Characters came, stayed, and left. In 1984, the Cancer Society named her as the recipient of its Courage Award, which was presented to Blake in the Oval Office by President Ronald Reagan. All Rights Reserved. WebJames Arness explained on the DVD commentary that after the first couple of seasons, they decided to drop those references to make the show more family friendly, and so Miss Kitty became just a lady saloon owner. Blake, 58, underwent surgery for oral cancer in 1977 and afterward made appearances throughout the country on behalf of the American Cancer Society. However, according to IMDb, she turned down the role due to her marriage with Tommy Bond in 1953. But Festus was both more reliable and harder working, and rarely complained in comparison to Chester. Polly retired from acting after getting married. Blakes fifth husband, Mark Spaeth, an Austin, Texas, city councilman and developer, died of pneumonia in 1985 at age 45. I loved that way he and Doc would pick at each other. There was a lot of speculation and confusion over the cause of death. Polly Bond was first offered the star spot in the show. All things considered, it seems that Weaver's desire to move beyond playing Chester was the real reason that the beloved character permanently rode off into the Festus was one of those unforgettable characters. Festus whining gets a little old after awhile. & saw the show and old jail , Boot Hill. The latter marked not only the end of Gunsmoke as a franchise - at least for now - it was also Arness' final acting credit. Did you enjoy readingWhy Did Festus Leave Gunsmoke? Why did Festus quit Gunsmoke? It was also considered grittier and more grounded than the average Western movie of that time. Miss Blake had no children. We were the Native family there. When the last episode of Gunsmoke aired, the popular Western had been on television for 20 seasons. The shows success relied mainly on the drama and suspense that spun from resolving seemingly serious situations. The Emmy award-winning show focused on Matt Dillon, a United States Marshal, saddled with maintaining law and order in a town close to the United States border. Hope they never stop the reruns. Looking at the reruns, it is amazing to see the roster of actors that started out or had roles on Gunsmoke: Ernest Borgnine, Clint Eastwood, James Mason, John Saxon, I cant even name them all. Because although it is a Western, it is a Clean Family Show that people still love to watch. Once she knew she had it, she decided to keep it to herself, said Pat Derby, a close friend of Amanda. The show had all of the ingredients for greatness, which is evident by is popularity for 20 years. Since the show didnt continue after its twentieth season, it is impossible to say what happened to Festus; if he would have stayed put or left Gunsmoke. I fully expected Matt to turn to him one day and exclaim your character is just plain dumb but he never did. I love gunsmoke one of my favorite westerns watch every night watched it since I was young and Im 72 and still watch reruns but I dont care I love the actors and I think they all are fantastic, I am 85 and watched Gunsmoke with my children when they were growing up, now we get together and watch it again. Eat, drink and enjoy life with the foodies of the world. How did Miss Kitty die in Gunsmoke? Miss Blake, a resident of Sacramento, was a longtime activist for animal protection. ", Related: Gunsmoke: The Long Ride Finds Marshal Dillion Framed For Murder. I have the pleasure of watching it 7+ times a day. Festus didnt leave Gunsmoke. I loved them all. I do not like Festus. My Uncle got me started watching gunsmoke , and I still think of him while watching the reruns! And, the characters storylines were left opened ended. However, according to IMDb, she turned down the role due to her After Gunsmoke, she worked only sporadically, usually in guest appearances for TV game shows, movies of the week and such series as Edge of Night, Hart to Hart, and Love Boat.. My husband and I watch Gunsmoke every day and it was great reading all about the characters. I had a friend named (Shorty) and he was identical to Festus. Blake endeared herself to a generation of television viewers as Kitty Russell, a worldly wise woman with a compassionate heart beneath a crusty exterior. Subscribe to our newsletter for new stories, tips & events. Shortly after departing "Gunsmoke," the actor was cast in the single-season NBC comedy-drama "Kentucky Jones." I truly love The Show Gunsmokes. However, I have watched it in reruns and try not to miss any. Newly knew right away she'd be his bride. Instead, the final episode which was the 635th of its run aired and that was it. He was so nosey and in Matts business all the time. Kudos to Gunsmoke! 