James King Aurness net worth is $10 Million. Also know about James King Aurness bio, salary, height, age weight, relationship and more …

James King Aurness Wiki Biography

James King Aurness was a Minneapolis, Minnesota-born American actor best known for his role as Marshall Matt Dillion in the television series “Gunsmoke”. Born to parents of Norwegian (father) and German (mother) descent, James was raised in a middle-class family. He came into the world on 26 May, 1923 and was active in the entertainment sector between 1947 and 1994, before he died on 3 June 2011 at the age of 88 years.

Once a domineering name in American television due to his impeccable acting skills, how wealthy was James at the time of his death? When James passed away he had managed to die a multi-millionaire as his net worth in 2011 was $10 million. Obviously, the major source of his income was his successful career in acting while his service in military has also served to add to his wealth.

James’ father was a businessman and mother, a journalist. Although he was not quite a bright student in his school, James graduated from Minneapolis Washburn High School in 1942 and joined military services. His initial dream job was to be a naval fighter pilot but his height being 6ft 7inches (2.01m) barred him from realizing his dreams, so he served as a rifleman in the army during World War II, being wounded before he was honorably discharged at the end of the war, and this was when he found his inclination towards the entertainment industry.

As he started his acting career from 1947, he dropped “u” from Aurness to become James Arness. Debuting in the movie “The Farmer’s Daughter”, he then appeared in movies like “The Thing From Another World”, “Carbine Williams”, “The Girl in White”, “The Lone Hand” and many more before appearing in “Gunsmoke”. James became a star of the popular television drama “Gunsmoke”, from 1955 until 1975, appearing in 635 episode sof this long running drama. With this television appearance, James became one of the most recognized actors in America.

Apart from his iconic role in “Gunsmoke” which he reprised many times even after it ended in 1975, James played roles in television dramas like “How The West Was Won”, “McClain’s Law” and more. He found his fame in European countries with his role in the television series “How The West Was Won”. Also, he reprised the role of “Marshall Matt Dillion” in television movies of Gunsmoke such as “Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge”, “Gunsmoke II: The Last Apache” and three more. Overall James starred in more than 40 films as well as his TV appearances.

For his contribution to the field of entertainment and acting, James was rewarded with a star on the “Hollywood Walk Of Fame”. He has also been inducted into the “Western Performers Hall of Fame” and “Walk of Western Stars”. Furthermore, James was nominated for Emmy Awards thrice during his acting career. As much as popularity and fame, his career in acting added considerably to James’ wealth.

As for his personal life, James was married twice; his first wife was Virginia Chapman who was the mother to one of his sons. After their marriage ended in divorce in 1960, James married Janet Surtees in 1978, and she was with him until he died in 2011. While two of his children, a son and a daughter died untimely, this father of four died at the age of 88, in his Los Angeles, California, and rests in Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery.

IMDB Wikipedia $10 million 1923 1981 1996 2011 2012 WNBA Finals 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time list (#20 Actor Altitude America’s Star – (1988) Andy Samberg Associated Press Bronze Star Medal Buyout California Carbine Williams (1952) Cat Deeley Cleveland Cavaliers Combat Infantryman Badge Emmy Award Emmy Awards for Best Continuing Performance by an Actor in a Dramatic Series (1957) Eric Garcetti European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three bronze battle stars Family Film Gunsmoke (1955-1975) Gunsmoke IV: The Long Ride (1993) Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge (1987) Her Twelve Men (1954) Hollywood Walk of Fame Homelessness How the West Was Won (1962) James Arness James Arness: An Autobiography (2001) Janet Surtees June 3 Kevin Love Law & Order (2010) Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Los Angeles Los Angeles Sparks May 26 McClain’s Law (1981-1982) Minneapolis Minnesota Minnesota Lynx Minnesota Timberwolves Mother Net worth Police Purple Heart Rolf Cirkler Aurness Ruth Aurness Saint Paul Santa Clarita Walk of Western Stars (2006) State of emergency The Girl in White (1952) The Lone Hand The Thing from Another World (1951) Them! (1954) TV Guide United States Virginia Chapman Wealth Western Performers Hall of Fame (Oklahoma City World War II Victory Medal

