For some reason I never watched much "Gunsmoke" when it was running, but I am making up for it now with TV Land. I don't know much about fast draw and realize it is TV, but James Arness looks pretty fast to me. Anyone know anything about where he learned to handle a gun? I've read pretty much everything on the net and can't find a reference.
Jim Arness
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feralmerril
Absent Comrade
Arvo Ohjea taught him and is the guy that matt is drawing down on at the beginning of every segment.
I have met james arness, he was one big dude, and in person he looked even bigger than he did on screen.
I have met james arness, he was one big dude, and in person he looked even bigger than he did on screen.
Slight correction, Merril - his teacher was Arvo Ojala, a quick-draw master of that era. I believe he originated the metal-lined holster that made a slick fast draw even faster. And his last name was pronounced Oh-Jalla, not Oh-Halla. It was not an Hispanic name.
John
feralmerril
Absent Comrade
I am a bad speller. Some where I read I belive he was a norwegion.
feralmerril
Absent Comrade
Correction again. I just googled him and seen he was finnish. Oh well thats next door, aint it?
gdnagle
US Veteran
If you get Encore Westerns, I have it on DTV, they play both Gunsmoke and Marshal Dillion. Never get tired of the old B&W shows.
ohiojerry
Member
Great show. We have a young guy here at work who is a dead ringer for Buck Taylor, the actor that played Newly O'Brien. Sadly he had never even heard of Gunsmoke so we had to educate him a bit.
Malpasowildlifer
Member
Great show and character. I remember the Biography on him and he seems like a real class act.
Wyatt Burp
Member
I was at a western movie festival at Sonora, Ca. the late 90's and Buck Taylor was there with his watercolor paintings displayed. Very fine work. Here's Matt Dillon facing Arvo Ojala but not quite how you remember it...
Gunsmoke - not the way your mother remembers it - YouTube
ACP230
Member
Arvo Ojala was a Finn, eh?
Got lots of his second cousins, twice removed, here in da U.P.
Got lots of his second cousins, twice removed, here in da U.P.
shouldazagged
Absent Comrade
And that was a very good deed you performed!
I believe Arness used to be six feet seven, but I imagine he shrank with age. His brother, Peter Graves, was a little shorter as I recall.
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Will Carry
Member
James Arness was "The Thing" in the original black and white movie. I grew up watching Gunsmoke. I watched an episode tonight with a young Burt Reynolds.
Since he was friendly with John Wayne I wonder if he also learned a few tricks from Wayne's early mentor, Yakima Canutt?
So you guys figger that he and Miss Kitty ever, um, you know....
Jack Flash
Member
YouTube has an interesting series of interviews someone did with Mr. Arness some years after his acting career ended. Well worth watching if you have the time.
He was so badly wounded at Anzio that he spent a year in the hospital and walked with a slight limp the rest of his life.
He was so badly wounded at Anzio that he spent a year in the hospital and walked with a slight limp the rest of his life.
shouldazagged
Absent Comrade
Well, Miss Kitty did have a heart of gold. Unlike most ladies in her line of management...
labworm
US Veteran
Every night at 5:30 PM , the half hour show "Matt Dillon", followed at 6:00 PM, the hour show "Gunsmoke".
On the Western Channel, rarely miss it.
On the Western Channel, rarely miss it.
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