ACTOR
James Arness
- Known for
- Them! (1954), Hondo (1953), Gunsmoke (1955), For the Love of Spock (2016)
13 archived facts 4 topics 1 source Last reviewed Oct 2026
James Arness is an actor best known for Them!, Hondo and Gunsmoke.
13 Interesting Facts About James Arness
Interesting Facts (6)
- #001
Gunsmoke (1955) halted production for four days in early December 1958 because Arness had burned his eyes while under a sun lamp at home.
- #002
Although he was friends with Robert Fuller and James Drury, he never appeared in any episode of their other series because Warner Bros. would not loan out its contract players to competitors.
- #003
After John Wayne recommended that Arness play the role, he became US Marshal Matt Dillon in Gunsmoke (1955) (contrary to legend, the role was originally offered to Wayne).
- #004
While filming Gunsmoke (1955), he was said to be very self-conscious about his height, and he was quite happy when measures were taken to conceal his tall stature.
- #005
At the time, James Arness was in the 3rd Infantry Division, as was 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 United States for treatment and discharge.
- #006
James Arness's status as a Republican disappointed Lady Bird Johnson, a great fan of Gunsmoke (1955).
Characters & Cast (4)
- #007
Because dark hair was considered more masculine, he had to dye his naturally blond hair for the role of Matt Dillon.
- #008
In the 1950s he made four films with his close friend John Wayne. He also played Rock Hudson's role opposite Wayne in The Undefeated (1969). Wayne personally recommended Arness for the lead in Gunsmoke (1955) and filmed an introduction for the first episode.
- #009
James Arness's friendship with John Wayne ended in 1959 after Arness failed to show up to a meeting arranged for a role in "The Alamo." Wayne felt that Arness had deliberately slighted his film and never truly forgave him.
- #010
James Arness never played the leading man in a theatrical film, appearing only in the various television versions of Gunsmoke (1955). In theatrical films he generally appeared alongside tall leading men such as John Wayne, Robert Ryan and Jeff Chandler.
Career & Awards (1)
- #011
Throughout his career, this towering actor was very often surrounded by co-stars standing on apple boxes, or he had to perform standing in a ditch just to be in the shot.
Life & Family (2)
- #012
He attended public schools and graduated from West High School in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1942. During World War II, before being drafted into the United States Army as an infantryman, he studied for a year at Beloit College in Wisconsin. In 1944, during the invasion of Anzio, Italy, machine-gun fire shattered his right leg and he lost part of his foot. He spent a year in the hospital and underwent surgery to correct his limping leg. He was awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart for his service. His injury made walking long distances difficult for him. When filming a movie or television program, scenes requiring long walks were shot early in the morning, before his feet and knees began to give out.
- #013
He and his brother Peter Graves never acted together on screen; however, Graves directed Arness in the episode What Dr. (1966).
Sources & editorial notes
Reference databases
- IMDb
Information from external sources is independently selected, consolidated and edited by Arka Evren. Sources are listed for verification and further reading. Encyclopedia text is used under its licence (CC BY-SA). How we work