Since 1955, he has towered above all Western lawmen—at least those on television. That’s not just because James Arness, better known as Marshal Matthew Dillon, stands 6-foot-7. Arness was nominated for three Emmy awards for his portrayal of the Dodge City lawman, and Gunsmoke, which ran for 20 years on CBS, probably will always remain TV’s longest-running Western. Arness, who turned 79 in May, lives near Los Angeles with wife Janet, and works on charity projects and keeps up with fans

True West March/April 2025
In This Issue:
Western Books & Movies
More In This Issue
- Truth Be Known
- What Has Taught Me: Deb Goodrich
- Earp, Cowboy Songs & Prairie Hygiene
- Trails of the Old West
- The Frontier Characters of South Dakota
- The Bowie Knife
- The Kindled Flame 1835
- King of the Scatterguns
- Selling the Mythic West and the Real West
- A Gut Punch Turns into a Miracle Reprieve
- The Beginnings of the Bird Cage
- Frontier Colossus