James Arness' net worth: How rich was the Gunsmoke actor at his death
James Arness was once a domineering name in American television. When you think about the CBS series Gunsmoke, it is impossible not to remember the character Marshall Matt Dillon, portrayed by James Arness for two decades, from 1955 to 1975. The actor died on June 3, 2011, leaving millions accumulated from his long-running career. Find out below what James Arness' net worth was at the time of his death.
Source: UGC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Key takeaways
- James Arness' profile summary
- What was James Arness' net worth when he died?
- How did James Arness make his money?
- Who inherited James Arness' money?
- Who was James Arness' wife?
- What happened to James Arness's wife?
- Who are James Arness' children?
- What happened to James Arness' daughter?
- What happened to James Arness' son?
- Did James Arness and Peter Graves have a close relationship?
- What was Peter Graves' net worth?
- Who didn't get along with James Arness on Gunsmoke?
- Who made more money, John Wayne or James Arness?
- What was Amanda Blake's net worth?
- What was Dennis Weaver's net worth?
- Facts about James Arness' net worth
Key takeaways
- His production companies were involved in producing Gunsmoke from 1959 to 1964.
- Arness also acquired contracts that gave him a stake in the show, meaning he earned money from its overall success, not just his salary as an actor.
- His role as Marshal Dillon became iconic, and his continued appearances in Gunsmoke TV movies further solidified his legacy and financial success.
James Arness' profile summary
| Full name | James Arness |
| Gender | Male |
| Birthdate | 26 May 1923 |
| Birthplace | Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA |
| Death date | 3 June 2011 |
| Age | 88 years (at the time of death) |
| Place of demise | Brentwood, LA, California, USA |
| Place of burial | Great Mausoleum, Forest Lawn, California, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Eye color | Blue |
| Hair color | Blonde |
| Height | 2.01 meters (6 feet and 7.5 inches) |
| Second spouse | Janet Surtees (married 1978 – 2011) |
| Partner | Thordis Brandt (1965 – 1972) |
| First spouse | Virginia Chapman (married 1948 – divorced 1960) |
| Children | Jenny Lee Aurness, Rolf Aurness, Craig Aurness (adopted) |
| Notable relatives | Actor Peter Graves (brother) |
| Father | Businessman Rolf Cirkler Aurness (Norwegian) |
| Mother | Journalist Ruth Duesler (German) |
| Alma mater | John Burroughs Grade School, Washburn High School, West High School |
| Alma mater | Beloit College |
| Career | United States Army officer (1943–1945), actor (1947 – 1994) |
| Net worth | $8 million (at the time of death) |
What was James Arness' net worth when he died?
The Celebritynetworth reports that James was worth $8 million at the time of his death in June 2011. The actor became wealthy primarily through his long-running and highly successful role as Marshal Matt Dillon in the television series Gunsmoke.
In 1987, James Arness reprised his role in Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge, and four others made for television movies between 1987 and 1994. By the time he passed away, James had been featured in 47 movies/television series and produced three.
While Arness had investments in real estate and other businesses, his primary source of income and fame was his acting work.
How did James Arness make his money?
James’ primary source of income was his films, especially his performance on Gunsmoke, which lasted for twenty years. Additionally, his production companies, Arness and Company and The Arness Production Company, also contributed to his wealth by producing the show.
How much money did James Arness make on Gunsmoke?
According to Facebook posts, James Arness's salary for Gunsmoke started at $1,200 per episode and eventually increased to $20,000 per episode. He also owned a stake in the production company, Arness and Company, which produced the show from 1959 to 1964.
Additionally, James co-owned Arness and Company, the production company behind Gunsmoke. This contributed immensely to his overall earnings from the show, especially when it bagged awards.
Source: UGC
What was the cause of death for James Arness?
Arness died of natural causes at his Los Angeles home. Business manager, Ginny Fazer, told Reuters that the actor was in relatively good health but had "just been fading" in recent years. She said:
No disease, nothing untoward, he just got tired, I guess.
CBS said in a statement:
James Arness will always be remembered as one of the biggest stars in the history of television, playing an iconic role on the medium's longest-running prime-time drama ever.
How did James Arness die?
James Arness died of natural causes at his home in Brentwood, Los Angeles, California. He was 88 years old when he passed away in his sleep on June 3, 2011.
He was cremated and his ashes were interred in the Great Mausoleum at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale. The actor’s official website posted a letter that he wrote to be published after his demise:
I had a wonderful life and was blessed with many loving and great friends. I wanted to take this time and thank all of you for the many years of being a fan of Gunsmoke, The Thing, How the West Was Won, and all the other four fun projects I was lucky enough to have been allowed to be part of. I had the privilege of working with so many great actors over the years.
Who inherited James Arness' money?
James Arness's estate was inherited by his second wife, Janet Surtees, and his son, Rolf, from his first marriage. His daughter, Jenny, and adopted son, Craig, had both predeceased him.
Who was James Arness' wife?
