Thaindian News

Los Angeles, June 3 (THAINDIAN NEWS) James Arness has died at the age of 88. Arness is known for his role in the long-running US show “Gunsmoke.” The reports say he died on Friday at his home from natural causes.

The publicist of Arness announced the death of the actor. He was known for being the main character in “Gunsmoke”. He played the role of US marshal Matt Dillon in the series which did run for about two decades. The show was axed by CBS in 1975 after enjoying success since it was first shown in 1952.

The show was not an instant success. The plot of the series made it more appealing to older viewers than the younger generations due primarily to the portrayal of cowboys.

For his role in the series, Arness who stood at 6 feet and 7 inches tall earned three Emmy nominations for his role as Dillon. “Gunsmoke” was not the only work of Arness. Prior to landing the role, Arnes played in the movies “The Farmer’s Daughter” and the “The Thing from Another World.”

In the 1990s, there was an attempt to revive the show and Arness was brought back at the age of 71 to try and do that. It was not successful.