Chapman. He had a young brother named Peter who later gained fame as an actor named Peter Graves. After their divorce, Chapman, a white woman, picked up her things and moved to San Bernadino, California an area Blacks had dominated. His funeral was held at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California was buried there. Both Janet and James Arness were pretty private people. James Arness and Virginia Chapman gave birth to a son, Rolf, (born February 18, 1952) and a daughter, Jenny Lee Arness (May 23, 1950 - May 12, 1975). var p = 'https:' == document.location.protocol ? (Arness would later say that Matt's only onscreen kiss was in that episode, "Matt's Love Story," but Kitty did in fact kiss him once.) After Cry Macho, What Clint Eastwoods Next Movie Should Be. James flew Janet back later that day. "I had a wonderful life and was blessed with (so) many loving people and great friends.". Her name is Janet Surtees and the two were married for 33 years. Arness had hoped to serve as a pilot but thought his poor eyesight would be a problem. His second wife, who was married to him until he passed away, wasJanet Surtees. . Yet, they went their separate ways in the end. All Rights Reserved. Arness married . But the couple gets divorced in 1963, and Arness was granted legal custody of the children. The family name was entitled to the title Aursnes because his father migrated from Norway in 1887. Please take all steps necessary to ascertain that information you receive from this page is correct. The couple shared two children, a son named Rolf Arness ((born February 18, 1952) and a daughter named Jenny Arness (born May 23, 1950). To know all the details about James Arnesss life including his bio, wiki, net worth, salary, and personal life, read this article till the end. They went horse riding and stopped at a remote camping area where other people had also settled to rest. Moreover, he has six grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Since they set up another dinner date, it became the start of their lifelong journey together as a couple. David Spade Net Worth: How Many Houses Does He Have? There just was never anybody else like him.. What Happened To Patty Duke? 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). Besides his wife, survivors include a son from his first marriage, Rolf Aurness, who was the world surfing champion in 1970; a stepson, Jim Surtees; and. They found out they had a common interest in skiing, and it led to a date at an old miners' cabin he owned. Arness was born to James Arness and Virginia Chapman. And here comes this huge man through the door, I was like, oh my gosh. From 1955 to 1975, he starred in the weekly series "Gunsmoke." Thordis Brandt, who was also an actress, was the actors longtime lover. He is survived by his wife, Janet; two sons, Rolf and Jimmy; and six grandchildren. d: "YWxsc3RhcmJpby5jb20=", Janet still lives in Los Angeles where she lived with James before his passing, according to Celeb Suburb. Their longest marriage was 33 years to Janet Surtees. He met her four yearsafter his divorce fromChapman and dated herfor six years. Their longest marriage was 33 years to Janet Surtees. And here comes this huge man through the door. Before his death, he penned a letter that expressed his deep feelings for her, his fans, and his family. 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. L-R: Actors James Arness, Milburn Stone, Amanda Blake, Ken Curtis and Burt Reynolds (seated). On June 3, 2011, he died of natural causes. James Arness, who played Marshal Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke, eventually became CBSs most important actor overall. In 1948 he married Virginia Chapman and adopted her child from Craig's previous marriage. cb: (new Date()).getTime() James frequently donated items hed collected from the sets he worked on to charity. When he was acting in a theatre in Los Angeles, a Hollywood agent spotted him and linked him toDore Schary, who gave him a few roles in 1947. Stephen Greif Cause Of Death: When Stephen Greif Passed Away? Gunsmoke: Meet Marshal Matt Dillon Actor James Arness Second Wife Janet Surtees. His younger brother Peter Greaves used the stage name "Graves" which was a maternal family name. James Arness was married twice in his life. 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 in 2011 He was 88. Since she was already familiar with his profession, she decided to talk about her own. (AP) James Arness, the 6-foot-6 actor who towered over the television . To make up for the lost role, an actor . I had been in about four pictures for his company with him. He went on to star in a few more Western-themed programs after Dodge City was canceled, but he eventually made his way back to the role of Dillon in a series of television movies released in the early 90s. Jenny and Chapman died of drug overdoses in 1975 and 1977, respectively. How Did James Arness Die? His nationality is American. But in a 1973 episode, Matt had a brief affair with another woman, Mike Yardner (Michael Learned), while he had amnesia. By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. This is not the case. Incredibly, although he played a Western hero for most of his life, the leg injury made it impossible for him to ride a horse. Heres what we do know. Arness died on June 3, 2011, at age 88 from natural causes. And then it'd be a different show." "They'd say that would ruin it," Byrnes confirms. When Arness. Apart, Arness had already become a grandfather of six grandchildren. However, after 15 years of marriage, James and Virginia had a divorce, and James was granted legal custody of their children. 1960) Janet Surtees (m. 1978). Surtees was surprised when she saw James pick up all the trash and stuff it in his saddle and is convinced he was a "cool guy.". She loves to volunteer and can often be found working with the United Cerebral Palsy Research and Education Foundation. James Arness is the first son of Rolf Cirkler Aurness and Ruth Duesler. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. During the battle, he wounded his right leg and was medically evacuated from Italy to Iowa. According to Ginny Fazer, who handles his business affairs, he is in good health but has simply been fading. Nothing wrong with him medically; he just grew tired, I suppose. Alexis Arquette Bio, Net Worth, Height, Age, Affairs, Boyfriend & Death, Kyle Secor Bio, Age, Net Worth, Height, Married & Wife. Virginia Chapman for 12 years, and Janet Surtees for 33 years. He did most or all the radio shows, and then when it came to television, he did most of those for the first couple of years, Arness later explained. Janet Surtees Arness is. