But the couple gets divorced in 1963, and Arness was granted legal custody of the children. Previously, Arness worked as a courier for a jewelry wholesaler loading and unloading railway boxcars on Minneapolis Burlington freight yards, and logging in Pierce, Idaho. But Janet was hesitant at first. World War II soldier turned actor James Arness had trouble finding meaty roles due to his height; his greatest was as the title monster in The Thing from Another World before the show premiered (1951). But the Gunsmoke star married the next woman he met after his split from Brand. James Arness is married to Janet Surtees. Moreover, he was a photographer for National Geographic. He did an outstanding job in the lead role of U.S. But she died of a drug overdose in 1975. The Macahans on setfor the episode aired on January 19, 1976. I was like, Oh my gosh, he is a big guy,' said Janet. Gunsmoke: Meet Marshal Matt Dillon Actor James Arness Second Wife Janet Surtees. But because of his poor vision and problem with eyesight was the major obstacle that blocked him from it. In 1978, James Arness married Janet Surtees and she remained with him before his death. How The Actor Died. He served in the United States Army for two years from 1943 to 1945. Born James King Aurness to businessman Rolf Cirkler Aurness and journalist Ruth Duesler, James lived a pretty wealthy life being from Norweigan and of German descent. Many delicious foods and drinks were provided, including cheese, crackers, bread, wine, and much more. As of 2022, James Arnesss net worth was $10 million. His father was a vendor for surgical instruments while his mom stayed home to tend the house and raise the kids she later became a newspaper columnist, and her marriage with Rolf ended in the 40s. All information on this site is provided "as is", with no guarantee of completeness, accuracy, timeliness or of the results obtained from the use of this information. James had a son named Rolf who became a World Surfing Champion in 1970. Most recently they were married to Janet Surtees in 1978. He can also be spotted in John Fords underrated Wagon Master. So from the movies success, he might have received a decent amount of money. Arness had hoped to serve as a pilot but thought his poor eyesight would be a problem. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. He is best remembered for his role of 'Marshal Matt Dillon' in the long-running television Western Gunsmoke (1955 to 1975). And he lived a private family life with them. Graves had an elder brother, James Arness, who was also an actor. Growing up, their mother instilled a love for the arts, Peter pursued it immediately, but James, it took him a lot longer before realizing it was his destiny. James has been known for the role throughout his career, which is why the subsequent projects he starred in are linked to it. One was named Craig, a photographer, while the other, Jenny, was an actress and they died in 2004 and 1975 respectively. Arness died on 3 June 2011 of natural causes at the age of 88. + qs; The pair divorced in 1963, leaving him with legal custody of their children. Arness escorted her somewhere alone for lunch, clearly knowing exactly where he was heading. var s = d.createElement('script'); s.type='text/javascript';s.async=true; He was also a sensitive and loving man and husband. He was 88. Having lived a fulfilling life as an actor, James Arness died on the 3rd day of June 2011. In 1978, Arness married Janet Surtees. His father was a traveling salesman of medical supplies and his mother . Also get to know more about Fatima Bhutto,Sheridan Smith, and Lara Pulver. However, they didn't get married or have children from their relationship. The series ran for two decades from 1955 to 1975. Arness and Surtees were married for over 35 years at the time of his death in 2011. She loves to volunteer and can often be found working with the United Cerebral Palsy Research and Education Foundation. 5 Great And Criminally Underrated Westerns. From 1955 through 1975, he was widely recognized as Matt Dillon in the Western drama Gunsmoke. James Arness poses with his wife Janet during a signing of his new book "James Arness: An Autobiography" at the Gene Autry Museum November 3, 2001 | Source: Getty Images. For some, the tragedies never seem to stop and they keep compounding in every phase of their lives. 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. Arness was born to James Arness and Virginia Chapman. James Arness net worth: James Arness was an American actor who had a net worth of $8 million. (Photo: Twitter) if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'hollywoodmask_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_10',173,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-hollywoodmask_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0'); Another report from The OCRreveals she wasemotionally troubled and had previouslyattempted suicide twice, in 1959 and 1960. 