RIP, James Arness (1923-2011)
June 3, 2011 10:23 AM Subscribe
James Arness, the 6'7" actor famous for his long-running role as Marshal Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke, has passed away just a week after his 88th birthday. Arness's younger brother, fellow actor Peter Graves, passed away last year.
I bet it's a sad day in Dodge City, and there's no Miss Kitty to shed a tear and buy the beer at the Longbranch. By all accounts, Arness was a decent guy, who helped a lot of fellow actors and show folk, through Gunsmoke, and his personal efforts. And I still enjoy an episode of Gunsmoke, now and then, still airing daily on cable TV.
posted by paulsc at 10:38 AM on June 3, 2011
posted by paulsc at 10:38 AM on June 3, 2011
There are a whole passel of giant ants who aren't going to miss him one little bit. RIP, Jim.
posted by Mike D at 10:43 AM on June 3, 2011
posted by Mike D at 10:43 AM on June 3, 2011
My stepfather died a few days ago (suddenly, unexpectedly). Yesterday I deleted 22 gunsmoke episodes off of my mother's DVR.
I hope this isn't my fault.
posted by DigDoug at 10:46 AM on June 3, 2011
I hope this isn't my fault.
posted by DigDoug at 10:46 AM on June 3, 2011
"As a young boy, James Arness nurtured a howling bitterness in the face of the awesomely superior talent of his brother, Peter Graves."
posted by Rangeboy at 10:48 AM on June 3, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by Rangeboy at 10:48 AM on June 3, 2011 [4 favorites]
One of my earliest memories is watching Gunsmoke with my dad. (I was really excited to meet Festus when I was 9 or 10.)
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posted by DaddyNewt at 10:49 AM on June 3, 2011
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posted by DaddyNewt at 10:49 AM on June 3, 2011
I remember watching a ton of Gunsmoke with my Dad. Good times. Arness was also The Thing.
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posted by D_I at 10:54 AM on June 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
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posted by D_I at 10:54 AM on June 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
I recall the story some years back when Kelsey Grammar passed Arness' record for the longest playing of a TV character ('Frasier' on both "Cheers" and the title show) that he apparently called Arness who simply said F*** you" and hung up. Whether this is verifiable, I'm unsure,. but I'm sure its up on the web archives somewhere.
posted by Seekerofsplendor at 10:57 AM on June 3, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by Seekerofsplendor at 10:57 AM on June 3, 2011 [3 favorites]
I don't think anyone embodied the concept of "Cowboy" or "Sheriff" any better than James Arness as Matt Dillon.
posted by tomswift at 10:58 AM on June 3, 2011
posted by tomswift at 10:58 AM on June 3, 2011
in one episode of gunsmoke, that ratty little festus character looked at arness and said "marshall, i think you got a case of the belabberin' jibjabs" i wonder if it may have proved fatal
posted by kitchenrat at 11:00 AM on June 3, 2011
posted by kitchenrat at 11:00 AM on June 3, 2011
Before my mom died, when she was very sick and couldn't do much more than get to the couch, Gunsmoke was one of the things that always brought a smile to her face. We watched every boxed set as well as what we could find on tv.
I eventually helped her get a signed James Arness picture from his website. He put "matt" in quotes. She said he always reminded her of her father. It's now in the guest bathroom. I'll never have the heart to get rid of that picture.
Thanks for the memories Mr. Arness.
posted by justgary at 11:00 AM on June 3, 2011
I eventually helped her get a signed James Arness picture from his website. He put "matt" in quotes. She said he always reminded her of her father. It's now in the guest bathroom. I'll never have the heart to get rid of that picture.
Thanks for the memories Mr. Arness.
posted by justgary at 11:00 AM on June 3, 2011
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he apparently called Arness who simply said F*** you" and hung up.
To be fair, I'd probably do the same if Kelsey Grammar called me.
posted by Dr-Baa at 11:03 AM on June 3, 2011 [4 favorites]
he apparently called Arness who simply said F*** you" and hung up.
To be fair, I'd probably do the same if Kelsey Grammar called me.
posted by Dr-Baa at 11:03 AM on June 3, 2011 [4 favorites]
The well-known folksinger Bob Dylan (nee Zimmerman) named himself after the James Arness character Matt Dillon. According to Daniel Mark Epstein in his biography, The Ballad of Bob Dylan, “He was a great fan of Matt Dillon, the sheriff of the television series Gunsmoke. In 1958, he confided to his high school sweetheart [Echo Helstrom] that he planned to devote his life to music, adding that 'I know what I'm going to call myself. I've got this great name—Bob Dillon.' That was how he told new friends to spell his (assumed) last name. He also told them that Dillon was his mother's maiden name (it wasn't), and that Dillon was a town in Oklahoma (it isn't).”
posted by Faze at 11:06 AM on June 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Faze at 11:06 AM on June 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
Mr. Arness and Marshall Dillon taught me a great lesson in life. My dad, who is still a great big Gunsmoke fan, would constantly nag me about going outside and doing stuff. He would make a big deal out of it and I would protest hugely. I didn't like doing new things, I wanted to stay inside and read or goof off and do the same old stuff.
To combat this, Dad would point out how every episode of Gunsmoke that was really good were the ones where Matt left Dodge City. So he would always say "Get out of Dodge, and you'll have a good time."
And he was right. It was drama to leave the house/town/comfort zone, but once I got out doing stuff I always had a ball. Now everytime I'm hesitant about something, or just don't want to try stuff, I think of the good eps when the Marshall left town. And I get on my metaphorical horse and leave town.
