Did you know this about James Arness?

[Playinghardball]

Arness wanted to be a naval fighter pilot, but he felt his poor eyesight would bar him. His height of 6 feet 7 inches (2.01 m) ended his hopes, since 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) was the limit for aviators. Instead, he was called for the Army and reported to Fort Snelling, Minnesota in March 1943.<4>

Arness served as a rifleman with the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division, and was severely wounded during Operation Shingle, at Anzio, Italy.<6>

According to James Arness – An Autobiography, he landed on Anzio Beachhead on January 21, 1944 as a rifleman with 2nd Platoon, E Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Regiment of the 3rd Infantry Division. Due to his height, he was the first ordered off his landing craft to determine the depth of the water; it came up to his waist.<4>

On January 29, 1945, having undergone surgery several times, Arness was honorably discharged. His wounds continued to bother him, and in later years Arness suffered from acute leg pain,<1> which sometimes hurt when mounting a horse.

His decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart;<1> the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three bronze battle stars, the World War II Victory Medal and the Combat Infantryman Badge.<7>

More at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Arness

[Liberal_in_LA]

1. Mom loved that show - Gun Smoke, right?

Funny how westerns dominated TV in the 60s

[brucefan]

2. Cool

I also just found out he was the brother of Peter Graves (Mission Impossible)

[SpiralHawk]

3. His little brother was Peter Graves - Mission Impossible

[1620rock]

8. R.I.P. James Arness 1923 ~ 2011 Always the good guy.

[razorman]

4. John Wayne was originally slated for the Matt Dillon role in 'Gunsmoke'.

But, he did want want to do a TV series, so he recommended his friend, James Arness, for the role. The rest is history.

[Playinghardball]

7. An Urban legend

An urban legend has it that John Wayne was offered the leading role of Matt Dillon in the longtime favorite television show Gunsmoke, but he turned it down, recommending instead James Arness for the role. The only part of this story that is true is that Wayne did indeed recommend Arness for the part. Wayne introduced Arness in a prologue to the first episode of Gunsmoke.<9> Gunsmoke would run for two decades, the longest running drama series in U.S. television history (later to be tied with Law & Order). It made Arness world-famous.

[tabasco]

16. John Wayne was a wussy.

That's why repukes like him so much.

[progressoid]

24. "John Wayne was a fag"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uv_WGEHr4I

:evilgrin:

[postulater]

5. My mom went to high school with him and his brother.

She was a huge Gunsmoke fan and has all the episodes on video cassette.

[mysuzuki2]

12. So did my mom.

What was your mom's name?

[mysuzuki2]

13. Sorry, hit the post button before I was thrrough.

My mom was Caroldawn Anderson. Ask your mom if she remembers her.

[postulater]

20. My mother was Jean Nugent.

I'll ask her next time I talk to her.

[KT2000]

18. they were two very good

looking men. Did she say if their whole family was attractive?

[Elwood P Dowd]

6. He was shy, sensitive, and hated publicity.

From Wiki.......

James Arness disdained publicity and banned reporters from the Gunsmoke set. He was said to be a shy and sensitive man who enjoyed poetry, sailboat racing, and surfing. TV Guide dubbed him "The Greta Garbo of Dodge City"

[pinto]

9. He seemed so "natural" on screen (TV). And so comfortable in his own skin. I really liked the series

and, lol, had little choice - it was my Dad's favorite show and we only had three channels in those days.

[hlthe2b]

10. James Arness and brother Peter Graves-- very good actors...

and genuinely nice men from everything I've read. Now there was some good "stock." RIP You both left a legacy of work.

I always liked to watch Arness ride. So many of the western actors were really poor riders and it showed. Some were natural riders with long years of experience and others just genuinely athletic and able to pick it up with no problem. I know that Doug McClure (another tall actor, played Trampus on the Virginian) was in that later category. Just an all around good athlete. Like Arness, he always looked good and natural in the saddle.

[trof]

11. I barely made it into USAF pilot training because of my height.

I was 6' 3 1/2".
The height restriction is partially based on size of fighter cockpits and the ejection seats.
Over 6' 2" and you were likely to lose kneecaps on exit.


When I took my physical for pilot training, the 'examiner' said "Scrunch down."
I 'scrunched' and came in at 6' 2".
Thankfully, I never had to punch out.
:-)

[roguevalley]

14. little known fact about john wayne

he did everything to stay out of ww two. He was booed when he appeared before troops at uso tours.

[Scuba]

22. Worse. When asked by GI's in Nam which war was worse...

...Wayne mumbled something about them all being "the same" rather than admit he was not a Vet.

[kestrel91316]

15. I always loved Marshal Dillon.

[csziggy]

17. This is odd - I used to think that Fess Parker was a third brother

Although he was not. But his life story has similarities to James Arness' life:

He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in the latter part of World War II,<5><6> hoping to become a pilot. He was turned down because he was too tall at 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 m).<7> He then tried to become a radioman gunner, but he was found too big to fit comfortably into the rear cockpit. He was finally transferred to the Marine Corps as a radio operator and shipped out for the South Pacific shortly before the atom bomb ended the war.

<SNIP>

According to Parker himself, when the Walt Disney Company was looking for an actor to play Davy Crockett, they originally considered James Arness for the title role. Parker had recently graduated to a contract weekly actor, but listened to his agent and appeared in a B movie called Them! which required only one day's work. He had a small scene in the movie as a pilot put into an insane asylum after claiming his plane had been downed by giant flying insects. Arness appeared in a larger role in the same film.<11>

During a screening of this film Walt Disney looked past Arness and discovered Parker. Disney was impressed by Parker's portrayal of a man who was unswerving in his belief in what he saw despite the forces of authority against him. Parker was asked to drop by the Disney Studio. When he did, he brought his guitar, met Disney, sang a song, then said goodbye. Several weeks later he was told he had been selected over Arness and several other actors for the role, including Buddy Ebsen who eventually played Crockett's companion, George Russell.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fess_Parker

[Lucinda]

19. Didn't know that! Thanks for the info!

:)

[Cheap_Trick]

21. William Conrad of "Cannon" , among other things was,

the voice of Matt Dillon on the "Gunsmoke" radio show.

[FLSurfer]

23. Didn't know that but I did know

that he was an avid surfer.