James Arness

Personal Info

Know For

Acting

Gender

Male

Birthday

1923-05-26 (88 years old)

Deathday

2011-06-03

Place of Birth

Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

James Arness

Biography

The star of one of the longest-running shows in U.S. television history, Gunsmoke (1955). Born of Norwegian heritage (the family name, Aurness (formerly had been Aursness) in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Rolf and Ruth Duesler Aurness. His father was a traveling salesman of medical supplies and his mother later became a newspaper columnist. James attended West High School in Minneapolis. Although he appeared in school plays, he had no interest in performing, and dreamed instead of going to sea. After high school, he attended one semester at Beloit College before receiving his draft notice in 1943. He entered the army and trained at Camp ...

Acting

1954

Them!

as FBI Agent Robert Graham

1992

1953

Hondo

as Lennie

1950

Stars in My Crown

as Rolfe Isbell (uncredited)

1949

Battleground

as Garby

1979

The Horror Show

as (archive footage)

1953

Island in the Sky

as Mac McMullen

1955

The Sea Chase

as Schlieter

1952

Big Jim McLain

as Mal Baxter

1951

The People Against O'Hara

as John Fordman 'Johnny' O'Hara

1952

Horizons West

as Tiny McGilligan

1950

Wagon Master

as Floyd Clegg

1952

Carbine Williams

as Leon Williams

1959

Alias Jesse James

as Marshal Matt Dillon (uncredited)

1951

Iron Man

as Alex Mallick

1955

Many Rivers to Cross

as Esau Hamilton

1989

1987

1956

Gun the Man Down

as Rem Anderson

1950

Wyoming Mail

as Russell

1950

Sierra

as Little Sam (as Jim Arness)

2016

For the Love of Spock

as Matt Dillon (archive footage)

1951

Two Lost Worlds

as Kirk Hamilton

1948

The Man from Texas

as (uncredited)

1947

Roses Are Red

as Ray (as James Aurness)

1990

1955

1952

Hellgate

as George Redfield

1954

Her Twelve Men

as Ralph Munsey

1953

The Lone Hand

as Gus Varden

1951

1953

1994

1947

The Farmer's Daughter

as Peter Holstrom (as James Aurness)

1988

Red River

as Thomas Dunson

1993

1976

The Macahans

as Zeb Macahan

1950

In a Lonely Place

as Young Detective (uncredited)

Production

1993

Gunsmoke: The Long Ride

as Executive Producer

1994

Gunsmoke: One Man's Justice

as Executive Producer

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