'Gunsmoke' was one of the most popular shows, with Amanda Blake starring between 1955-1974. I started watching Gunsmoke as a child and I loved watching it then and then I found it on Pluto which carries all 20 seasons Im in season 8 of it now and Im going to continue to watch it until I see every single episode I watch it all day long I dont watch nothing else I seen a lot of the actors at Sydney Iowa Rodeo several years ago our parents took us up there and we got to see a lot of movie actors some of them on Gunsmoke for there. The move will put actor James Arness, for 20 years the hero of the long-running Gunsmoke TV western, on the unemployment rolls. Gunsmoke: Amanda Blake Was Furious with CBS for Canceling the Show. I meant to say new people playing the characters and it wouldnt be the same. Little did she know, the He appeared on the hit western for three seasons. I really like gunsmoke. He probably would have continued on the program if it hadnt ended. WebGunsmoke ran 20 years and had 635 episodes, making it the longest-running American prime-time drama TV series to date. The episode occurred during the middle of his run. Miss Blake left Gunsmoke in 1974 after 19 years. His father was a sheriff, and he had spent time working on a jail farm as a child. He plays an Indian where the Indian child gets beat up and a bad guy in the ex urbans or something like that name. Why Did Doc Leave 'Gunsmoke'? My husband and I still watch it every day. It was a suspenseful movie about an 18 wheeler driver with road rage and it ended with a surprise ending. A $300-million (minimum) gondola to Dodger Stadium? Thankfully, Return To Dodge helped right that wrong. can! It's pronounced Paw-rick, not Pad-raig. She played the character of Miss Kitty for 19 years before leaving the show in 1974. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. They were so funny together. The series took place in Kansas (Dodge City). Patricia had a blood disease and she died in the episode. People who knew Curtis felt the character Festus wasnt too difficult to play because of his background. Love it still today at age 74! Distractify is a registered trademark. However, the network didnt inform them about ending the show. The American Western series had 20 seasons, with 635 episodes aired in 20 years. While this didn't lead to a TV series revival, Arness did return for another four movies, including Gunsmoke: The Long Ride and 1994's Gunsmoke: One Man's Justice. I cant agree with the people who said that Chester was dumb and a bumbler. The show ended. He had also served in the US Army during the Second World war. Festus just let crooks dressed as calvary take over the town. Blakes death certificate listed the immediate cause of death as cardiopulmonary arrest due to liver failure and CMV hepatitis. With Amanda Blake appearing as Miss Kitty for 19 of the 20 seasons. This post is an overview of the character Festus and the successfultelevision showGunsmoke. Nothing like the series FOR SURE , Im with you Twila, Id watch every single episode, I watch it mant times every night as it is now but to watch it from start to finish would be great. Upon learning that "Gunsmoke" was on the chopping block, the wife of CBS chief William Paley intervened in protest. AIDS is caused by a virus that attacks the bodys immune system. Yes the Mr Dillon was annoying but prefer Chester over Mr whinny and Chester and Doc argued a lot too. was formerly a radio show entitled called Gun law. I love Gunsmoke. According to David R. Greenlands book, The Gunsmoke Chronicles: A New History of Televisions Greatest Here are a few things you should know about the last episode of the greatGunsmoke: Milburn Stone, who played Doc Adams and was in 629 episodes, died five years after the show ended without featuring in the Gunsmoke TV movie or any other movie for that matter. Instead, CBS canceled "Gilligan's Island" and "Gunsmoke" took over their time slot. I like Chester better to. We love the whole cast of actors including Festus. He made his first appearance in the eighth season of the show and stayed on for eleven years. I live in Dodge City KS and my husband and I watch gunsmoke daily Devotional fan of festus and doc, live next door to I dont care bar and grill LoL. The subject of righteousness got handled with ambiguity, and viewers seemed to find it refreshing. To me all the main characters were great, but Festus by far was the most entertaining He was also Dillons deputy. Blake, 60, had AIDS symptoms for about a year, said Nishimura. It launched Spielbergs career. The characters were endearing and rich, the plots were entertaining, and the acting was great. And that the Fans were not informed as well. I record several episodes daily, and look for those with Festus in it. Amanda returned to play Miss Kitty in Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge, a TV movie that ran in 1985. I still frequently watch it. Gunsmokes story lines softened when it was moved in 1961 from its late Saturday night time slot to early Monday or Tuesday nights. I just read up on Chester and enjoyed the article very much. There was also one very furious actress. CBS likely felt Gunsmoke was outdated and wanted to replace it with more contemporary shows, though it was still performing well. BesidesGunsmoke, he was in other movies and TV series like Rawhide, Cheyenne Autumn, How the West Won, Perry Mason, Wagon Master, etc. 8. Here's why classic Western series Gunsmoke was canceled after 20 years and didn't receive a finale episode. After 19 years, though, why did Amanda leave? One of the most popular characters on Gunsmoke was the infamous Miss Kitty. Does anyone know why after season 10 Fetus was turned into somewhat of an idiot? However, he was not the first Deputy Marshal Matt Dillion had officially appointed to help him. He seemed to be around whenever there was free food or if Kitty gave him free beer. I like Festus better than Chester. Actress Amanda Blake was Furious After Amen. It is impossible to say if Ken Curtis would have continued playing Festus onGunsmokeif the network hadnt chosen