topic Re: JANET SURTEES ARNESS, WIFE OF JAMES ARNESS in TV and Movies

JANET SURTEES ARNESS, WIFE OF JAMES ARNESS

Oznell — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 02:43:37 GMT

Classic TV fans alert: Janet Arness, widow of James Arness, was interviewed by Rob Word, along with Arness' colleague and friend, actor Bruce Boxleitner. It's an essential for lovers of Gunsmoke, vintage TV and film, and James Arness.

Just google: How I Met and Married Gunsmoke's James Arness .

It's long, about 28 minutes, but well worth the watch. There's a shorter version too, but it leaves out too much.

She discusses his relationship with his brother, Peter Graves, his meeting and courtship of her (in the last year of Gunsmoke), friendship with John Wayne, aspects of his personality like his conscientiousness and fanatical sense of privacy, and more. She's joined by his pal, impish Bruce Boxleitner, who adds more colorful anecdotes. Both allude to the fact that in real life, Arness was much more of a prankster with a goofy humor, than one would expect from serious "Marshall Matt Dillon".

He loved to laugh, and did it with gusto:

Janet Arness met him through her employer. She worked for a women's clothing store, and the proprietor was married to Arness's makeup man.

You'll be struck by how unassuming and adorable Janet Arness is. Completely down to earth, and not a plastic Hollywood wife, at all. Bruce Boxleitner is unexpectedly fun too.

Have always respected James Arness, World War II winner of the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, and many other medals. His leg was splintered at the horrific battle at Anzio, and he suffered pain the rest of his life due to war injuries....

Re: JANET SURTEES ARNESS, WIFE OF JAMES ARNESS

golding76 — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 02:49:38 GMT

...and James Arness had the blessing of something that cannot be manufactured, feigned or created by man: a winning smile.

Re: JANET SURTEES ARNESS, WIFE OF JAMES ARNESS

SharkE — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 02:50:47 GMT

when show first started in late 50's early 60's he was real nice looking, but, as his career lasted so long and for some of those last movies he let his hair get to long, his skin was wrinkled and leather looking from the sun.

He got real grizzled looking. I bought the complete first 4 seasons from Walmart the very first beginnings.

Thanks for that information, Oznell. He lived to be 88 think it was he was married 2-3 times, but, his brother just once. Ha

Re: JANET SURTEES ARNESS, WIFE OF JAMES ARNESS

MJDinVegas — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 02:51:44 GMT

A true actor that none can imitate. Love him and Peter Graves. We are better for having them entertain us.

Re: JANET SURTEES ARNESS, WIFE OF JAMES ARNESS

sunshine 919 — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 04:13:07 GMT

Thank you Oznell as always with great information. I have been on a Gunsmoke kick for months now. I really enjoy it. I thought I had watched all of them but I am surprised that once in a while there is one I have never seen. The actors and actresses you see on this show is amazing. I had heard that he was pretty funny and that he really liked Burt Reynolds and I believe he was a prankster too. I also read that his war injury got worse as the years went on, in the newer shows Matt was usually out of town and Festus would take over and Matt would show up at the end.( Festus is one of my favorite characters on the show.) This was due to his pain he could not put the hours in but he was very loyal to this show and worked when he could. It always seemed like a solid cast. The interview sounds great. I will watch

Re: JANET SURTEES ARNESS, WIFE OF JAMES ARNESS

IMW — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 06:57:22 GMT

Thanks, as always. Will watch--Arness was quite the war hero, and a wonderful Marshal Dillon.

Re: JANET SURTEES ARNESS, WIFE OF JAMES ARNESS

Mmsfoxxie — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 18:14:56 GMT

Seeing James Arness' name reminds me of being a teenager spending Saturday night with my grandmother. She loved her westerns. At 8:30 we watched Have Gun, Will Travel and then at 9:00, we would watch Gunsmoke, her favorite. She acted like she knew Matt (Dillion) and Chester personally talking to them while they were on screen, lol. She also loved Wyatt Earp with Hugh O'Brien.

Re: JANET SURTEES ARNESS, WIFE OF JAMES ARNESS

Oznell — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 12:10:13 GMT

Love the love for classic Westerns and James Arness here!

Re: JANET SURTEES ARNESS, WIFE OF JAMES ARNESS

Imaoldhippie — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 12:23:29 GMT

A true hero and one on TV as well. I have also read that James was a very humble and caring person.

Re: JANET SURTEES ARNESS, WIFE OF JAMES ARNESS

Johnnyeager — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 13:32:48 GMT

Re: JANET SURTEES ARNESS, WIFE OF JAMES ARNESS

jubilant — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 13:48:27 GMT

@Mmsfoxxie wrote:
Seeing James Arness' name reminds me I'd being a teenager spending Saturday night with my grandmother. She loved those her westerns. At 8:30 we watched Have Gun, Will Travel and then at 9:00, we would watch Gunsmoke, her favorite. She acted like she knew Matt (Dillion) and Chester personally talking to them while they were on screen, lol. She also loved Wyatt Earp with Hugh O'Brien.

@Mmsfoxxie Your post brings back a lot of good memories for me, too. When I spent the night at grandma's and grandpa's farm, grandpa always watched Gunsmoke...and I watched the show with him. I learned to love westerns and still do! Have Gun Will Travel was another one. Grandma would make carmel corn, too....an added bonus. Ha!