James King Aurness Quick Info

James King Aurness Trademarks

1. The role of Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke (1955).
2. Towering height
3. Commanding voice

James King Aurness Quotes

• With Gunsmoke (1955), we had an outstanding quality of writing. The show had been on radio for three years, so they were able to fine-tune the characters. 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. They’re interesting to watch all these years later.
• I have met many other actors who were great also, but there was something about him that was so special He was just off in a class by himself somehow. It was a real privilege really to be around the man and to know him. I was with his company for three years, and it was just a special time. – On John Wayne
• 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. He will be missed by all who knew him and by a nation that will mourn with us. (2004)
• “If they were man and wife, it would make a lot of difference. The people upstairs decided it was better to leave the show as it was, which I totally agreed with.” – on why his Gunsmoke character, Marshal Dillon, never married Miss Kitty.

James King Aurness Important Facts

• He and Kelsey Grammer both hold the record for playing the same character the longest (20 years). However, since the length of TV seasons was longer between 1955-75, it results in 635 episodes as Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke (1955) for Arness and only 467 as Frasier Crane (on Cheers (1982) and Frasier (1993)) for Grammer.
• Had to dye his naturally blond hair for the role of Matt Dillon, since dark hair was considered more masculine.
• Was in the 3rd Infantry Division at the time as Audie Murphy. Murphy was in the 15th Infantry Regiment and Arness was in the 7th Infantry Regiment. Both regiments landed at Sicily and Anzio. Arness was wounded at Anzio and sent back to the US for treatment and discharge.
• His ex-wife, Virginia Chapman, died on July 29, 1977, at age 56.
• Had many times sailed with Buddy Ebsen.
• After his last role Gunsmoke: One Man’s Justice (1994), he retired from acting at age 71.
• He and his brother Peter Graves never acted onscreen together; however, Graves did direct Arness in Gunsmoke: Which Dr. (1966).
• He was most widely known to be a very quiet and private man.
• Was a Boy Scout.
• Began his career as a contract player for Batjac Productions–John Wayne’s production company–in 1952.
• In 1968 he donated his 1,400-acre ranch in northern Los Angeles County to the Brandis Institute.
• Before he was a successful actor, he was a radio announcer in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
• His acting mentor was the late John Wayne.
• He passed away on June 3, 2011, just one week after he celebrated his 88th birthday.
• His best friend and younger brother Peter Graves, died on March 14, 2010, just four days before his 84th birthday.
• Despite the fact that he was friends with Robert Fuller and James Drury, he did not appear on any episodes of other series, because Warner Bros. would not lend its contract players to competitors.
• Was the only actor to appear in all 635 episodes of Gunsmoke (1955).
• One of Harry Morgan’s sons was the friend of one of his children. One of Morgan’s sons spent the night at his ranch.
• Best remembered by the public for his starring role as Marshal Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke (1955).
• Acting mentors and friend of Buck Taylor and Amy Stoch.
• He is interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.
• He was said to be somewhat self-conscious about his stature and quite happy when they took measures to obscure his towering height while filming “Gunsmoke”.
• He had a lifelong affiliation with the Methodist church.
• He was a lifelong supporter of the Republican party.
• He was the son of Rolf Aurness and Ruth Duesler who divorced in the 1940s.
• He attended public schools and graduated from West High School in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1942. He studied for a year at Beloit College in Wisconsin before he was drafted into the United States Army during World War II as an infantryman. During the invasion of Anzio, Italy in 1944, his right leg was shattered by machine-gun fire, resulting in his losing part of his foot. He was hospitalized for a year and underwent surgeries to correct his leg, which left a limp. He was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart for his services. His injury made it difficult for him to walk for extended stretches. When shooting movies or TV shows, any scenes that required extensive walking would be shot early in the morning, before his feet and knees started giving out.
