| James Arness | |
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| Born | James Aurness May 26, 1923 Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| Spouse(s) | Virginia Chapman (1948-1960) Janet Surtrees (1978-) |
James Arness (born as James Aurness on May 26, 1923, Minneapolis, Minnesota) is an Emmy-nominated American actor best known for portraying Marshal Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke for 20 years. Events 451 - The Battle of Avarayr between Armenian rebels and the Sassanid Empire takes place Year 1923 ( MCMXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 451 - The Battle of Avarayr between Armenian rebels and the Sassanid Empire takes place Year 1923 ( MCMXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the An actor, actress, player or thespian (see terminology) is a person who Acts in a Dramatic production and who works Marshal Matt Dillon is a fictional character featured on both the Radio and Television versions of Gunsmoke. Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman MacDonnell and writer John Meston Arness has the distinction of having played the role of Marshal Matt Dillon in five separate decades: 1955 to 1975 in the weekly series, then in the decade of the 1980s (1987) Return to Dodge, and four more made-for-TV Gunsmoke movies in the 1990s.
Arness's parents were Rolf Cirkler Aurness and Ruth Duesler, descendants of German and Norwegian immigrants. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional Arness is the older brother of actor Peter Graves. Peter Graves (born March 18 1926)is an American film and television Actor. He was the tallest actor ever to play a lead role, standing 6'7".
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Military service in World War II
Arness served in the United States Army during World War II with the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division, and was severely wounded during Operation Shingle, at Anzio, Italy, leading to a lifelong slight limp. The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The 3rd Infantry Division &mdashnicknamed the Rock of the Marne &mdash is a United States Army infantry division based at Fort Stewart, Operation Shingle ( January 22, 1944) during the Italian Campaign of World War II, was an Allied amphibious landing against
A rifleman in 2nd Platoon, Company E, 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry, on January 25, 1944, he received his "baptism of fire" when he was almost killed by enemy 20 mm flak wagon fire during a night patrol behind enemy lines. The United States Army 's 7th Infantry Regiment, known as "The Cottonbalers" from an incident that occurred during the Battle of New Orleans, while under Events 41 - After a night of negotiation Claudius is accepted as Roman Emperor by the Senate Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. A few days later, Arness was involved in a sustained firefight with enemy machine gunners occupying a farmhouse. Ultimately, the enemy brought mortar fire down on Arness and his squad, which were lying low in a shallow drainage ditch filled with water. One mortar round hit within a few feet of Arness, killing the infantryman to his left. Heavy artillery then pinned down 2nd Platoon until nightfall. Using darkness to mask their escape the platoon quietly and quickly made their way back to their lines.
Later his squad engaged an enemy machine gun in a farmhouse. Upon entering the house Arness and two other rifleman crept up the steps, and threw grenades into the room with the machine gun. Once the grenades exploded, Arness and the others rushed the room and sprayed the enemy with rifle fire, killing the three-man gun crew.
On the night of February 1, 1944, 2nd Platoon (with Arness) was assigned to reconnoiter a sector between the lines. Events 1327 - Teenaged Edward III is crowned King of England, but the country is ruled by his mother Queen Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. There was no moon. The platoon spread out to minimize casualties and advanced slowly, under direct orders not to speak or make a sound. Due to his night combat experience and a “sixth sense” Arness was the point man for his squad. Moving silently as possible, approximately 40 to 50 feet ahead of his squad, Arness would later say that it was so dark that he could not see his feet or where he was stepping.
After walking approximately 20 minutes there was no contact and except for the night sounds the air was quiet. Arness moved through a small vineyard. Suddenly he heard voices just 50 feet ahead. Seconds later Arness heard a “guttural scream” and an enemy machine gun fired, hitting Arness in the right leg with a machine gun bullet (or bullets).
Despite the excruciating pain (he later said the bones in his lower right leg “had been shot all to hell”) he was able to leap over a row of vines, and out of the line of fire. Now intense enemy fire was directed at him from both sides. Then an enemy “potato masher” concussion grenade went off near him, the explosion literally lifting Arness off the ground. Arness hugged the earth as enemy machine gunfire racked around him, just 18-inches above the ground.
After an intense firefight, the enemy was eventually beaten back or eliminated by the rest of 2nd Platoon. While lying in the vineyard Arness felt he was going into shock. In a semi-conscious state he heard voices, realizing it was soldiers from his own platoon checking on the wounded and dead. The point man next to Arness had been killed, as well as several others. Finally a medic found Arness and asked if he had been hit.