DH and I have been watching Gunsmoke lately and we still like it. Thanks for this post and thanks to @Oznell for posting it. Now I will go watch the interview.

Re: JANET SURTEES ARNESS, WIFE OF JAMES ARNESS

SoX — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 15:00:15 GMT

When my kids were growing up, we watched old reruns of Gunsmoke on Saturday mornings.

My youngest son just loved old westerns ... along with some old black and white comedy shows. He offhandedly mentioned one day ... "Marshal Dillon always shoots to kill, never to just wound somebody." After that I paid more attention ... and my son was right ... Dillon would always shoot to kill.

Don't know what made me think of this after all these years, LOL.

Re: JANET SURTEES ARNESS, WIFE OF JAMES ARNESS

Witchy Woman — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 15:42:10 GMT

@Oznell

How interesting, and I will watch it for sure. James Arness was a perfect Marshall Dillion!

I grew up on these Westerns and, at one time or another, had crushes on the leading men! Miss Kitty was my go to Halloween costume for many years (improvised, of course since there weren't any costumes back then.) I loved her character!

For years, I had a little, black "business card" for "Have Gun Will Travel" on one side, and Paladin on the other. Have no idea where I got it I found this image.

I think I was attracted to the rugged, aloof nature of most of these characters. And, the stories were almost always entertaining at the very least. There was some violence, but not like the graphic violence today.

When the movie "Silverado" came out, I fell in love with those Westerns all over again.

Re: JANET SURTEES ARNESS, WIFE OF JAMES ARNESS

Sooner — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 16:08:10 GMT

I loved the cowboy shows. I have to add James Garner (Bumgarner) to the list! A good Oklahoma boy, I knew some of his relatives when I was in college in his home town area. Maverick was my favorite show!

I also liked Sugarfoot and of course Rawhide! And I never understood how come the Rifleman's wimpy son wouldn't pick up a shovel in the barn and whomp the guy beating up "Paw!"

Re: JANET SURTEES ARNESS, WIFE OF JAMES ARNESS

SharkE — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 16:21:17 GMT

Sorry folks. CHEYENNE ! IS TOPS.

He couldn't act , but, nobody cared. LOL

Of course I wasn't born then, but, in repeats I know this.

Re: JANET SURTEES ARNESS, WIFE OF JAMES ARNESS

SharkE — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 16:35:51 GMT

Bad thing about some of the Gunsmoke shows is women aren't treated very well, always being beaten up, or worse. Male writers

I suspect.

Poor Ms. Kitty all she wanted was for Matt to go upstairs with her he was always unavailable, chasing after a criminal, etc. Everytime he had trouble with a female criminal, orphaned kid, etc. he would tell poor Chester "take her over to Kitty".

Wonder how the guy who played Chester managed to keep that leg so stiff all the time ? can't remember his name went on to play later that detective. They must had to fashion some kind of brace for him. Drive me nuts. Why didn't Chester ever call Matt, 'Matt', instead of Mr. Dillion all the time.

I bet Matt took at least a couple 100 bullets, but, always survived LOL

Re: JANET SURTEES ARNESS, WIFE OF JAMES ARNESS

golding76 — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 20:31:02 GMT

Oznell, don't forget that many of us grew up not only attending Saturday morning double features (usually two Westerns) at the movies, but we also watched our cowboy shows on TV.

Some old names not as well known as Gene Autry and Roy Rogers were Rex Allen and Lash LaRue. Lash was an early crush of mine.

Let's not forget Hopalong Cassidy, either.

ETA: I just remembered another lesser-known cowboy star but one we enjoyed -- The Durango Kid.

Need I remind anyone that we played "cowboys and _____" most of the time when playing outdoors?

It was a natural movement for us to love "Gunsmoke" and James Arness. Actually, many of the times I saw the show was in the TV room of my first set of in-laws, whom I loved very much.

Re: JANET SURTEES ARNESS, WIFE OF JAMES ARNESS

IMW — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 21:21:02 GMT

Watched and enjoyed it very much. He sounds like a great guy.

Re: JANET SURTEES ARNESS, WIFE OF JAMES ARNESS

wvumountiefan — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 22:27:32 GMT

@Oznell This is one of my favorite YT channels.. Rob Word has interviewed a lot of western stars. I've watched this video that you speak of and I love watching Bruce Boxleitner talk about Jim.
There is a video on that channel from a while back, where he is interviewing Bruce B. and they're talking about Gunsmoke. Bruce let it be known that even though "everyone" wanted Kitty and Matt together.. that Amanda Blake and Milburn "Doc" Stone had a 'fling" in real life!! 😳😳😲😲. Everyone in the comments is shocked. Lol.
Anyway, Bruce speaks so highly of Jim.. also Jim was a great surfer and his son was a World Champion surfer. His brother Peter chose the last name Graves as it was their mother's maiden name. I've read a lot about these older stats!. I love it!

Re: JANET SURTEES ARNESS, WIFE OF JAMES ARNESS

SharkE — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 23:13:02 GMT

Doc ? that old grumpy man. Kitty must had really been tired of waiting on Matt.

EWWWWW..................