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Actor James Arness was best known for his portrayal of "Marshal Matt Dillon" in the iconic series 'Gunsmoke', appearing for a total of 635 episodes between 1955 and 1975.
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Born in Minneapolis to journalist Ruth Duesler and businessman Rolf Cirkler, James Arness had a younger brother named Peter Graves, who was also successful in the film industry. Peter was best known for his role as "Jim Phelps" in the TV series 'Mission: Impossible'. He died in 2010.
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In the early '40s, the 'Gunsmoke' star was drafted into the United States Army, where he served as a rifleman during the Battle of Anzio, battle of the Italian Campaign of the Second World War, which took place from January to June 1944.
There, Arness got severely wounded and was taken back to the United States to undergo multiple surgeries. He was eventually discharged from the Army, but his injuries resulted in chronic leg pain, which affected the acting career he would start building later.
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John Arness attended John Burroughs Grade School, Washburn High School, and West High School in Minneapolis. He also entered Beloit College, where he stood out as a choir member.
Before pursuing an acting career, he worked as a courier for a jewelry wholesaler, and later on as a radio announcer.
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While Arness is best known for 'Gunsmoke', the star landed his first role in 1947, playing "Peter" in the film 'The Farmer's Daughter'. He then starred in the 1949 and 1952 movies 'Battleground' (nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture), and 'The Girl In White', as "Garby" and "Matt" respectively. His TV debut took place in 1950 as "Deputy Bud Titus" in 'The Lone Ranger'. From 1977 to 1979 he played "Zeb" in 'How The West Was Won', which is one of his most notable career highlights.
His fantastic acting skills made Arness earn three Emmy Award nominations,, all of them for his appearance in 'Gunsmoke': Best Continuing Performance by an Actor in a Dramatic Series in 1957, Best Continuing Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Dramatic or Comedy Series in 1958, and Best Actor in a Leading Role (Continuing Character) in a Dramatic Series in 1959.
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Apart from his TV and film career, James Arness was a family man. In 1948 the actor married Virginia Chapman, adopting the latter's son Craig.
The couple also shared son Rolf and daughter Jenny. James and Virginia divorced in 1963, with the 'Gunsmoke' actor getting legal custody of their children.
In 1967 Arness dated Thordis Brandt, but their relationship ended six years later.
He then went on to marry Janet Surtees in 1978. They remained as a couple until the actor's death.
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After a very successful career with over +30 film credits, and at least 20 TV appearances, James Arness announced his retirement at age 71, following his last episode on 'Gunsmoke', titled 'Gunsmoke: One Man's Justice' (1944).
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Quick facts about the 'Gunsmoke' actor:
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Sadly, James Arness died on June 3, 2011 at his Brentwood, Los Angeles home. The actor had turned 88 just one week before.
The star died from natural causes and his body was interred at Glendale, California's Forest Lawn Memorial Park, in the Jasmine Terrace section of the Great Mausoleum.
James Arness delivered an outstanding performance in 635 episodes of the legendary Western drama series 'Gunsmoke' as "Marshal Matt Dillon."
The actor, also known for 'How the West Was Won', had a successful trajectory, both on the small and big screens, which lasted more than four decades.
Unfortunately, Arness died in 2011 at age 88.
This was the cause of his death.