After dinner, he walked me out to my car and said, Well, Id like to call you,' said Janet. So, basically, the most romantic date ever. According to theLos Angeles Times, James passed away at 88 years old on June 3, 2011, due to natural causes. (Humorous pause). James Arness' second marriage was to a woman called Janet Surtees. He completed his high school in June 1942. His fans were certainly devasted by this tragic news. He served in the Battle of Anzio during World War II. Gunsmoke actor James Arness was frequently asked why characters Matt Dillon and Miss Kitty never got married. 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 was born on May 26, 1923, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, US. Arnes was of American nationality and used to belongs to the white ethnicity. If Gunsmoke icon James Arness was a Tinder date, he would be the worst. 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 . After multiple surgeries, he was thenmedically discharged. (Arness would later say that Matt's . Janets friend, who owned the dress shop and knew Jim, suggested that Janet call him. She was 60. He called Janet the next day and asked if he could fly her to the mountains on his private plane (nice move, Jim). However, he had a lifelong disability from an injury to his right leg sustained in the Battle of Anzio. There is a longstanding rumor that John Wayne was considered for the part of Matt Dillon, but he turned it down. I was under contract to Dukes company for two years before Gunsmoke came along, Arness told the Signal in 2006. She was nervous about having dinner with the actor, but they ended up getting along great. Then he is interred at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California. It was reported James passed away peacefully in his sleep at his Brentwood home in Los Angeles. . Janet arrived before Jim and nervously waited for him to arrive. Image date May 4, 1957.| Source: Getty Images. Chapman. [21] He adopted her son. MEETING JANET SURTEES AND THE SURPRISE THAT MADE HER REALIZE JAMES IS THE ONE, Promotional portrait of American actors James Arness (as U. S. Marshal Matt Dillon0 (foreground) and Buck Taylor (as Newly O'Brien) from the television series 'Gunsmoke,' 1970.| Source: Getty Images. When Graves decided to pursue acting professionally, he adopted the surname 'Graves' to honor his mother's family. The Gunsmoke family was the thing that people got used to, and (they) wanted to see that in their homes on Saturday nights, you see, he told the Signal. | Source: Getty Images. He also played the title character in The Thing From Another World and starred in Them! 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. James Arness is the first son of Rolf Cirkler Aurness and Ruth Duesler. Your health is important to us. Their marriage lasted 15 years until they divorced in 1963. But fate stepped in. His father was a traveling salesman of medical supplies and his mother . Arness was married to Virginia Chapman in 1948. James Arness net worth: James Arness was an American actor who had a net worth of $8 million. From 1976 to 1979, Arness played on television in the role of Zeb Macahan in the series How the West Was Won. 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. And here comes this huge man through the door, I was like, oh my gosh. Not everyone is fortunate enough to live a life with minimal tragic incidents. James Arness was born as James King Aurness on May 26, 1923, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Arness was known to be a shy and sensitive man. So, Janet went to dinner simply so she could tell her son that she met James Arness. His autobiography titledJames Arness: An Autobiographywas released in September of 2001. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); (function(d) { But the couple gets divorced in 1963, and Arness was granted legal custody of the children. For some, the tragedies never seem to stop and they keep compounding in every phase of their lives. 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. In the early 1960s, John Wayne took an interest in Arness and was instrumental in getting him cast in Gunsmoke, the show that would ultimately define his career for the next two decades. 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. This is not the case. Janet was working for a clothing store owned by the wife of Jims make-up artist. He is father of Three(Craig Aurness, Rolf Aurness, Jenny Lee Aurness). Located on 1,400 acres of land in Simi Valley, California, the Gunsmoke star's former ranch is owned by the Brandeis-Bardin Institute. Arness was married to Virginia Chapman in 1948. Janet Surtees with her late husband, James. He left behind his wife of 33 years when the actor himself passed away. His unexpected act of generosity left a lasting impression on her. Arness married . From 1955 to 1975, he starred in the weekly series "Gunsmoke." As of June 3, 2011, James Arnesss life had ended at the age of 88. (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. 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. Arness was a respected soldier of World War II. There just was never anybody else like him.. 