The actor was married twice, first to Virginia Chapman in 1948, with whom he had two children. The couple later divorced in 1960, but they remained on good terms. In 1978, Arness married Janet Surtees, and the two remained together until his death.
What happened to James Arness's wife?
His first wife, Virginia Chapman, died of an accidental drug overdose in 1977. Mrs. Ainess, 56 years old, was dead in her beach home on Friday. The Arnesses had been divorced since 1963, and Chapman's death occurred two years after their daughter, Jenny Arness, had died.
Who are James Arness' children?
James Arness had two children with his first wife, Virginia Chapman: Jenny Lee Aurness and Rolf Aurness. He also adopted Jenny's son, Craig Michael, from her first marriage and gave him his surname, Aurness.
What happened to James Arness' daughter?
Jenny Lee Aurness took her life in May 1975 at the age of 24 by overdosing on sleeping pills. While the exact reasons for her taking her own life remain private, it was known that she struggled with substance abuse and may have had a history of mental health challenges.
Lee's deliberate death happened just before her 25th birthday. Despite her famous father, she largely kept her personal life private, away from the public eye.
Source: UGC
What happened to James Arness' son?
Known for his work in National Geographic, Craig Arness died on 14 December 2004, in Panorama City, California, after undergoing treatment for lung and anemia complications. He was survived by his wife, Daphne, and his two children, Holly and Brian.
Did James Arness and Peter Graves have a close relationship?
Peter Graves and James Arness were indeed brothers. Their birth names were Peter Aurness and James Aurness, respectively, but Peter later changed his last name to Graves (their maternal family name).
James was the older brother, born in 1923, and Peter was born in 1926. Both brothers achieved fame as actors, with James best known for his role as Marshal Matt Dillon in Gunsmoke and Peter for his role as Jim Phelps in Mission: Impossible.
Despite their success in different film genres, they were not often publicly associated as brothers, and few realized they were related. Nonetheless, Peter and James got along and loved each other. They would have minor differences between them, but were happy for the other's success.
What was Peter Graves' net worth?
Peter Graves' net worth was $10 million at the time of his death in 2010, which was higher than James Arness' net worth of $8 million.
Who didn't get along with James Arness on Gunsmoke?
Milburn Stone, who played Doc Adams on Gunsmoke, initially did not get along with James Arness, who played Matt Dillon. Stone, known for his serious approach to acting, found Arness's casual attitude and occasional tardiness unprofessional. This led to friction between the two actors during the early seasons of that TV show.
Who made more money, John Wayne or James Arness?
James Arness made more money from Gunsmoke than John Wayne did in his entire film career. According to Celebritynetworth, actor John Wayne's net worth was $7 million at the time of his death in 1979, which was less than James Arness' net worth of $8 million.
Source: UGC
What was Amanda Blake's net worth?
Celebritynetworth reports that the actress was worth of $500,000 at the time of her death in 1989. She and James Arness enjoyed a strong professional relationship while she played Miss Kitty and he acted as Marshal Matt Dillon on the long-running Gunsmoke TV show. These actors shared a deep mutual respect and friendship that lasted for the duration of the series and beyond.
What was Dennis Weaver's net worth?
Dennis Weaver was worth $16 million at the time of his death. He died on 24 February 2006 of complications of cancer at his home in Ridgway, Colorado, aged 81. Dennis and James Arnes had a strong, lasting friendship that spanned over 50 years, beginning when they met on the set of the 1952 film Horizons West.
These American actors continued to work together on Gunsmoke, where Arness played Marshal Matt Dillon and Weaver played Chester Goode for nine years.
While Weaver's departure from the show in 1964 marked a change in their on-screen dynamic, their off-screen friendship remained strong until Weaver died in 2006.
Facts about James Arness' net worth
James Arness's assets before and at the time of his death, which contributed to his $8 million net worth, included:
- His luxurious home in Brentwood, California, has eight bedrooms, ten bathrooms, and covers over 7,000 square feet of space.
- He owned a 2000 Mercedes-Benz S500, which was listed as part of his estate and was sold at auction.
- He had several real estate investments, including a 1,400-acre Ranch that Arness donated to the Brandis Institute in 1968.
- He owned a 60-foot catamaran (a type of multihull sailboat), which he donated to the Sea Scouts.
- He co-owned two film production companies, Arness and Company and The Arness Production Company.
- His salary from Gunsmoke: While the exact figures are not publicly available, his salary for each episode of Gunsmoke started at $1,200 and later increased to $20,000. This would have generated substantial income over the show's 20-year run.
- It is reasonable to assume that his estate included other personal property, financial assets, business investments, and potentially real estate holdings.
James Arness' net worth at the time of his death in 2011 was estimated to be around $8 million. This is equivalent, in purchasing power, to about $11 million today, an increase of $3 million over 15 years. The actor gained immense wealth and fame from the 1955-1975 Webster television series, Gunsmoke, and is still associated with the series today.
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Source: TUKO.co.ke
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