Actor James Arness played U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke for many years. However, he once admitted that it took some time for him to settle into the role, seeking out an acting coach to get over his anxiety. Arness still managed to make the role his own, putting a spin on the character that delighted Western television fans. Arness had a simple way of transforming into Matt on the set.
‘Gunsmoke’ actor James Arness evolved Matt Dillon James Arness as Matt Dillon | CBS via Getty Images
Gunsmoke originally started as a radio show that started in 1952 and ran until 1961. The adult Western made its way to television in 1955, employing a different set of actors to fit the new medium. Arness, Amanda Blake as Miss Kitty Russell, Milburn Stone as Doc Adams, and Dennis Weaver as Chester Goode were the original cast members to kick it off.
Arness evolved...
‘Gunsmoke’ actor James Arness evolved Matt Dillon James Arness as Matt Dillon | CBS via Getty Images
Gunsmoke originally started as a radio show that started in 1952 and ran until 1961. The adult Western made its way to television in 1955, employing a different set of actors to fit the new medium. Arness, Amanda Blake as Miss Kitty Russell, Milburn Stone as Doc Adams, and Dennis Weaver as Chester Goode were the original cast members to kick it off.
Arness evolved...
- 4/7/2023
- by Jeff Nelson
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Gunsmoke aired on the television network CBS for 20 seasons between 1955 and 1975. However, the cancelation surprised the cast and crew, who didn’t see it coming. An entire 12 years later, Gunsmoke returned in the form of movies made for television. This decision revived the beloved Western series for five films. Here’s a look at the IMDb ratings from worst to best.
5. ‘Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge’ (1987) L-r: James Arness as Matt Dillon and Amanda Blake as Kitty Russell | CBS
Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge was the first of the made-for-tv movies, but it’s also the worst-rated with a 6.9 audience score.
It saw James Arness and Amanda Blake reprise their roles of U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon and Miss Kitty Russell. Return to Dodge is a continuation of season 14 episode 17 – “Mannon.” It isn’t the fans’ favorite, but they still enjoyed it as a reunion film after so many years. Unfortunately, it...
5. ‘Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge’ (1987) L-r: James Arness as Matt Dillon and Amanda Blake as Kitty Russell | CBS
Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge was the first of the made-for-tv movies, but it’s also the worst-rated with a 6.9 audience score.
It saw James Arness and Amanda Blake reprise their roles of U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon and Miss Kitty Russell. Return to Dodge is a continuation of season 14 episode 17 – “Mannon.” It isn’t the fans’ favorite, but they still enjoyed it as a reunion film after so many years. Unfortunately, it...
- 3/7/2023
- by Jeff Nelson
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Us actor known for playing Marshal Matt Dillon in the popular TV series Gunsmoke
James Arness, who has died aged 88, may not have been the biggest film star ever, but he was certainly one of the tallest, at 6ft 7in. His height and large bulk made a lasting impression in his role of Us Marshal Matt Dillon in the television western series Gunsmoke, which Arness played for 20 years.
As the poker-faced, taciturn marshal of Dodge City who works to preserve law and order on the western frontier in the 1870s, Arness, in medium-close shots, often had to perform standing in a hole, or else other actors stood on boxes so their faces could be in frame. His height was also a factor in his casting in the title role of The Thing from Another World (1951), also known as The Thing, which gave impetus to his career.
Arness himself found the...
James Arness, who has died aged 88, may not have been the biggest film star ever, but he was certainly one of the tallest, at 6ft 7in. His height and large bulk made a lasting impression in his role of Us Marshal Matt Dillon in the television western series Gunsmoke, which Arness played for 20 years.
As the poker-faced, taciturn marshal of Dodge City who works to preserve law and order on the western frontier in the 1870s, Arness, in medium-close shots, often had to perform standing in a hole, or else other actors stood on boxes so their faces could be in frame. His height was also a factor in his casting in the title role of The Thing from Another World (1951), also known as The Thing, which gave impetus to his career.
Arness himself found the...
- 6/6/2011
- by Ronald Bergan
- The Guardian - Film News
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