James Arness
- Birthplace: Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Birthday: May 26, 1923
Standing 6'6" and casting a shadow every bit as impressive as his mentor John 'Duke' Wayne, James Arness burned himself indelibly into the American psyche as Marshall Matt Dillon, Dodge City's straight-shootin' sheriff on the long-running CBS series "Gunsmoke" (1955-1975). Born James Aurness, this older brother of actor Peter Graves was recovering from WWII wounds suffered during the Anzio invasion when he joined a little-theater group, supporting himself as a real estate agent and advertising man. He made his screen debut in 1947's "The Farmer…more