R.I.P. James Arness...the Original "Thing"...also of Gunsmoke fame

[Opera Ghost]

 Television icon and the star of one of the medium's longest running series James Arness has died. he was 88. The weekly drama wrapped its run in 1975, and then Arness reprised the role in five made-for-TV movies from 1987 to 1994.

[Unknown Primate]

Awww, damn!  What a cool & awesome guy - I still try to catch a GUNSMOKE at least once a week.  Of course, THEM & THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD are staples of my viewing.  Glad he lived to a ripe, old age. 
R.I.P. Big man!

[tv horror]

This is sad news, I really liked him as an actor. I wrote to him a few years ago praising his sci-fi work on and on I went saying how much I loved the Thing and especially his role in Them, and what did he send me? A signed Matt Dillion photo, ah well I suppose it's the thought that counts R.I.P Mr Arness.

[charp13]

Awwwwwww......he was one of a kind!  Thanks for the hours of outstanding entertainment, good Sir.   

[typhooforme]

Arness was a wonderful person.  Last month when I was at Bob Burns' place, he talked at length about how kind Jim Arness was to Glenn Strange.  Glenn's health, during the run of GUNSMOKE, had taken a bad turn and it looked as though Strange would have to give up his longtime role as Sam the bartender at the Long Branch Saloon.  Arness talked to Glenn's wife--Glenn was  just sitting at home, very depressed--and he said to tell Glenn he was to come in to the studio and they'd fix it so he could continue his role.  As was done in the case of Howard McNear (Floyd the Barber) on THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, arrangements were made for Glenn to be able to perform in future episodes seated or resting, and he worked until the very end of his life--all owing to Arness's pulling the right strings at the studio.

Many years ago, in the early 1980s, I wrote to James Arness to get his autograph--I sent him some pages from an article about him and his family which had appeared in TV GUIDE.  Among the photos in the article were a couple of Jim and his brother Peter (Graves)  as kids.  When Arness replied to me, he wrote a letter saying he hoped I didn't mind, but his brother was visiting him when my fan letter arrived, and he'd had Pete sign the TV GUIDE article, too!  Hoped I didn't mind!  What a cool thing for him to do!

Thanks, Jim, for THE THING and for GUNSMOKE--two pieces of work which will live on forever!  Rest in peace now.

[neonnoodle]

What a wonderful story Bob Burns told you about Arness and Glenn Strange!

[Scatter]

Man, I'm SO sorry to hear this. Arness was a class act. RIP.

[Gaberax]

Great actor, Scifi or otherwise. http://www.cnn.com/2011/SHOWBIZ/celebrity.news.gossip/06/03/obit.arness/index.html?hpt=hp_t1 




The THING!
http://frankensteinia.blogspot.com/2009/12/frankensteinian-thing-from-another.html

[monsterphile]

I had hoped to get his autograph one day, but his website had no THING photos.  In fact, I used the contact feature at the website to request that he add some for his Sci Fi fans.  Sadly, that never happened.  Never watched Gunsmoke.  Sounds like a decent guy though.

Rob

[CreepysFan]

   

  Never cared for Gunsmoke but loved his Sci-Fi movies, especially THEM.  Man, it was just last year we lost his brother Peter Graves.  Instead of having a star on his chest, he's now a star in the Heavens watching over us.  Rest in peace.

[Flower]

I didn't watch Gunsmoke either but did respect the man .. R.I.P.

[Creature Features]

Rest In Peace, sir....

[FRANKEinstein]

James Arness....

Such a talent!

I will always remember the classic "All in the Family" episode
where Archie Bunker comes into the living room to see Meathead
eating the LAST piece of pie.

Archie screams..."That was the last piece.....I was savin' it for Gunsmoke!"

Thanks for the entertainment, James!

R.I.P.

[Pauspy]

His role in THEM was also a classic in my book-the resourceful FBI agent who has to deal with giant ants while keeping his hat on during a sand storm. Looked great in those goggles too! 

[ICEMANN333]

R.I.P ...............BIG JOHN.............HE'S BACK ON THE RANGE...........