• He married Virginia Chapman and adopted her son, Craig, by a previous marriage. They had daughter, Jenny Arness and son, Rolf Arness.
• He was a longtime resident of the Brentwood area of Los Angeles, California with his second wife, Janet Surtees.
• He is survived by his wife, Janet Surtees of Brentwood, Los Angeles, California; son, Rolf Arness; stepson, Jim Surtees; six grandchildren, and a great grandchild. His adopted son, Craig, died in 2004 and his daughter Jenny died in 1975.
• Fought in the US Army during World War II, taking part in the landing at Anzio, Italy, where he was wounded. He received 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.
• Although they never married, he had a long-term relationship and lived with actress Thordis Brandt.
• He never played the lead male role in a theatrical movie, only on the various televised incarnations of “Gunsmoke”. In his theatrical films, he usually acted along tall leading men such as John Wayne, Robert Ryan and Jeff Chandler.
• Confirmed in a 2001 interview that he is completely retired from acting because he no longer has the stamina for it.
• Made four movies with his close friend John Wayne during the 1950s. He was also originally cast in Rock Hudson’s role opposite Wayne in The Undefeated (1969). Wayne personally recommended Arness for the lead role in Gunsmoke (1955), and filmed an introduction for the first episode.
• Did not attend the premiere of The Thing from Another World (1951) because he found his role as the Thing embarrassing. He often remarked that he felt his make up as “The Thing” made him look like a giant carrot.
• Attended Beloit College.
• His status as a Republican disappointed Lady Bird Johnson, who was a fan of Gunsmoke (1955).
• Father of Jenny Lee Arness (born May 23, 1950) and Rolf Aurness (born February 18, 1952), with Virginia Chapman. He also adopted her son from her first marriage, Craig (born 1946).
• Very, very often during his career, this huge actor was surrounded by co-stars standing on apple boxes or had to perform standing in a ditch just so he could be in a shot.
• Member of Beta Theta Pi Fraternity
• Was rightly touted as the tallest leading man in Hollywood, although this title has since been taken by other stars, mainly basketball players turned “actors.”
• Held the record for the longest continuous role portrayed by a single actor (20 years) on prime-time television (for Marshal Matt Dillon on the CBS western Gunsmoke (1955)), until Kelsey Grammer (Dr. Frasier Crane on Cheers (1982) and Frasier (1993)) tied the record in 2004 (at 20 years).
• On Friday, June 20th, 2003, Arness was honored at Los Angeles City Hall by the mayor, the 15 City Council members and the City Attorney with a resolution honoring his life’s work as an actor and 60-year resident of Los Angeles. The colorful resolution included a depiction of a U.S. Marshal’s badge and a salute to his work as Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke (1955) and its over-20-year duration as TV’s longest-running drama series. It also recalled his heroism during World War II and thanked him for “leaving us with one of the most telling and realistic portraits ever created of the brave, tall man in the saddle who tames a western town as he searches for justice and peace.” Arness called it “the most wonderful day in his life” and says the resolution is now framed and in a prominent place in his home. He received a standing ovation that morning.
• Inducted (as a cast member of Gunsmoke (1955)) into the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 1981.
• According to an article on TV westerns in Time magazine (March 30, 1959), Arness stood 6′ 7″, weighed 235 lbs, and had chest-waist-hips measurements of 48-36-36. However, Arness usually gave his own height as 6′ 6″ in interviews.
• His daughter and actress, Jenny Lee Arness, committed suicide on Monday, May 12th, 1975.
• Became U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke (1955) after John Wayne suggested Arness to play it. (Wayne himself, contrary to legend, was never offered the role.).
• Honorary United States Marshal, “in recognition of his unique contribution to the image and traditions of the U.S. Marshal’s Service”.

James King Aurness Filmography

James King Aurness Awards