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and is a member of the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. . He tried his hand at a non-Western series with McClains Law, a short-lived 1981-1982 police drama. At that time, a life-size billboard depicting Jim smoking stood in the marketplace. He tried to make ends meet by taking up menial jobs while collecting veteran benefits as he drifted towards Hollywood. He was also a sensitive and loving man and husband. However, he had a lifelong disability from an injury to his right leg sustained in the Battle of Anzio. Janet Surtees with her late husband, James. Years later, after being a veteran at the top of his prime, James acted on his kept passion acting. Having lived a fulfilling life as an actor, James Arness died on the 3rd day of June 2011. His first marriage was to Virginia Chapman; an actress. A year later, he married his first wife,Virginia Chapman. Woody McClain, Brian Blosil, and Tom Rhys are some renowned American actors. Born James King Aurness to businessman Rolf Cirkler Aurness and journalist Ruth Duesler,Jameslived a pretty wealthy life being from Norweigan and of German descent. Image date July 23, 1955.| Source: Getty Images. He was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. During an interview, Janet opened up about the night she met James. The big thing with the show was that we had a lot of really fine actors, and more than that, we had started out with great writing., The two gentlemen who originated the show you know, it was on the radio for two or three years before they brought it to television John Meston was the man who conceived the idea of the whole thing. Furthermore, Gunsmoke earned him three nominations for the Primetime Emmys. Besides, James had married twice in his life. He was one of the tallest leading men of his era. After their first meeting, Janet did not call James until after three months. Additionally, the only source of his earning was his acting career. Then on December 16, 1978, Arness married Janet Surtees. How The Actor Died. Of course, she was charmed by his politeness and friendliness, so they got to talking. But because of his poor vision and problem with eyesight was the major obstacle that blocked him from it. Born on 26th May 1923 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. After years of working together, Janet and the owner became friends. Who Has Ashton Kutcher Dated? The pair divorced in 1963, leaving him with legal custody of their children.. Inside the marriage of Janet and her Late Husband James Arness. Primetime Emmy . He and his brother participated in the Second World War, but he didn't come out of it unscathed. TV Land, theyre on there; we were on the Westerns channel but then a few months ago they took us off. What do you think of his eventful life with his two wives? Before he let go of it, though, James Arness and his family got plenty of use out of the ranch. Surtees was reluctant, but her son was a "Gunsmoke" fan, so she went just so she could tell him she had met his favorite actor. In the latter seasons of "Gunsmoke," Arness met what would become his second wife, Janet Surtees. Jim is Surtees's first child from a previous relationship. However, Arness was eventually pulled back to Gunsmoke, starring in five made-for-TV movies between 1987 and 1993. In 1960, he had a star placed in honor of him at 1751 Vine Street on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. A: Matt Dillon (James Arness) and Kitty (Amanda Blake) never married during the series 1955-75 run, although close watchers of the show were convinced they had connected at some time. var s = d.createElement('script'); s.type='text/javascript';s.async=true; wid: "428986", Jenny and Chapman died of drug overdoses in 1975 and 1977, respectively. James Arness married Virginia Chapman in 1948. (From left) James Arness with Rolf (age 5), Virginia with daughter Jenny Lee (age 8) and Craig (age 10) on the floor. Like his daughter, Arness's first wife, Chapman, died of a drug overdose in 1977, two years after the couple's daughter passed away. Arness could rest easy knowing that he will forever be associated with the Wild West thanks to the shows lasting rerun success. He and Peter participated in the Second World War, but unfortunately, he didn't leave the battlefield uninjured. Your email address will not be published. where it was shown numerous times in the decades that followed. Learn how your comment data is processed. His portrayal of Matt Dillon in Gunsmoke earned him accolades and wealth for many years beyond the twenty-year run of the show. He first shared wedding vows withVirginia Chapman in 1948. Obviously, Janet accepted. AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. After the end of his first marriage, James exchanged his wedding vows with Janet Surtees. ', Your email address will not be published. Their love was genuine, and it endured until his demise at the age of 88. Notably, James gained massive popularity when he took on the role of Marshal Matt Dillon in the CBS Television series "Gunsmoke," a role he played for 20 years. (AP Photo/Scott Harms) James Arness, the 6-foot-6 actor who towered over . Sierra McClain. According to theLos Angeles Times, James passed away at 88 years old on June 3, 2011, due to natural causes. He is father of Three(Craig Aurness, Rolf Aurness, Jenny Lee Aurness). 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. For some, the tragedies never seem to stop and they keep compounding in every phase of their lives. They say its not a matter in what field you are engaged, if you are working hard with equal dedication, you will definitely gain both name and fame. His role as marshall Matt Dillon made him an iconic hero to millions all over the world. Arness wrote a letter to his fans that he asked Janet to post on his website after his passing. You think of his first marriage was 33 years to Janet Surtees tragedies. 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