James Arness

James Arness (1923–2011) was an American actor best known for playing Marshal Matt Dillon in the television series Gunsmoke.

John Wayne: John Wayne was an American actor whose screen persona became closely associated with Western films. Wayne recommended Arness for the lead in Gunsmoke.
Gunsmoke: Gunsmoke was an American Western franchise centered on Marshal Matt Dillon in Dodge City, Kansas. Arness played Dillon in the television series from 1955 to 1975.
Minneapolis: Minneapolis is the largest city in Minnesota, situated along the Mississippi River. Arness was born there in 1923.
Television Western: A television Western is a series or program using the settings, characters, and themes of the Western genre. Gunsmoke helped establish the television Western as a durable format.
Peter Graves: Peter Graves was an American actor known for roles in television series including Mission: Impossible. Graves was Arness’s younger brother and also built a long television career.
How the West Was Won (TV series): How the West Was Won was an American television Western series broadcast from 1976 to 1979. Arness later starred as mountain man Zeb Macahan in this Western series.
World War II: World War II was a global conflict fought from 1939 to 1945. Arness served in the United States Army during the war and was wounded at Anzio.
Matt Dillon: Matt Dillon is the fictional U.S. marshal who protects Dodge City in Gunsmoke. Arness’s long portrayal made Dillon the character most associated with his name.
Amanda Blake: Amanda Blake was an American actress best known for playing Miss Kitty Russell on Gunsmoke. Blake shared the series’ central cast with Arness for nearly two decades.
The Thing from Another World: The Thing from Another World is a 1951 science-fiction horror film about an alien discovered in the Arctic. Arness played the title creature in an early, sharply different screen role.

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Michael LandonCompared with: Arness’s long-running Western role offers a contrast to Landon’s successive leading roles across changing genres.