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.. He believed the family seen on Gunsmoke was why people kept going back to it for two decades. You are and always have been truly appreciated.. Furthermore, he was also nominated for thePrimetime Emmy Awards thrice. James's make-up artist on the set of Gunsmoke married the woman who owned the clothing store. In 1960, he had a star placed in honor of him at 1751 Vine Street on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. James father, Rolf Cirkler Aurness was a business person, and his mother, Ruth Duesler was a journalist. Miss Blake died Wednesday night at Mercy General Hospital, said hospital spokeswoman Jerri Ewen. He had warned her he would be away for a few weeks but that he would reach out upon his return. Required fields are marked *. Jeremiah Green Cause of Death: Jeremiah Green left Modest Mouse when? Despite this, Janet and Arness had a great day as they strolled by a beautiful waterfall. Arness was born to businessman Rolf Cirkler Aurness and writer Ruth Duesler on May 26, 1923, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. These include "Wyoming Mail," "Two Lost Worlds," "The People Against O'Hara," "Iron Man,"The Lone Hand," and "Island in the Sky," among many others. The family name was entitled to the title Aursnes because his father migrated from Norway in 1887. He started acting in an amateur theater; then, he caught the eye of an agent who linked him up with producer Dore Schary, who gave him a few roles in 1947. However, legendary Western actor John Wayne thought he had star potential. His wife passed away due to a drug overdose. However, they didn't get married or have children from their relationship. "Gunsmoke" star James Arness has died at age 88, CBS spokesman Chris Ender confirmed. Arness was married twice, first to Virginia Chapman from 1948 until their divorce in 1960. He was also a sensitive and loving man and husband. Along with Rolf Arness, his stepson Jim Surtees, six grandchildren, and a great-grandchild, she survived him. The two were inseparable after that and married a few years later. Janet still lives in Los Angeles where she lived with James before his passing, according to Celeb Suburb. And here comes this huge man through the door. cb: (new Date()).getTime() Jim used to enjoy going to this grocery store and spending money. Then, after three years, his younger brother Peter was born. Image dated September 27, 1993. Before his death, he penned a letter that expressed his deep feelings for her, his fans, and his family. 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.". Arness passed away on June 3, 2011 at his Brentwood home from natural causes. 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. His father belonged to Norwegian ancestry whereas his mother's belonged to German. He was 88. Years later, after being a veteran at the top of his prime, James acted on his kept passion acting. They led a happily married life since their nuptials, supporting each other through thick and thin until the actor's passing in 2011. by .. craig aurness pic.twitter.com/KGSr1BbGno James Arness passed away on June 3, 2011, just a week after his 88th birthday. They went horse riding and stopped at a remote camping area where other people had also settled to rest. He often talked about watching Gunsmoke whenever he saw it on TV. I had a wonderful life and was blessed with so many loving people and great friends. He dropped the 'u' in his last name when he began acting. Arness' 20-year prime-time run as the marshal was tied only in recent times, by Kelsey Grammer's 20 years . That was too bad, because we were on two hours every night, seven days a week.. Previously, Arness had tied the knot with his long-term girlfriend, Virginia Chapman in 1948. Furthermore, he won theWorld War II Victory Medal, and theCombat Infantryman Badge. By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Besides, James had married twice in his life. They had tied the knot in 1948. 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. Additionally, he directed five episodes of the . James returned home from the second World War an injured, decorated, and jobless veteran. But, his role as Zeb Macahan in "How The West Was Won" sealed him as a television icon in the United States and Europe. Having been married for 15 years, they finally parted ways in 1963. James had a son named Rolf who became a World Surfing Champion in 1970. What Happened To Patty Duke? (AP) James Arness, the 6-foot-6 actor who towered over the television . Janet Surtees Arness is. However, their first date took an odd turn when they saw an advertisement for Gunsmoke that featured Matt and Miss Kitty. Fv 27, 2023 . 1960) Janet Surtees (m. 1978) Extremely private personality, James Arness refused to talk about his life's biggest tragedies. Gunsmoke actor James Arness died on 3rd June 2011, leaving behind a letter he wanted to be released after his death. The fans wanted to see more obvious indications of their relationship, but. As of 2022, James Arnesss net worth was $10 million. Her parents married in 1948 and divorced in 1963 after 15 years of marriage. He wrote, I decided to write a letter to you for Janet to post on our website in the event I was no longer here. He was 88. 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. In the letter, James thanks all of his fans for cheering him on throughout his career. On the other side of the spectrum, James's son as well as his only remaining offspring by blood, Rolf Arness made his father proud when he became World Surfing Champion in 1970. Mini Bio (1) American leading man famed as the star of one of the longest-running shows in U.S. television history, Gunsmoke (1955). Who is the woman who captured the heart of the 67 tall actor, 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 in 2011 He was 88. Wednesday night at Mercy how many times was james arness married Hospital, said Hospital spokeswoman Jerri Ewen captured the heart of the 67 actor. 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