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. KVS and SoftRight customers now have the ability to upgrade to Springbrooks new Cirrus cloud platform: According to the family's spokesperson, James died of natural causes at 88. They helped each other achieve several feats and built a loving home for the children from past relationships. Surtees married her husband, James Arness, on 16 December 1978. His longtime co-stars were Blake as saloon keeper Miss Kitty, Milburn Stone as Doc Adams and Dennis Weaver as the deputy, Chester Goode. or redistributed. Arness even looked at how the West was won by McClains Rule. He adopted her son Jim Surtees. ", The years showed on the weathered-looking Arness, but he -- and his TV character -- wore them well. He played a part in McClains Rule, a short-lived 1981-1982 film, co-starring Marshall Colt. "The camera really loved his face, and with good reason," novelist Wallace Markfield wrote in a 1975 "Gunsmoke" appreciation in The New York Times. [20] Four years after his divorce from Virginia Chapman, James Arness met Thordis Brandt, [21] [22] who was his girlfriend for six years before they ended their relationship. The two spent the rest of the day horseback riding through nature and picnicking outdoors. In his first decade as a Western film and television actor, All Rights Reserved. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. James Arness Wrote a Letter About His Wife Before His Passing. He was 88 years old at the time of his demise. Actress: Official Detective. The couple married in 1978. In 1976, a year after his first Western role on Gunsmoke, Bruce Boxleitner (right) was cast as Luke Macahan, the son of James Arness (left) in the ABC television series How the West was Won. An initial statement from the hospital and her friends said Blake died of throat cancer. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Gunsmoke actor James Arness dead at 88 SheKnows Eric Dane Bio, Age, Wife, Height, Net Worth, Family, Parents, Movies. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. His former wife Virginia also died of a drug overdose in 1977. And I thought, Eew, an actor I dont know,' said Janet laughing. He was a major city police officer in the film, Red River, a remake of the classic Red River in 1948. Arness took on a contemporary role as a police officer in the series "McClain's Law," which aired on NBC from 1981-82. 21 Engel Injection Molding Machines (28 to 300 Ton Capacity), 9 new Rotary Engel Presses (85 Ton Capacity), Rotary and Horizontal Molding, Precision Insert Molding, Full Part Automation, Electric Testing, Hipot Testing, Welding. Arness wrote a letter to his fans that he asked Janet to post on his website after his passing. But she died of a drug overdose in 1975. When Weaver died in February 2006, Arness called it "a big loss for me personally" and said Weaver "provided comic relief but was also a real person doing things that were very important to the show. Legal Statement. When he and his first wife, Virginia Chapman, divorced, he started to date, which quickly became the news of the town. MALIBU, Calif., Aug. 1 (UPI)The death of Virginia Arness, former wife of James Arness, star of the television series Gunsmoke has been ruled an accidental overdose of sleeping pills. Subscribe to our newsletter for new stories, tips & events. Gunsmoke: James Arness Wife Opens Up About Marriage to Western Icon in 2017 Interview, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZlby3ryXCE, GUNSMOKE I married James Arness with Janet Arness A WORD ON WESTERNS (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZlby3ryXCE). When Arness was rounding up work on Gunsmoke in 1975, he was already divorced and had suffered some other heartbreak along his way. Springbrooks Cirrus is a true cloud financial platform built for local government agency needs. WebThe Gunsmoke star was 60 when she died on Aug. 16, 1989, at Mercy General Hospital in Sacramento. The night they first met, the two spent the night talking about their families, work, and favorite hobbies. His body was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California. Weaver died Friday from complications of cancer at his home in Ridgway, in southwestern Colorado, his publicist, Julian Myers, announced Monday. He was very polite and friendly.. 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. He later left Nat Geo to co-found his stock photo agency, Westlight. Dennis Weavers first film role was a supporting role as Dandy Taylor in the 1952 film Horizons West. Janet was working for a clothing store owned by the wife of Jims make-up artist. Then on December 16, 1978, Arness married Janet Surtees. Before Janet, James was married to Virginia Chapman from 1948 until 1963; the couple had three children, Rolf, Craig, and Jenny Lee, who died of suicide in 1975. The couple had a great marriage, and Arness revealed the same in a letter that he posted on his website a few months to his demise. Gunsmoke actor James Arness has died, leaving behind a letter he wanted released upon his death. Yet, Dennis Weaver isnt overshadowed by these acting legends. An initial statement from the hospital and her friends said Blake died of throat cancer. He asked her out again, and she agreed to another date. James is an actor best known for the TV series and TV movie franchise Gunsmoke. Jenny Lee Arness, the daughter of actor James Arness, committed suicide in 1975, not too long before her 25th birthday. In the early 60's Arness sued for and got custody of Craig, along with his other 2 children. Rolf inherited a love of surfing from his dad, James, and took it up seriously after suffering a fall at the age of nine. "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. WebJames Arness starred in Gunsmoke for 20 years. We appreciate your support. Dr. Nishimura, an internist in Sacramento said