He will be missed.
posted by teleri025 at 11:09 AM on June 3, 2011 [6 favorites]
To combat this, Dad would point out how every episode of Gunsmoke that was really good were the ones where Matt left Dodge City. So he would always say "Get out of Dodge, and you'll have a good time."
And he was right. It was drama to leave the house/town/comfort zone, but once I got out doing stuff I always had a ball. Now everytime I'm hesitant about something, or just don't want to try stuff, I think of the good eps when the Marshall left town. And I get on my metaphorical horse and leave town.
He will be missed.
posted by teleri025 at 11:09 AM on June 3, 2011 [6 favorites]
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posted by brundlefly at 11:11 AM on June 3, 2011
posted by brundlefly at 11:11 AM on June 3, 2011
Arness was also The Thing.
And the best damn bloodthirsty alien carrot ever.
posted by octobersurprise at 11:18 AM on June 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
And the best damn bloodthirsty alien carrot ever.
posted by octobersurprise at 11:18 AM on June 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
"The first man they look for, and the last they want to meet"
(Okay, so that's William Conrad, but it's still Matt Dillon)
posted by briank at 11:27 AM on June 3, 2011
(Okay, so that's William Conrad, but it's still Matt Dillon)
posted by briank at 11:27 AM on June 3, 2011
Faze: Bob Dylan (nee Zimmerman) named himself after the James Arness character Matt Dillon.
Nice link, but all other signs seem to point to Dylan Thomas.
BTW, it's née for girls and né for boys.
That show was on the air for my entire childhood, yet I don't think I ever watched a single episode all the way through.
Still:
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posted by Herodios at 11:46 AM on June 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
Nice link, but all other signs seem to point to Dylan Thomas.
BTW, it's née for girls and né for boys.
That show was on the air for my entire childhood, yet I don't think I ever watched a single episode all the way through.
Still:
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posted by Herodios at 11:46 AM on June 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
A new television show called Gunsmoke (introduction by the Duke).
posted by caddis at 11:48 AM on June 3, 2011
posted by caddis at 11:48 AM on June 3, 2011
Mr. Arness and Marshall Dillon taught me a great lesson in life... Cool story, teleri025.
posted by billcicletta at 11:48 AM on June 3, 2011
posted by billcicletta at 11:48 AM on June 3, 2011
caddis: "A new television show called Gunsmoke (introduction by the Duke)"
That may be the wrong link, caddis.
posted by brundlefly at 11:55 AM on June 3, 2011
That may be the wrong link, caddis.
posted by brundlefly at 11:55 AM on June 3, 2011
It sounds like, well, just as though you're describing some form of super carrot.
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posted by marxchivist at 11:56 AM on June 3, 2011
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posted by marxchivist at 11:56 AM on June 3, 2011
Well that is a different kind of gun. Here is the Arness kind: correct link
posted by caddis at 12:03 PM on June 3, 2011
posted by caddis at 12:03 PM on June 3, 2011
Aw, DigDoug! I know how you feel. Years ago when I was working in a video store, I told a customer that I preferred Fred Astaire to Gene Kelly, and a half hour later the news was reporting that Kelly was dead.
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posted by queensissy at 12:09 PM on June 3, 2011
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posted by queensissy at 12:09 PM on June 3, 2011
I kept seeing tweets about this, and I thought it was this Matt Dillon. I was very confused, because I was pretty sure he wasn't in Gunsmoke.
posted by antifuse at 12:22 PM on June 3, 2011
posted by antifuse at 12:22 PM on June 3, 2011
Sorry for his death.
For me Matt Dillon will always be Conrad.
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 12:28 PM on June 3, 2011
For me Matt Dillon will always be Conrad.
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 12:28 PM on June 3, 2011
I remember lying on the floor of our living room in Great Falls, watching Gunsmoke on the black and white t.v. RIP, Mr. Dillon!
posted by Lynsey at 12:35 PM on June 3, 2011
posted by Lynsey at 12:35 PM on June 3, 2011
all other signs seem to point to Dylan Thomas.
Herodios -- Thanks for taking me across your nee on that. Here's a discussion of the Dillon/Dylan thing. I saw a picture somewhere of Gerde's Folk City at the time of an early appearance, where it's spelled Dillon. He changed it to Dylan to sound more poncy for the Village crowd.
posted by Faze at 1:45 PM on June 3, 2011
Herodios -- Thanks for taking me across your nee on that. Here's a discussion of the Dillon/Dylan thing. I saw a picture somewhere of Gerde's Folk City at the time of an early appearance, where it's spelled Dillon. He changed it to Dylan to sound more poncy for the Village crowd.
posted by Faze at 1:45 PM on June 3, 2011
lying on the floor in great falls. hah
posted by kitchenrat at 1:52 PM on June 3, 2011
posted by kitchenrat at 1:52 PM on June 3, 2011
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posted by disclaimer at 3:05 PM on June 3, 2011
posted by disclaimer at 3:05 PM on June 3, 2011
TV was so different then; no one on Gunsmoke ever called anyone else a cocksucker.
posted by bwg at 4:21 PM on June 3, 2011
posted by bwg at 4:21 PM on June 3, 2011
TV was so different then; no one on Gunsmoke ever called anyone else a cocksucker.
You take that back, you dad-blame, lily-livered, hornswoggler!
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 9:21 AM on June 6, 2011
You take that back, you dad-blame, lily-livered, hornswoggler!
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 9:21 AM on June 6, 2011
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My grandmother loved, loved, loved Gunsmoke. She never missed an episode.
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posted by Thorzdad at 10:24 AM on June 3, 2011