Gunsmoke's Matt Dillon: James Arness at Home

James Arness spent 20 years as Marshal Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke, but in this rare 2006 interview, he is at home in Brentwood, looking back on the role, the people, and the places that made television history. Key Moments 00:00 James Arness at Home 00:35 Gunsmoke Comes to Melody Ranch 01:01 John Wayne Opens the Door 04:46 Why Gunsmoke Was Different 05:50 Matt Dillon and Miss Kitty 06:56 Chester, Festus, and the Gunsmoke Family 12:29 Melody Ranch and the Old Santa Clarita Valley 17:51 From Anzio to Hollywood 22:24 The Thing, Matt Dillon, and a 20-Year Role 26:43 “The Luckiest Guy in the World” Recorded April 21, 2006, this relaxed home interview finds James Arness reflecting on Gunsmoke, John Wayne, Melody Ranch, the Santa Clarita Valley, Western television, his brother Peter Graves, his World War II service, and the unexpected career path that made him one of television’s most enduring stars. Arness talks about how John Wayne recommended him for the role of Matt Dillon after declining Gunsmoke himself, and how Wayne introduced the first episode in 1955. He remembers filming the early outdoor scenes at Melody Ranch in Placerita Canyon, when the Santa Clarita Valley was still open country and Western crews could shoot in nearly any direction without seeing houses, telephone poles or modern development. The conversation also covers the people who helped make Gunsmoke last: Dennis Weaver as Chester, Ken Curtis as Festus, Amanda Blake as Miss Kitty, Milburn Stone as Doc, and later cast members such as Buck Taylor. Arness explains why Matt Dillon and Miss Kitty never married, why Gunsmoke was different from earlier television Westerns, and why the show’s “family” became part of American life every Saturday night. Arness also looks back on his path before Gunsmoke: growing up in Minnesota, serving in World War II, being wounded at Anzio, coming to Hollywood after the war, landing his first film role in The Farmer’s Daughter, and playing the title creature in The Thing from Another World. He also talks about his brother Peter Graves, the family name, How the West Was Won, and the lasting bond between James Arness and Marshal Matt Dillon. The interview was recorded at the Arness home in Brentwood as the City of Santa Clarita prepared to honor him with a 2006 Walk of Western Stars award during the Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival at Melody Ranch. Interview: Leon Worden Presented by SCVTV and the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society Related Playlists Santa Clarita Valley Biographies    • Santa Clarita Valley Biographies   Legacy: Santa Clarita's Living History    • Legacy: Santa Clarita's Living History   #scvhistory #JamesArness #Gunsmoke #MelodyRanch ABOUT THE SANTA CLARITA VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY The Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of the Santa Clarita Valley through archives, oral histories, and public education. Support our work: 👉 https://www.scvhs.org Your support helps fund archival preservation, restoration, and future history projects. Explore more: ✔ SCVHistory.com — https://scvhistory.com ✔ Instagram —   / santaclaritahistorycenter   ✔ Facebook —   / scvhistorybuffs