So, he leaves the badge and dodge behind as well as kitty, festus, doc, and newly. The long branch was take over by hanna played by fran ryan during the next final season and miss kitty was rarely mentioned. This is the first time ive ever heard matt talk about killing and more conversation would have been insightful. A look at the long running tv show gunsmoke and some little known facts about it s filming. Whatever happened to miss kitty, amanda blake form gunsmoke. Amanda blake miss kitty from gunsmoke died of aids. Miss kitty is the third episode of the seventh season of the tv series gunsmoke synopsis edit. The real reason miss kitty didnt return for the final. Matt dillon had just one on screen kiss, the woman wasnt. By the time of the gold train episode, kitty remembers when she first met matt 17 years before. Author traces the life of miss kitty, amanda blake news.
Whatever happened to miss kitty, amanda blake from gunsmoke. It opens with matt traveling somewhere in the far west, arness told the associated press at the time. He might have only appeared in one episode, but it was a huge moment in the show s history. Miss kitty, and television left a lot to viewers imaginations. Whats interesing, though, is that even people like me who have never seen an episode of gunsmoke know exactly who miss kitty is. Kitty wells was a country music singer in the 50 s, 60 s and 70 s. There was the curious suspension of miss kittys profession, never quite answering what she was doing in a saloon wearing a prom dress.
Amanda blake, the actress who played miss kitty on the longrunning television series gunsmoke, died of aidsrelated complications and not, as a. Matt is thankful for his help and tries to intervene when perce falls for ida poe, one of miss kittys girls, who is actually another mans girlfriend. She rides off in the night undercover and picks up a young boy. By the look on her face at the end, that little blonde is wetter than an otters pocket. The real reason miss kitty didnt return for the final season of gunsmoke. Good as gunsmoke was it was not to explain how miss kitty paid the rent.
Sep 03, 2010 i remember vividly being 10 or 12 years old and the impact that episode had on me. The gunsmoke podcast ben thompson radios last great dramatic series episode 2 by chesterton radio. The unresolved love between marshal matt dillon and miss kitty russell on gunsmoke. Carolyn wasnt all that happy about it but we finished watching the program and have been watching gunsmoke and reruns ever since. In the united kingdom gunsmoke was originally broadcast under the title gun law. The gunsmoke podcast ben thompson radio s last great dramatic series episode 2 by chesterton radio. Miss kitty once said of arness, adding, ive worked with him for 16 years, but i dont really know him.
The show didnt mention miss kitty s career choices. The series ran for 20 seasons, making it the longestrunning western in television history. Nov 08, 1989 amanda blake, the actress who played miss kitty on the longrunning television series gunsmoke, died of aidsrelated complications and not, as a hospital and her friends reported at the time. When a lawmans gun arm is shot up, hes essentially a sitting duck. Like i said if ever an episode should have ben in two parts, this was it. Gc3tg8c gunsmoke series miss kitty traditional cache. The unresolved love between marshal matt dillon and miss. Amanda blake appeared in over 500 episodes of the television series, with her last being the april 1. Blakes character was miss kathleen kitty russell, the proprietor of a saloon in dodge city, the setting for gunsmoke. Ran up to the front office half dressed and got change for a dollar bill. Friendsand her doctorsay aids, not cancer, killed gunsmoke. Kitty is just someone matt has to visit every once in a while.
Kitty has her friends in dodge buzzing when she meets the stage in the early hours to pick up a small boy. When matt dillon goes out of town on business, he leaves miss kitty behind without a date to the dance. To dodge and beyond discussing each seasons high points and share other behindthescenes. Burgoyne will be in dodge city this weekend to attend the gunsmoke 55th anniversary celebrations and to sign copies of her book. The brothel was the upstair with number of rooms for the saloon girls to use with their clients.
