james arness

Legendary 'Gunsmoke' star James Arness, a bigger-than-life actor who kept the peace as Marshal Matt Dillon during the show's remarkable 20-year run, died Friday of natural causes at his home in Brentwood, Calif., his family told the Los Angeles Times. He was 88.

'Gunsmoke' debuted on CBS in 1955 and ran until 1975, in the process making Arness one of the more enduring stars on television and the Matt Dillon character one of its most beloved and trusted.

The 6' 7" Arness towered over the cast, including Dillon's deputy, Chester, played by Dennis Weaver. Other supporting stars included Amanda Blake as Kitty and Milburn Stone as Doc Adams.

Peter Graves died of a heart attack at his Los Angeles home today. He was an actor who seemed to do a little bit of everything, and where you know him from might depend on your age.

He was team leader Jim Phelps on 'Mission: Impossible' in the '60s and also had a memorable role as the pilot Captain Oveur in the first two 'Airplane' movies in the '80s. He was also the host of A&E's 'Biography' for ten years and appeared in several commercials ("I'm Peter Graves..."). You might even know him from voice work he did on 'American Dad.' He had a recurring role on '7th Heaven' and guest roles on 'Cold Case,' 'House,' 'Diagnosis: Murder,' 'The Love Boat,' 'Fantasy Island,' and other shows.

Graves wasn't happy about Phelps being the bad guy in the big-screen 'Mission: Impossible' movie but was actually going to film a cameo in the fourth film in the franchise.

Graves was the brother of another TV icon, 'Gunsmoke's' James Arness. After the jump, the opening to 'Mission: Impossible.'

First there was the news that The Big Valley is going big screen. Now it's Gunsmoke getting the silver screen adaptation. Are westerns coming back and nobody told me?

Gunsmoke, the long running CBS western, the series that made a star of James Arness and was a fixture on the Tiffany network from 1955-1975, will be turned into a motion picture.

CBS Films has turned to the writer of National Treasure: Book of Secrets to craft a new incarnation of the exploits of Marshal Matt Dillon in the western town of Dodge City. The Marshal, as fans of the show or those who've seen the drama on TVLand, was ably assisted by Miss Kitty -- owner of the Long Branch Saloon -- and Doc Adams, the Dodge City doctor.