James King Arness (born on May 26, 1923- June 3, 2011) is an American actor, mostly famous for his role as Marshal Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke. He portrayed Matt Dillon in five separate decades: between 1955 and 1975 in the weekly series, in 1987 in Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge, and in the 1990s in four made for television Gunsmoke movies.
He was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota and attended West High School in Minneapolis, graduating in June 1942. After graduation he enlisted in the US Army to serve in World War II. He served as rifleman and was severely wounded at Anzio, Italy during Operation Shingle. After several surgeries, he was honorably discharged on January 29, 1945. He received several decorations, including the Purple Heart, Bronze Star Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge and the World War II Victory Medal.
Following his discharge, he entered Beliot College, Wisconsin and started his career in 1945 in Minnesota as a radio announcer. Soon after he started acting and appearing in films. He debuted on film in The Farmer’s Daughter (1947).
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Related posts:
- Gunsmoke Actor James Arnes Dies 88
- Richard Boone Biography, Filmography, Pictures
- Dennis Weaver Biography, Filmography, Pictures
- James Garner Biography, Filmography, Pictures
- James Earl Jones Biography, Filmography, Pictures
Tags: Biography, Filmography, James Arness, Pictures