That was an excellent episode and kitty lost has been a loving part of our lives for 54 years, tho we have not seen it since our honeymoon. Amanda blake, miss kitty russell, ilse rehbein ard. She was a heavy smoker for many years and had oral. For the shows last five seasons, it appears that the label has decided to release full rather than halfseason sets, a wise decision, and theyve even added a most welcome supplement. Gunsmoke never hung a sign over her profession, a kindness her profession rarely gets. Gunsmoke series miss kitty gc3tg8c was created by old professor on 8122012. Amanda blakes last episode on gunsmoke was the disciple, which originally aired on april 1, 1974. The show s cast included some of the most memorable characters in television history, including marshal matt dillon and the sassy miss kitty. Amanda blake, who played the kindhearted saloonkeeper miss kitty in the gunsmoke television series for 19 years, died of oral cancer on wednesday at. The story sees characters such as marshal matt dillon, miss kitty and chester goode protecting the city from a variety of villains. Ultimately, romance wasnt the primary focus of gunsmoke.
Gunsmoke questions for roger ewing and rogers replies. I remember vividly being 10 or 12 years old and the impact that episode had on me. For many, gunsmoke was more than just a tv western, it was an epic journey that many followed for over two decades. Amanda blake appeared in over 500 episodes of the television series, with her last being the. I also think matts goodbyes especially to kitty in dodge deserved more time. Aug 09, 2015 in order to understand how television has changed through the years, one would have to consider the on screen relationship between marshal matt dillon james arness and saloon owner miss kitty russell amanda blake on the classic western series gunsmoke, which ran on cbs from 1955 to 1975. Amanda blake, 60, saloonkeeper on tvs gunsmoke for 19. Kitty wells was a country music singer in the 50s, 60s and 70s. Seventeen years later, dillon finally learns the true ramifications of his oneweek stand with mike in the 1990 madefortv movie gunsmoke ii. Miss kitty is the third episode of the seventh season of the tv series gunsmoke. William smith as the evil jude bonner when jude bonner s younger brother virgil is arrested by marshal dillon, tried and sentenced to hang, jude brings his dog soldiers to dodge and takes miss kitty to trade for his brother. She then takes him to a farm owned by the kriks, an older.
Gunsmoke radios last great dramatic series episode 19 by chesterton radio. I also think matt s goodbyes especially to kitty in dodge deserved more time. Shed grown weary of her limited role and was, after nearly two decades of kittying, anxious to try something different. Gc3tg8c gunsmoke series miss kitty traditional cache in. In the midst of the modern chaos, america wanted to spend an hour at miss kittys saloon.
The theme of medical malpractice came up several times over the years. Author traces the life of miss kitty, amanda blake. Jul 02, 2019 created by norman macdonnell and john meston, the show started off on the radio, taking place in dodge city, kansas. The shows cast included some of the most memorable characters in television history, including marshal matt dillon and the sassy miss kitty. Matt tries to learn the identity of a young boy kitty took off the stagecoach in the dead of night. As far as i know kitty wells never was an actress in gunsmoke. Episode titles and descriptions for the gunsmoke tv series airing on insp. He died of a brain tumor in the third to last episode of the series in the role of harve daley. William smith as the evil jude bonner when jude bonners younger brother virgil is arrested by marshal dillon, tried and sentenced to hang, jude brings his dog soldiers to. In fact, it was this very show which kickstarted the popular phrase, get the hell out of dodge. From behindthescenes drama to that polarizing ending. Thus, hard labor, episode 20 of season 20, was the final story shot. Marshall matt dillon had a daughter on tv show gunsmoke.
Kitty was played by georgia ellis on radio, and by amanda blake. The central character is lawman marshal matt dillon, played by william conrad on radio and james arness on television. A look at the long running tv show gunsmoke and some little known facts about its filming. Amanda blake february 20, 1929 august 16, 1989 was an american actress best known for the role of the redhaired saloon proprietress miss kitty russell on the western television series gunsmoke. With james arness, dennis weaver, milburn stone, amanda blake. The only reason why i thought of it was because it airs right after hogans heroes, so i very often catch the opening credits to the show at the tail end of the recording on my dvr. Various characters blamed doctors for the death of their loved ones, regardless of the facts. Watch gunsmoke episodes, get episode information, recaps and more. I reckon this thread could turn ugly, and i want every last one a you to know that im a watchn, and i wont cotton to any of you boys talkn bad about miss kitty.
