James Arness

**James King Arness** (May 26, 1923 – June 3, 2011) was an American actor. He was best known for his role in Gunsmoke. He played the character Marshal Matt Dillon. His younger brother was actor Peter Graves.

## Early life

Arness was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He dropped the "u" when he started acting. His mother was of German ancestry; his father was of Norwegian ancestry. The family name had been Aursnes, but when Rolf's father, Peter Aursnes, emigrated from Norway in 1887, he changed it to Aurness. Arness and his family were Methodists. He served in the army in Italy during World War II. He received the Bronze Star.

## Death

Arness died in Los Angeles at age 88 of natural causes.

### Movies

- _The Farmer's Daughter_ (1947)
- _Man From Texas_ (1947)
- _Roses are Red_ (1947) - credited as "James Aurness"
- _Battleground_ (1949)
- _Wagon Master_ (1950)
- _Sierra_ (1950) - credited as "Jim Arness"
- _Two Lost Worlds_ (1950)
- _Double Crossbones_ (1950)
- _Stars In My Crown_ (1950)
- _Wyoming Mail_ (1950)
- _Cavalry Scout_ (1951)
- _Belle le Grand_ (1951)
- _Iron Man_ (1951)
- _The Thing from Another World_ (1951)
- _The People Against O'Hara_ (1951)
- _Carbine Williams_ (1952)
- _Hellgate_ (1952)
- _The Girl in White_ (1952)
- _Big Jim McLain_ (1952)
- _Horizons West_ (1952)
- _The Lone Hand_ (1953)

- _Gun the Man Down_ (1953)
- _Island in the Sky_ (1953)
- _Veils of Bagdad_ (1953)
- _Them!_ (1954)
- _Hondo_ (1954)
- _Her Twelve Men_ (1954)
- _Flame of the Islands_ (1955)
- _Many Rivers to Cross_ (1955)
- _The Sea Chase_ (1955)
- _Gun the Man Down_ (1956)
- _The First Traveling Saleslady_ (1956)
- _Alias Jesse James_ (1956), as Marshal Matt Dillon
- _The Alamo: Thirteen Days to Glory_ (1987 TV movie), as Jim Bowie
- _Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge_ (1987 TV movie)
- _Red River_ (1988 TV movie)
- _Gunsmoke II: The Last Apache_ (1990 TV movie)
- _Gunsmoke III: To the Last Man_ (1992 TV movie)
- _Gunsmoke IV: The Long Ride_ (1993 TV movie)
- _Gunsmoke V: One Man's Justice_ (1993 TV movie)

### Television

- _The Lone Ranger_ (1950, 1 episode as Deputy Bud Titus)
- _Lux Video Theatre_, "The Chase" (1954)
- _Gunsmoke_ (1955–1975)
- _Front Row Center_ (1956)
- _The Red Skelton Chevy Special_ (1959)
- _The Chevrolet Golden Anniversary Show_ (1961)
- _A Salute to Television's 25th Anniversary_ (1972)
- _The Macahans_ (1976)
- _How The West Was Won_ (1977-1979 TV series)
- _McClain's Law_ (1981-1982 TV series)

## Infobox (person)

- **name**: James "Marshal Dillon" Arness
- **image**: JamesArness crop.jpg
- **birthname**: James King Aurness
- **birth place**: Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- **death place**: Los Angeles, California, USA
- **death cause**: Natural causes
- **resting place**: Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery
- **nationality**: American
- **education**: Minneapolis Washburn High School
Minneapolis West High School
- **alma mater**: Beloit College
- **television**: Gunsmoke,
How the West Was Won (TV series), How the West Was Won
- **occupation**: Actor
- **height**: 201 cm
- **yearsactive**: 1947–94
- **spouse**: Virginia Chapman
(m.1948–1960, divorced)
Janet Surtees
(m.1978–2011, his death)
- **children**: Rolf, Craig (deceased), Jim, Jenny Lee (deceased)
- **website**: [http://www.jamesarness.com/ jamesarness.com]
- **relatives**: Peter Graves
(brother, deceased)