She appeared in Cattletown and. One of the guest stars on the show happened to make Amanda Blake, who played Miss Kitty, a little starstruck. All content, including text, and images contained on news.AmoMama.com, or available through news.AmoMama.com is for general information purposes only. Well she did die from AIDS. After 19 years of doing that commute, she decided enough was enough. Amanda Blake was everyone's favorite actress on the TV series "Gunsmoke." Buck taught mentally and physically challenged children to ride until his passing in 1992 at the age of 45, an unusually long life for a horse. Fans loved watching the relationship unfold between Marshal Matt Dillon. She is excited but disappointed to separate from him. Do all Augusta members have greenjackets? However, Blake only returned for the first movie, which was called Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge. Blake, who smoked up to two packs of cigarettes a day, had, back in 1977, had surgery to treat oral cancer. Best remembered by the public for his role as Festus Haggen on Gunsmoke (1955). Stockley; "Big Wednesday" (1978) as Lucy; "Straight Time" This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The sassy owner of Long Branch Saloon in Dodge City was played by actress Amanda Blake, a woman who would forever make her mark not only in. Gunsmoke: Return To Dodge, today at 3p ET. Davis and Blake allegedly became friends after her guest appearance on Gunsmoke. Despite playing a terrifying persona, others would describe her as down to Earth and easy to get along with. Why did Pale Rider take Clint Eastwood to the next level the archetypal mysterious stranger? She had These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Blake, who portrayed the saloon owner in CBS's popular western TV series, left one season before the show ended. . is for general information purposes only. Fran Ryans Miss Hannah replaced Blakes Miss Kitty on Gunsmoke after her departure at the end of season 19. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Amanda Blake (February 20, 1929 - August 16, 1989) She is the first person to get 10 different Academy Award nominations during her career. She went on to marry three other men: Jason Seymour Day Jr., Frank Gilbert, and Mark Edward Spaeth. Other articles where Amanda Blake is discussed: Gunsmoke: included Miss Kitty Russell (Amanda Blake), owner of the Long Branch Saloon, which doubled as a bordello; Doc Adams (Milburn Stone), the town's adept physician; and Deputy Marshal Chester Goode (Dennis Weaver), Dillon's loyal sidekick. She died on January 16, //-->. If there's one true thing in the world, it's this Nobody pulls on our ol' heartstrings like Matt and Kitty. We believe that every person's story is important as it provides our community with an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging, share their hopes and dreams. Blakes Miss Kitty would ultimately see a return to the Gunsmoke series. What was wrong with Chesters leg on Gunsmoke? Soap, Radio" (1982) as Mrs. Belmont; "Hollywood Wives" (1985) How many different bartenders did they have on Gunsmoke? So why did Amanda Blake leave 'Gunsmoke'? The Legacy of Gunsmoke Facebook page shared the 1989 interview with the Museum of Radio and Television Seminar that included Blake, Arness, and producer John Mantley. , Accommodations and food service industry: 11.8%, Art, entertainment, and recreational fields: 11.5%. Amanda was a smoker for many years and eventually had oral cancer. Bert Rumsey: Bartender, Sam, Sam, Bartender, Bartender Sam, Long Branch Bartender, The Bartender, Townsman. What profession consumes the most alcohol? This was, primarily, due to the fact that she had been living in Phoenix and was commuting to Los Angeles for filming. James Arness said she was dynamite. He also said that he remembered Amanda Blake was absolutely petrified at the idea of working with this great lady., The casting director for the episode, Pam Polifroni, went out of her way to cast someone she thought could be haunting enough in the role. On TV she had a reputation as a replacement actress as she'd replaced many