Gunsmoke actor James Arness dead in LA celebrity home?
Immortalized in Toby Keith’s song, Should’ve Been a Cowboy, legendary actor
James Arness, passed away quietly Friday, June 3, in his Los Angeles celebrity home. Known most for his role as Marshal Dillon on Gunsmoke from 1955 to 1975, he was the epitome of a Hollywood cowboy, and also starred in dozens of
movies, some as recent as 1994.
James Arnes (brother of late Mission Impossible actor, Peter Graves), died of natural causes at age 88. During Arness’s career, he shared
screen time with numerous famous actors, including Alec Baldwin, John Wayne, Harrison Ford, Burt Reynolds, Dennis Weaver, and Charles Bronson. The Minnesota-born actor fit the ideal stereotype for a cowboy, with his quiet demeanor and massive (for the time) 6-foot, 6-inch stature. The cultural icon has a star on the walk of fame, three Emmy Award nominations, a TVLand Nomination and is a 1967 Western Heritage and 1986 Golden Boot award recipient.
