OT - James Arness dies at 88 years of age.

641Dave · Jun 3, 2011

Gunsmoke was one of my favorite tv shows when I was growing up.

R.I.P. Marshal Dillon.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/04/arts/television/james-arness-marshal-on-gunsmoke-dies-at-88.html

Paul Shuler · Jun 3, 2011

Makes me sad. Lost My Pop , John Wayne , now Matt Dillon. The only one of my heros left is Nolan Ryan. Nothing could beat them...except time.

Haywood · Jun 3, 2011

A Veteran, Good Honest Law Man, Big outdoors hunting type guy.

He was a Good Guy and Gunsmoke was big in my life growing up.

Tx Jim · Jun 3, 2011

How sad. I still watch Gunsmoke every late afternoon. I think that's more entertaining than a lot of the other garbage on today's TV. IMHO James Arness ranked very close behind the "DUKE" and Nolan Ryan was in a totally different ballgame. I'd pick Jimmy Stewart way ahead of Nolan.

DH in Carolina · Jun 3, 2011

First show on tv that I remember watching. We didn't have a tv but would walk down the holler to Grand Dad's to watch. This was in 1957. I have the first two seasons on dvd that I watch a lot. He will be missed. DH

PaGlenn · Jun 3, 2011

Bill O'Reilly had a recent interview with him last year, I think on his show on Fox. He will probably rebroadcast it now. I will be looking for it.

Goose · Jun 3, 2011

In a class on "Organizational Behavior" in college, a senior Management class, one textbook had a chapter titled, The Gunsmoke Analogy".

The text described a lynch mob coming to Dillon's jail and demanding he release a prisoner so they could hang him. Matt faced down and dispersed the mob.

It related to the subject at hand in class as a study in group behavior. After the mob broke up, every member was secretly pleased with the outcome. None had the stomach for a hanging, they were just "going along with the crowd".

Phil in Pa · Jun 3, 2011

I never got too excited about Stewart's movies, but his military record is worthy of respect.

Can't imagine saying that about any of today's actors.

GordoSD · Jun 3, 2011

My favorite Saturday morning radio show about 1952. Robert Conrad deep voice made us imagine Dillon as a big rough guy. Then when Conrad hit the c=screen as some short fat Private Eye the whole thing went up in smoke.

MarkB_MI · Jun 3, 2011

William Conrad. Not too many folks are old enough to remember the Original Matt Dillon. (I'm not, BTW.)

When Gunsmoke went from radio to TV, the Fat Boy had to go! And the rest is history. I remember William Conrad's character "Cannon" was very high tech: he had a car phone the size of a footlocker.

pete black · Jun 3, 2011

in addition to arness and stewart, lee marvin and
bob "capt. kanagroo" keeshan had distinguished war
time military service.

Gun guru · Jun 3, 2011

I agree the stuff on TV today is crap.

James Arness was great in Gunsmoke.
Amazing that he lived until he was 88 years old.

Fergienewbee · Jun 3, 2011

Watched "Gunsmoke" as a kid. Found the re-runs on the Western channel last year. Still great shows. Lately. I've been watching "The Virginian." In nine years running, they never revealed his real name. Saw the O'Riley interview. Still avery great man. I like Jimmy Stewart too.

Larry

Phil9N3667 · Jun 3, 2011

I can see ol' Festus saying " Now,Matthheeewww, don't you be going off and doing nothing foolish"! And I thought Miss Kitty was hot, 'course I was just 10-12 years old then too!

Ultradog MN · Jun 3, 2011

Another one was Scotty from the original Star Trek. He landed at Normandy with the rest of his Canadien outfit.
He also fathered a child at about 80 years of age.

Pete in MD · Jun 3, 2011

Lee Marvin was shot in the butt on Saipan. He always down played the Purple Heart he was awarded.

Bob Keeshan enlisted just before the war ended and never saw combat.

JerryS · Jun 3, 2011

Parley played Chester on radio. Can't remember who play Miss Kitty and Doc.

JerryS · Jun 3, 2011

Parley Baer.

Tony in Mass. · Jun 4, 2011

Scotty got a finger cut off when the breech of his howitzer caught it. you can see one's gone in the reruns... no I'm not a trekkie... wasn't Gunsmoke opposite Ponderosa? Back then -like HDTV now, what you watched depended on the weather that night...

bill mart · Jun 4, 2011

Amanda Blake and Milburn Stone. bill m.

Dennis (VA) · Jun 4, 2011

I read a number of comments below about the original radio Gum Smoke with Conrad playing Matt Dillion. The original radio versions are broadcast every Sunday night at 8:00PM on WAMU 88.5 out of Washington DC. They just started a new run a few weeks ago from the beginning of the series and I believe there are over 400 epicodes. They can be listened to over the internet if you aren"t that close to DC. The show, Old Time Radio, begins at 7:00 with Johnny Dollar, The man with the action packed expense account. Anyone old enough to remember this guy and the show goes to 11:00 with a varity of old shows, Fibber Meggie and Moley, The Great Gilderselves, etc.

JerryS · Jun 4, 2011

I finally Wiki'd it: Amanda and Milburn were TV: on radio it was Georgia Ellis and Howard McNear---the guy who played Floyd the barber on Andy Griffith Show.

Mike (WA) · Jun 4, 2011

I think Gunsmoke was on CBS, wasn't it? We didn't get CBS, and I missed a lot of good stuff on that account.

OT - James Arness dies at 88 years of age.

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