to end the show. I agree with the whining too much. The shows original cast starred Arness as Marshal Matt Dillon, Dennis Weaver as his limping deputy, Chester Goode, Milburn Stone as Doc Adams and Miss Blake as Kitty Russell, the throaty-voiced owner of the Long Branch. Blake played Kitty from the series debut in 1955 until 1974. It is safe to assume he, as Festus would have continued since he didnt leave any indication of departing the show Gunsmoke. Instead, Blake became Miss Kitty for 20 seasons and Polly and Tommy have been married for 54 years. People described his character as polarizing because most fans either loved the character and wanted to keep seeing him or hated the character and didnt want him on the show. Festus finally became deputy marshal because Dillons deputy of nine seasons, Chester, left the show. Before it became a TV show, Gunsmoke started life as a radio program. What You Should Know About The Final Episode Of Gunsmoke, Buffalo Man Full Episode Gunsmoke, Season #03, Episode #18, Blood Money Full Episode Gunsmoke, Season #13, Episode #19, Blood Money Full Episode Gunsmoke, Season #03, Episode #03, Bad Seed Full Episode Gunsmoke, Season #06, Episode #21, Abelia Full Episode Gunsmoke, Season #14, Episode #08. She first starred in the 1950 western film, Stars in My Crown. She was also in another western called Cattle Town and Miss Robin Crusoe. Due to her experience in westerns, Gunsmoke was the perfect role. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) _ Amanda Blake, who played Miss Kitty in the long-running Gunsmoke television series, died of AIDS-related complications, not Heres The Truth. We both love all the episodes whether the first time or over and over. Born in the late 50s I was definitely a child of television. If yes, keep reading! Gunsmoke: Why the Original Actress Offered the Part of Miss Kitty Turned Down Role, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWDFcUW_SCo, Favorite Kitty/Matt Clips Part 1 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWDFcUW_SCo). var device = 'desktop'; I love Gunsmoke; I watch it nearly every day from 1-4 pm on TV Land. She had also said that they offered too much money. He was one of my favorite characters. They tried out 26 different actors. The different seasons and episodes involved Dillon fighting robbers, bandits, and various people or groups that threatened the towns peace. The first attempt to cancel the show wasnt acceptable to most fans, so the network had to keep it running for as long as it did. Why was coffee mentioned so frequently? Why did you call Festus a Hillman? My husband just turned 90 and discovered the INSP channel. Mannon also has an old score to settle with Miss Kitty. "You can't cancel Gunsmoke," she said. Festus was a character onGunsmokeuntil 1975: when the network ended the show. Miss Kitty was a fan-favorite on Gunsmoke, as the owner of the Long Branch Saloon in Dodge City. Gunsmoke did consistently well in ratings throughout its run, though its popularity dipped in 1967, which saw CBS planning to cancel it. My dogs and cats keep me company. And the reason he broke jail was to warn Dillon that Mannon was out of prison and determined to kill everyone who helped put him there, including for former marshal of Dodge City. The show became a hit. Theyre not so believable and I find them annoying. But my family loved Gunsmoke and all of the characters. Do you want to know more about Gunsmoke and Festus? They believed they were going to come back to shoot another season. The show only lasted one more year without me., After Gunsmoke, she only worked sporadically, usually in guest appearances for television game shows, movies of the week and such series as Edge of Night, Hart to Hart, and Love Boat.. Gunsmoke Bartenders Death Shook Up Blake, Costars Perhaps another thing that contributed to Blakes departure was the death of Glenn Strange. Strange died on Sept. 23, 1973, from lung cancer at 74 years old. He portrayed Sam Noonan, a mainstay bartender on Gunsmoke. He was beloved by many on the show. Actress Amanda Blake, the earthy Miss Kitty who ran the Longbranch Saloon on the long-running television series Gunsmoke, died of oral and throat cancer in Sacramentos Mercy Hospital, a hospital spokeswoman said late Wednesday. Chesters whining was the only thing I disliked about him. It was hard for the show to find someone suited for the role. The reason why the three never shared more screen time together is that Chester was leaving Gunsmoke for greener pastures. Actor Dennis Weaver, who played Chester, wanted to pursue other opportunities. Production brought in actor Ken Curtis as Festus to replace the character. Inside Milburn Stone's Western Role According to the article, the final episode was titled The Sharecroppers.. I would have preferred the character of Festus to have retained more of the edge he had in Prairie Wolfer, as opposed to becoming a comedic figure. She was caretaker to a young boy that was injured during a tornado. Marshal Matt Dillon wanted. He said he didnt know how she contracted the fatal disease. In the show, Dillon would tell criminals to "Get outta Dodge." Otherwise, he was a loyal and hard-working assistant. After Gunsmoke's season 20 finale "The Sharecroppers" aired, the cast and crew all expected to be renewed for at least another series, but CBS instead opted to cancel the show and replace it with sitcom spinoff Rhoda.