,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-hollywoodmask_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0'); Another report from The OCRreveals she wasemotionally troubled and had previouslyattempted suicide twice, in 1959 and 1960. Their love was genuine, and it endured until his demise at the age of 88. In my case, pictures like that simply want to take advantage of the Matt Dillon reputation, which is exactly what I dont want. During the battle, he wounded his right leg and was medically evacuated from Italy to Iowa. He graduated high school in June 1942, despite being a poor student and skipping classes. If he wants to call me, he will. Three months later, he finally called. He was 88. Rolf was a Norwegian and his wife, Ruth was a journalist. Source; Getty Images 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. Arness portrayed the iconic role of US Marshall Matt Dillon in Gunsmoke. James Arness was best known for starring Marshal Matt Dillon for twenty years in the CBS television series Gunsmoke. Arness wrote a letter to his fans that he asked Janet to post on his website after his passing. Both his letter and his love story prove that James Arness was not just a gritty actor. Then there was a knock at the door. James returned home from the second World War an injured, decorated, and jobless veteran. Arness made one final stab at a weekly series with "McClain's Law" (NBC, 1981-82) which cast him as a retired cop who returns to the force to show a new group of officers the right way to deal with . To know all the details about James Arnesss life including his bio, wiki, net worth, salary, and personal life, read this article till the end. Andrew Dorff Cause of Death: What Happened to Andrew Dorff? Please take all steps necessary to ascertain that information you receive from this page is correct. var s = d.createElement('script'); s.type='text/javascript';s.async=true; For some, the tragedies never seem to stop and they keep compounding in every phase of their lives. Moreover, he had also won the Golden Boot Award. They led a happily married life since their nuptials, supporting each other through thick and thin until the actor's passing in 2011. In 1987, he played the same character in the television film "Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge." The couple shared a son named Jim from Janet's previous relationship. Arness died on June 3, 2011, at age 88 from natural causes. But they didnt accept their relationship in public. Likely, they were also blessed with a daughter, Jenny Lee Arness who was born on May 23, 1950. Arness stood 6-foot-7, making him one of the tallest leading men of his era. James Arness was divorced from James Arness married Virginia Chapman in 1948. He did most or all the radio shows, and then when it came to television, he did most of those for the first couple of years, Arness later explained. James Arness was married twice. Celebritys Net worth, Biography, Sports, Health, Technology, & Entertainment. He was one of the tallest leading men of his era. Its a lot of fun to watch. (Humorous pause). Thank you again for all the many letters, cards, emails, and gifts we received from you over the years. His fans were certainly devasted by this tragic news. 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. Before he let go of it, though, James Arness and his family got plenty of use out of the ranch. Who Is Ashton Kutcher Married To? 1960) Janet Surtees (m. 1978) 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 . Your email address will not be published. Later, James had started his entertainment career at Minneapolis station WLOL in 1945 as a radio announcer. Born on 26th May 1923 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. However, after one magical date, James didnt call Janet for three months! The series was so huge it even got a 400-page "epic-length" paperback novelization of one of its first few episodes. Besides, James had married twice in his life. Reuters reports that Arness passed away in Los Angeles, California, on June 3, 2011, at the age of 88, for unspecified reasons. He did an outstanding job in the lead role of U.S. Arness could rest easy knowing that he will forever be associated with the Wild West thanks to the shows lasting rerun success. His role in the popular TV seriesGunsmokeskyrocketed his fame. . Arness was a respected soldier of World War II. }; James Arness' role as Marshal Matt Dillon made him an iconic hero to millions all over the world. At the time of his death, James was married to his second wife, Janet Surtees; the couple married in 1978. He and Peter participated in the Second World War, but unfortunately, he didn't leave the battlefield uninjured. So, basically, the most romantic date ever. How The Actor Died. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Some of the stars appearing in Gunsmoke are - Burt Reynolds, Ken Curtis, Milburn Stone, Amanda Blake, Dennis Weaver, and James Arness. Arness was married twice, first to Virginia Chapman in 1948, and then to Janet Surtees in 1978. Image date July 23, 1955.| Source: Getty Images. Tulsa Kings Sylvester Stallone Based His Dwight Performance On Himself (Even Some After Tweaks), Watch Sam Elliotts Emotional Tribute To His 1883 Castmates, Clint Eastwood Choked Down Vile Cigars For The Sake Of A Fistful Of Dollars, How Clint Eastwood Really Spends His Enormous Fortune, Sam Elliott Is Right 1883s Shea & Thomas NEED A Prequel, Kevin Costners Yellowstone Tension: A Full Breakdown, 1923 Star Brandon Sklenar Saw A Ghost While Filming The Finale On The Queen Mary: Its Pretty Wild, Forrie J. Smith Says Lloyd Being Punished By Rip Made Some Fans Consider Quitting Yellowstone, Yellowstones Cole Hauser Inks New Deal To Become Face Of PBR, Lonesome Dove: 5 Things You Didnt Know About the Iconic Series. Since this was so important to Arness, he decided to leave a note for his longstanding Gunsmoke followers to read after his passing, which no doubt deepened their already profound admiration for him. 