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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).

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10. The Addams Family
The sitcom was based on the Goth cartoons by Charles Adams and presented a monster family with moribund appearance always enthusiastic for adventure and passion. The short-lived television series portrayed a family that was feared by its neighbors lived in the haunted Victorian mansion. They were a wealthy but macabre family that included very strange individuals. The show proved to be a funny and sophisticated television show for its time. The show its famous for the opening verse of its theme song: “They’re creepy and they’re kooky, mysterious and spooky, they’re all together ooky… The Addams Family!” The show ran for two seasons (1964-1966) and had 64 episodes.

The Addams Family Theme

9. Gilligan’ Island
The show’s first season in 1964 was the top-rated show of the year. The show’s characters the Skipper, first mate Gilligan, the millionaire and his wife, a movie star, “and the rest” are now pop culture icons. Sherwood Schwartz had created the no-man-is-an-island social microcosm as an anti-war story. The characters were “seven stranded castaways” from the S.S. Minnow. The show ran from 1964 to 1967 for three seasons and had a total of 98 episodes.

Gilligan’ Island Theme

8. Batman
Bruce Wayne’s parents are killed and he inherits a huge fortune. He promises to avenge their deaths by fighting crime in Gotham city. He adopts the orphaned Dick Greyson and disguises themselves as Batman and Robin, “The Dynamic Duo”. They fight against criminals driving a specially equipped car, the Batmobile. The show ran for three seasons between 1966 and 1968 and had 179 episodes.

Batman Theme

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