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. Arness and Surtees were married for over 35 years at the time of his death in 2011. Janet met James while she was working at a clothing store. Janets father and brother were both pilots. They led a happily married life since their nuptials, supporting each other through thick and thin until the actor's passing in 2011. After he divorced Chapman, he married an actress . However, he had a lifelong disability from an injury to his right leg sustained in the Battle of Anzio. James father, Rolf Cirkler Aurness was a business person, and his mother, Ruth Duesler was a journalist. However, the couple split in 1963 for reasons that were not known. His nationality is American. And shes an avid humanitarian. Arness' 20-year, prime-time run as the marshal was tied only in recent times, by Kelsey Grammer's 20 years . There just was never anybody else like him.. He led an incredible life, serving in World War II and becoming an actor without little formal training in the craft. Oh my God, I agree with him! They went horse riding and stopped at a remote camping area where other people had also settled to rest. And they also had a son, Rolf who was born on February 18, 1952. James Arness, who played Marshal Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke, eventually became CBS's most important actor overall. 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. They tied the knot in 1978 and lived in Brentwood, Los Angeles. "They said they had to keep Matt independent." During an interview, Janet opened up about the night she met James. Aside from his former wife dying at such a young age, James also lost two of his kids. 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Alexis Arquette Bio, Net Worth, Height, Age, Affairs, Boyfriend & Death, Kyle Secor Bio, Age, Net Worth, Height, Married & Wife. James Arness married two women in his lifetime the first, a woman with whom he shared three kids, faded into obscurity after their divorce, but the second lady stood by his side till death parted them. Then one night she said, Well, Jim is coming over for dinner. But, his role as Zeb Macahan in "How The West Was Won" sealed him as a television icon in the United States and Europe. And I thought, Eew, an actor I dont know,' said Janet with a laugh. He is a big guy, and He was very polite," sherecallsof meeting James. I had a wonderful life and was blessed with so many loving people and great friends. There is a longstanding rumor that John Wayne was considered for the part of Matt Dillon, but he turned it down. After their first meeting, Janet did not call James until after three months. And here comes this huge man through the door, I was like, oh my gosh. Later, James had started his entertainment career at Minneapolis station WLOL in 1945 as a radio announcer. We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. He drifted around Mexico for some time; then, he returned to Hollywood with a burning desire to become an actor. CBS television series Gunsmoke, James Arness died on June 3, 2011, Brentwood, Los Angeles, California, United States. He met Janet through his makeup artistGlen Alden'swife. The couple shared a son named Jim from Janet's previous relationship. He had started surfing from a young age with the support of his father. James "Jim" Arness And Wife Janet Pose For A Photograph In Their Garden In 1995 In Brentwood, Ca. They also adopted her son Craig (1946-December 14, 2004). James had a stint in performing onstage when he was young, but later on, he expressed little interest in pursuing a career out of it and heeded the call of the seas instead. by .. craig aurness pic.twitter.com/KGSr1BbGno The couple tied the knot in 1978 in a private wedding ceremony. The next day he called her and asked if she wanted to go to Mammoth Lakes, and she said yes. He believed the family seen on Gunsmoke was why people kept going back to it for two decades. He and his brother participated in the Second World War, but he didn't come out of it unscathed. Then he is interred at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California. Gunsmoke originated as a radio drama series in 1952 and was translated to television three years later, in 1955. Apart, Arness had already become a grandfather of six grandchildren. How many times was James Arness married? He started acting in an amateur theater; then, he caught the eye of an agent who linked him up with producer Dore Schary, who gave him a few roles in 1947. Moreover, his ethnicity is Mixed(German and Norwegian). Moreover, he had also won the Golden Boot Award. One night she [her friend] said, Well, Jim is coming over for dinner. Arnes was of American nationality and used to belongs to the white ethnicity. "Fortunately, there aren't many times when show business intrudes on our family existence.". She was 60. He eventually called her and asked her on a dinner date that led to the relationship that lasted till his death. He served in the Battle of Anzio during World War II. However, James was a friendly giant. Many of them I never had a chance to see when we did them because it was (on television) on Saturday night and I was usually out doing something else at the time. James and Janet lived happily, even after his stint as Marshal Matt Dillon in "Gunsmoke" and his movies. In fact, they never accepted their relationship in public. When Arness. . Terry Fator Net Worth: When Did Melinda Started Following Fator? We obtain this information from publically accessible sources and endeavor to make sure it's correct. com for more Arness died from natural causes at his home in Los Angeles on June 3, 2011, a family spokesman said at the time. After Being Caught For A Previous Crime, A Person Suspected Of Stealing Is Charged. Since this was so important to Arness, he decided to leave a note for his longstanding Gunsmoke followers to read after his passing, which no doubt deepened their already profound admiration for him. JAMES MARRIED HIS FIRST WIFE, AND TOGETHER THEY WELCOMED THREE KIDS, Virginia Arness and James Arness at home. One night, her friend invited Janet over for dinner to meet James Arness. 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