The last episode of gunsmoke was not designed to be a series finale. The nearest miss kitty gets to being married is when she has to pretend to be married to cavalry sgt. Perfect silk dress, perfectly styled red curls perfect beauty mark. What was the profession of miss kitty gunsmoke radio and. Thats what matt figures when his ability to shoot again is in doubt. How clean and wonderful the life of a wild west saloon girl must have been. Like vultures circling, outlaws start coming in to gun dillon down. Miss kitty had a permanent room upstair where she also could entertain if she wanted too. Her last episode was the disciple, but no mention was made of her leaving the show. Matt dillon james arness and kitty amanda blake never married during the series 195575 run, although close watchers of the show were convinced they had connected at some time.
What was the last episode amanda blake did on gunsmoke. Along with her third husband, frank gilbert, she ran one of the first successful programs for breeding cheetahs in captivity. This episode included amanda blakes final appearance as kitty, after 19 years on the series. Beckey burgoyne, author of a new biography of amanda blake, who played miss kitty for 19 years, remembers that episode. Miss kitty has to keep a boy away from his father whom the boy doesnt know is a fugitive killer. Gunsmoke is an american radio and television western drama series created by director norman macdonnell and writer john meston.
Considering mister dillon and miss kittys profession. Gunsmoke a very popular and highly rated western series. Blake subsequently quit the popular television show, which was then in its 19th season. Best pic i think i have ever seen of matt and kitty i. Miss kitty, having changed to a pants and a shirt, rides out at midnight to a stagecoach station to pick up a young boy named thaddeus nicknamed thad. Abe blocker, an aging mountain man who lives in isolation and is a friend of matt dillons, begins to use lethal force on settlers in order to protect the land he believes is his own. This is the first time that kitty killed someone on gunsmoke but not the last. Milburn stone as galen doc adams, ken curtis as festus haggen, burt reynolds as quint asper, amanda blake as miss kitty russell and james arness as marshall matt dillon. The real reason miss kitty didnt return for the final season of. However, in the first of three movies after the series, miss kitty tells hanna. She doesnt want to tell matt or doc who he is and why. Join us as we explore some of the most intriguing and obscure details about matt dillon and the gang from dodge city. It really showed miss kitty s beauty and brains and the strength she had, she said.
Marshall matt dillon had a daughter on classic tv show gunsmoke who debuted in 1990 made for television movie gunsmoke ii the last apache. Matt dillon had just one onscreen kiss, the woman wasnt. Holly to save her from a robber gang sergeant holly, 1970. From behindthescenes drama to that polarizing ending the. But, dillon is out and about and a new marshal is when a lawmans gun arm is shot up, hes essentially a sitting duck. Gunsmoke was originally a halfhour program filmed in blackandwhite. Miss kitty left gunsmoke at the end of season 19 without an onscreen farewell. Jul 25, 2017 marshall matt dillon had a daughter on classic tv show gunsmoke who debuted in 1990 made for television movie gunsmoke ii the last apache. On the back of gunsmokes success, cbs released a spinoff. So i think all you can do is decide for yourself where the cutoff is.
Aug 12, 2012 gunsmoke series miss kitty gc3tg8c was created by old professor on 8122012. Remember gunsmoke and sheriff matt dillons main squeeze. Kitty was played by georgia ellis on radio, and by amanda. It really showed miss kittys beauty and brains and the strength she had, she said. Gunsmoke is an american western television series developed by charles marquis warren and based on the radio program of the same name. Amanda blake died of aids, doctor says the new york times. Sep 02, 2019 for many, gunsmoke was more than just a tv western, it was an epic journey that many followed for over two decades. Did you know she left her estate to animal protection charities, and insisted that no fur was ever shown on any episode of gunsmoke. Nehemiah persoff, a traditional basque custom to prove ones manhood. In life, controversy seldom touched amanda blake, the straightshooting miss kitty of tvs gunsmoke, but now, three months after her death in sacramento, calif. Playing the character harve daley in one of the show s final episodes in 1975, gary busey made history when he became the final character to ever be killed off on gunsmoke.