Actor James Arness has died at age 88. He was very well known, and loved, in Sweden for his role as Zeb Macahan in the Western series "How The West Was Won". A smash hit in Sweden at the time. He will be missed.

I will always remember him as Matt Dillon in Gunsmoke growing up. Got me interested in westerns as a kid I had the full outfit hat, gun, holster. RIP James.

yeh, Matt Dillon a major character for years for many in the States. Pretty wild early life...worked Carribean freighters in the 1930s, hopped railroad cars...later, a wife and daughter both dead from drug ODs... that lined out face came the hard way it seems. ALot of great work.

Rip

One of the early staples of American TV in the 1950s when television went from being an East Coast urban experience to spreading across the country and appealing to a more rural audience. He also starred in a horror film, 'The Thing'?

He was Peter Graves' (Mission Impossible) brother; both TV icons.
RIP Mr. Dillon

From [www.jamesarness.com]

"Hi friends,

I decided to write a letter to you for Janet to post on our website in the event I was no longer here.

I had a wonderful life and was blessed with some many loving people and great friends. The best part of my life was my family, especially my wife Janet. Many of you met her at Dodge City so you understand what a special person she is.

I wanted to take this time to 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 fun projects I was lucky enough to have been allowed to be a part of. I had the privilege of working with so many great actors over the years.

I was honored to have served in the army for my country. I was at Anzio during WWII and it makes you realize how very precious life is.

Thank you again for all the many letters, cards, emails and gifts we received from you over the years. You are and always have been truly appreciated.

Sincerely,
Jim Arness"

RIP

Yes, I remember him very well. Thank you Stoneage for posting this. RIP.

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Keep On Rolling

TV icon of my youth. You'll be missed, Marshall Dillon.

this is wierd, but i had just watched an episode of gunsmoke, turn over to cnn, and there was the anchor saying he had died.

I see that he is mostly recognized for Gunsmoke. Regrettably that series was never aired in Sweden (as far as I know). How was the impact of "How the West was won" in the U.S.? Here it was a smash hit.

Great actor-- a pioneer of the American TV Western---