James Arness’ Death – Cause and Date
The 6-foot-7 actor James Arness died at the age of 88. What happened to him?
He portrayed the role of Marshall Dillon on TV’s Gunsmoke for twenty years, a role that John Wayne declined and recommended for Arness according to urban legend.
He married his first wife Virginia Chapman in 1948. The couple divorced in 1960. He had two sons and a daughter. His younger brother, Peter Graves, was also an actor.
What caused James Arness’s death?
On June 3, 2011, Arness died at his Brentwood home in Los Angeles. He died in his sleep from natural causes according to his business manager, Ginny Fazer. He was 88 years old.
Where is he buried?
The actor’s body was interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California, specifically the Sanctuary of Abiding Hope alcove in the Jasmine Terrace section of the Great Mausoleum.
Quotes
""I was honored to have served in the Army for my country. I was at Anzio during WWII, and it makes you realize how very precious life is."
""I watch television all the time, mostly PBS and old movies like 'The Quiet Man,' my favorite Wayne movie. It's marvelous. I just loved the man and still do."
""I had the pleasure of knowing Ronald Reagan before he became Governor of California. He was a truly great human being and we usually spent our time together reminiscing about mutual friends."
""What made us different from other westerns was the fact that 'Gunsmoke' wasn't just action and a lot of shooting; they were character-study shows."
""I had the privilege of working with so many great actors over the years."