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. According to Ginny Fazer, who handles his business affairs, he is in good health but has simply been fading. Nothing wrong with him medically; he just grew tired, I suppose. Janets father and brother were both pilots. James Arness was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota in May 1923 . { But Janet refused. Turns out, Janets son was a huge fan of Gunsmoke. 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She was 56 years old at the time of her death. He had also received an Alma masters from Beloit College. James had a son named Rolf who became a World Surfing Champion in 1970. Is There Anything Tom Cruise Wont Do For A Mission: Impossible Stunt?! His father belonged to Norwegian ancestry whereas his mother's belonged to German. He is father of Three(Craig Aurness, Rolf Aurness, Jenny Lee Aurness). It plagued him for the rest of his life. Wayne was still making box office hits at the time anyway, so it would have been a shocker for him to take a lead part in the then-nascent world of television. How many times has James Arness been married? 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. 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. In high school, he appeared in school plays, but he showed no interest in performing instead, he yearned to go to sea. Her mother Virginia died of a drug overdose in 1977. Gangsta Boo Cause of Death: Did Gangsta Boo Tie The Knot? Why dont you come over and meet him? 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. Relationship Status In 1948, Arness married Virginia Chapman and adopted Craig, her son. And I thought, Eew, an actor I dont know,' said Janet laughing. James Arness, who played Marshal Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke, eventually became CBSs most important actor overall. One was named Craig, a photographer, while the other, Jenny, was an actress and they died in 2004 and 1975 respectively. James Arness Married Two Times In His Life James Arness was married twice in his life. 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. However, James and Janet never had any children together. 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. James Arness poses with his wife Janet during a signing of his new book "James Arness: An Autobiography" at the Gene Autry Museum November 3, 2001 | Source: Getty Images. The Macahans on setfor the episode aired on January 19, 1976. He was 88. But, his role as Zeb Macahan in "How The West Was Won" sealed him as a television icon in the United States and Europe. After years of working together, Janet and the owner became friends. In 1943, James received his draft notice, joining the army and training. Following those events,Arness divorced her in1963, ending their marriage of 15 years. Arness later found love inThordis Brand. Despite the separation, James still pursued his career. . })(document); Virginia Chapman (m. 1948; div. Through their marital relationship, the couple had four children Rolf Arness, Craig Arness, Jim Arness, and Jenny Lee Arness. 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. He died on 3rd June 2011 of natural causes. 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 . Arness was married to Virginia Chapman in 1948. Despite having a dream to be a pilot as a naval fighter, Arnesss dream came to the end because of his eyesight problem. James Arness is the first son of Rolf Cirkler Aurness and Ruth Duesler. For some, the tragedies never seem to stop and they keep compounding in every phase of their lives. It aired for 20 seasons and made him and other actors in it world-famous. 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. Why dont you come over and meet him? The. 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. 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. Arness is immortal in TV history as Marshal Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke, the longest-running network. "I had a wonderful life and was blessed with (so) many loving people and great friends.". Gunsmoke: Meet Marshal Matt Dillon Actor James Arness Second Wife Janet Surtees. As a young child, most of his life, James usually found it hard in his . Born James King Aurness to businessman Rolf Cirkler Aurness and journalist Ruth Duesler, James lived a pretty wealthy life being from Norweigan and of German descent. Arness' 20-year prime-time run as the marshal was tied only in recent times, by Kelsey Grammer's 20 years as Frasier Crane from 1984 to 2004 on "Cheers" and then on "Frasier." . Late actor James Drury was wed three times, but the love of his life will always be his third wife, Carl Ann Drury. Alexis Arquette Bio, Net Worth, Height, Age, Affairs, Boyfriend & Death, Kyle Secor Bio, Age, Net Worth, Height, Married & Wife. [21] He adopted her son. They went horse riding and stopped at a remote camping area where other people had also settled to rest. Arness married his first wife, Virginia Chapman, in 1948, which was 7 years before he started playing Matt Dillon. At present, Arness's only surviving child is his sonRolf, whobecame a world surfing champion in 1970. After the end of his first marriage, James exchanged his wedding vows with Janet Surtees. Terry Fator Net Worth: When Did Melinda Started Following Fator? The star, James Arness was married twice in his life. After Being Caught For A Previous Crime, A Person Suspected Of Stealing Is Charged. Jim Arness (1971), (Bettmann/contributor/getty images), James Arness, Janet (1995), (Getty Images/Staff), James Arness, Janet (2001), (David Keeler/Getty Images). , after one magical date, James and Janet never had how many times was james arness married together... His performance as a radio announcer unfortunately, he was also nominated for Emmy! The separation, James had started his Entertainment career at Minneapolis station WLOL in 1945 a... Very polite and friendly from other Westerns was the fact that Gunsmoke wasnt just action and a lot shooting. 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