Arness responded, “In the leg” and realized he could not move. The medic said the leg bones had been severely splintered. Treating the wound with sulfa powder, the medic administered a shot of morphine directly into Arness’ stomach. The medic then declared the wound a “ZI” or “Zone of Interior” wound, (aka Million Dollar Wound), which meant an eventual ticket stateside.
On January 29, 1945, having received numerous surgeries, Arness received an honorable discharge. Events 904 - Sergius III comes out of retirement to take over the papacy from the deposed Antipope Christopher. Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar Still, his wounds would affect him for the rest of his life. In later years Arness has suffered from acute leg pain (which prevented him from mounting a horse) and has undergone a series of operations to remove bullet fragments that had infused into the bone.
After the war James Aurness entered Beloit College where he was initiated into Beta Theta Pi (with his original surname). Beloit College is a selective private coeducational Liberal arts College in Beloit Wisconsin, USA, and a member of the Associated Colleges
According to his 2001 autobiography, James Arness – An Autobiography, he landed on Anzio Beach on January 21, 1944 while serving as a rifleman with 2nd Platoon, E Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Regiment of the 3rd Infantry Division. Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. Events 1189 - Philip II of France and Richard I of England begin to assemble troops to wage the Third Crusade. Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The 3rd Infantry Division &mdashnicknamed the Rock of the Marne &mdash is a United States Army infantry division based at Fort Stewart, Due to his height (6' 7"), acting as “a depth finder”, he was first ordered off his landing craft to determine the depth of the water (it came up to his waist).
Military Awards
His military awards and medals include: the Bronze Star; the Purple Heart; the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three bronze campaign stars; the World War II Victory Medal and the Combat Infantryman Badge. The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration which may be awarded for bravery acts of merit or meritorious service The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving The European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal is a military decoration of the United States armed forces which was first created on November 6 The World War II Victory Medal is a decoration of the United States military which was created by an act of Congress in July 1945. The Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB is an award of the United States Army which is presented to those officers warrant officers and enlisted soldiers in the grade
Acting career
Though primarily identified with Westerns, he also is remembered for appearing in two science fiction films, The Thing from Another World and Them!. The Western is a fiction Genre seen in Film, Television, Radio, Literature, Painting and other Visual arts. The Thing from Another World, often referred to as The Thing before 1982 is a 1951 Science fiction film which tells the story of For the films of the same name see Them (2006 film or Them (film He was a close personal friend of John Wayne and co-starred with him in Big Jim McLain, Hondo, Island in the Sky and The Sea Chase. John Wayne ( May 26, 1907 &ndash June 11, 1979) was an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award -winning American Big Jim McLain ( Warner Brothers, 1952) was a John Wayne film starring Wayne and James Arness as HUAC investigators hunting The Sea Chase is a 1955 World War II film starring John Wayne and Lana Turner. Wayne said that when he imagined Marshal Dillon, he saw Arness. Wayne even did a television spot introducing Arness in the role.
After Gunsmoke ended, Arness performed primarily in western-themed movies and television series, including How the West Was Won, and five made-for-television Gunsmoke reunion movies between 1987 and 1994. How the West Was Won is an American western television series starring James Arness, Fionnula Flanagan, and Bruce Boxleitner A notable exception was a brief turn as a big city police officer in the short-lived 1981 series, McClain's Law. Year 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 McClain's Law is an American crime drama television series that aired on NBC for one season during 1981 - 1982. Arness did the narration for Harry Carey Jr.'s western, Comanche Stallion (which was directed by Clyde Lucas). Harry Carey Jr (born Henry G Carey; May 16, 1921) is an American Film actor.
For his contribution to the television industry, James Arness has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1751 Vine Street. The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a Sidewalk along Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street in Hollywood Los Angeles California, USA, that In 1981, he was inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Year 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 The Hall of Great Western Performers is a Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City Oklahoma, U The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is a Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the US state of Oklahoma. In 2006, Arness was inducted into the Santa Clarita Walk of Western Stars and gave a related television interview. Santa Clarita can refer to Santa Clarita California Santa Clarita Valley
Arness' Gunsmoke associate and friend Buck Taylor painted a watercolor portrait of the actor. Walter Clarence Taylor III, known as Buck Taylor (born May 13, 1938) is an American Actor and water color Artist Watercolor ( US) or Watercolour ( UK) (and "aquarelle" in French is a Painting method Taylor also named his middle son "Matthew" for the "Matt Dillon" character.
See also
- List of Hollywood Republicans
External links
- James Arness at the Internet Movie Database
- James Arness at Allmovie
- James Arness at TV.com
- Comanche Stallion Website
- James Arness' Official website
- James Arness Television Interview (2006)
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