that she suffered from AIDS for about a year. We aim to provide a wide range of injection molding services and products ranging from complete molding project management customized to your needs. Then one night she said, Well, Jim is coming over for dinner. Then he didnt call for three months. One night, the owner of the store invited Janet over to meet Jim. WebVirginia Chapman. "The kids don't really have any part of my television life," he once remarked. Family (1) Parents Virginia Chapman James Arness Trivia (4) Daughter of James Arness and Virginia Chapman. But in a 1973 episode, Matt had a brief affair with another woman, Mike Yardner (Michael Learned), while he had amnesia. Get the best of Fox News' entertainment coverage, right in your inbox. Previously, she was married to James Arness and Leo Myron Morton. Your success with Springbrook software is my first priority., 1000 SW Broadway, Suite 1900, Portland, OR 97205 United States, Cloud financial platform for local government, Payment Solution agency savings calculator, Springbrook Survey Shows Many Government Employees Still Teleworking, Springbrook Software Announces Strongest Third Quarter in Companys 35-year History Powered by New Cirrus Cloud Platform, Springbrook Debuts New Mobile App for Field Work Orders, Springbrook Software Releases New Government Budgeting Tool, GovTech: Springbrook Software Buys Property Tax Firm Publiq for ERP, Less training for new hires through an intuitive design, Ease of adoption for existing Springbrook users, Streamlined navigationwithjust a few simple clicks. He was 88. Ask your rep for details. He was 88. [8] Guys like Gregory Peck and I don't want a big lug like you towering over us. Janet Surtees has kept out of the spotlight since her husbands death. The two were inseparable after that and married a few years later. Actor. A post shared by Texas Trail of Fame (@texastrailoffame). But Janet refused. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Market data provided by Factset. Arness died of natural causes at the age of 88 at his Brentwood home in Los Angeles on June 3rd, 2011. During an interview, Janet shares the funny stories behind their romance. The makeup artist discussed Arness with his wife, who owned a clothing store, and the two decided to set the actor up on a date with one of the clothing stores employees named Janet Surtees. They dated for a few years before tying the knot in 1978. Instagram: biographyscoop. Analysis and reporting is a breeze with Tableau, which comes a preconfigured report library, included for all cirrus customers. His daughter committed suicide in the 70's, despondent over a broken romance with Gregg Allman. But the couple gets divorced in 1963, and Arness was granted legal custody of the children. There are not many details on where he resides or what he does for a living. Janet Surtees firmly stuck to her guns for three months before Arness finally called her. The emotionally troubled Virginia Arness attempted suicide twice, in 1959 and in 1960. Craig Arness was indeed an accomplished fellow before he died in 2004. On her part, Janet Surtees had a son named Jim Surtees before she met Arness. WebAbout. She survived him. Several Hollywood stars have gone ahead to marry ordinary individuals, and one of them was the late James Arness. The series was the longest-running primetime drama series in the history of US broadcasting. He moved to Hollywood in 1946 at a friend's suggestion. James Arness is a member of the following lists: American film actors, American After dinner, he walked me out to my car and said, Well, Id like to call you,' said Janet. WebFormer wife Virginia died of a drug overdose in 1977. After working together for several years, she and the store owner had become This could have been for a variety of reasons, but they never lacked love in their lives. Very sorry to hear another tragedy has hit James Arness and his family. His zodiac sign is Gemini. Before arriving at his home in the mountains, the two stopped at the grocery store because Jim loved food. They picked up bread, cheese, wine, and other goodies. While shopping, Janet noticed a lifesize advertisement with James on it. Arness died of natural causes at his home in Brentwood, said family spokeswoman Ginny Fazer. He was a classmate of Waynes and introduced him to the first episode of GunSmoke in 1955. James Arness was a close associate of John Waynes, and he acted with him in many movies. So, basically, the most romantic date ever. His body was buried in the Abiding Hope Sanctuary in the Jasmine Terrace portion of the Great Mausoleum at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California. He returned to Minneapolis to work as a radio announcer and in small theater roles. The marriage foundered and in 1963 Arness sought a divorce and custody of the three children, which he was granted. The show has been rebroadcast around Europe a number of times. Enjoy reading!! Email: The actor experienced even more tragedy when his first wife also died from an overdose of sleeping pills just two years later in 1977 in Malibu, California. Then came "Gunsmoke," which proved a durable hit and a multimillion-dollar boon for Arness, who owned part of the series. No details exist about who his father is, but Arness gladly accepted Jim into their family, and they all lived together while he was in his formative years. 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. Arness was the first man to be called from his landing craft to assess the depth of the sea. Nothing. WebThe Gunsmoke star was 60 when she died on Aug. 16, 1989, at Mercy General Hospital in Sacramento. Sister of Craig Aurness and Rolf Aurness. The union produced two children, a son named Rolf and a daughter named Jenny Lee. He is a cult figure in many European countries, where he has become much more famous than in the United States.