how did sam the bartender die on gunsmoke?

The resemblance was so strong, a photo of Stranges Frankensteins monster appeared in Karloffs obituary. In 1952, he was cast in the role of Chief Black Cloud in the episode "Indian War Party" of the syndicated The Range Rider. Ritter had already finished shooting three episodes of the show's third season when he passed, and they were shown after his death before the series went on hiatus. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Mack was also in NBCs Gunsmoke radio version. Hathorn, Billy (2013). He was an Irishman and Cherokee and was a close relative of Rex Allen. Gunsmoke is a Technicolor film for action star and war hero Audie Murphy. During its run, Gunsmoke featured many bartenders, including James Arness. Perhaps another thing that contributed to Blakes departure was the death of Glenn Strange. He played FESTUS HAGGIN, a sidekick of Marshal Matt Dillon. The shows long-running run and wide popularity led CBS to continue its run on Monday nights. more Burt Reynolds Gunsmoke, Evening Shade Burton Leon Reynolds Jr. Ted Jordan played Nathan Burke , freight agent (129 episodes, 1961-1975) When the Gunsmoke TV series went to color in 1966, a new opening was filmed. He is best remembered for playing Frankensteins monster in three Universal films during the 1940s and for his role as Sam Noonan, the popular bartender on CBS s Gunsmoke television series. When did Sam become the bartender on Gunsmoke? These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. For six seasons, Spencer played Leo McGarry, chief of staff and later counselor to the president for the Bartlett administration. In 1958, he had a minor part in an episode of John Payne's The Restless Gun, and had an important role in the 1958 episode "Chain Gang" of the Western series 26 Men, true stories about the Arizona Rangers. His last name was Noonan, so he would often quip with his friend Sam about the funniest thing he had seen. Prior to landing the bartender role, the actor had portrayed various characters on "Gunsmoke" before then. The series ran from 1955 until 1975, and was one of the longest running prime-time shows on television. This led to being Miss Kittys bartender in Gunsmoke. Noonan was cast in more than 300 projects throughout his career. If you were mentally cataloging a list of TV shows that might deal with the untimely loss of an actor with dignity and grace, you wouldn't necessarily putRiverdaleat the top. Strange died of lung cancer in Los Angeles. After the shows cancellation, Noonan continued to appear in other westerns, including Smith and Play It As It Lays.. In the late 1920s, Glenn and his cousin, Taylor McPeters, better known later as the western character actor Cactus Mack, joined a radio singing group known as the "The Arizona Wranglers" that toured throughout the country.They both started providing singing fillers in film westerns in the early 1930s. When the network called for Gunsmoke to shut down business in Dodge City, it was surprising news to its stars and fans alike. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. For six full seasons, he served as Monk's friend, doctor, and confidant, often unwittingly helping Monk piece together the case he was working on. George Glenn Strange (August 16, 1899 September 20, 1973) was an American actor who mostly appeared in Western films and was billed as Glenn Strange. Doc Adams didnt leave Gunsmoke by choice despite the stereotypes that actors leave shows over drama behind the scenes. He began his film career with minor appearances in The Way West (1967) and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), Season 5 of Mission: Impossible and guest-starred on television in the Western Gunsmoke (1972) and the television films Murder in Texas (1981) and The Shadow Riders (1982). He also appeared in five made-for-television movies based on the Gunsmoke franchise. Gunsmoke: Glenn Strange, Who Played Sam the Bartender, Had Some Wild Roles Before the Show. Sams last name was Noonan. In one episode, "The Fourth Victim," Bates played a bartender who helps Sam get away from the gunfighters. Mack was a relative of Rex Allen and Glenn Strange, and his last co-starring role was in a 1961 episode. But how? That same year, Strange appeared in an uncredited role as the sheriff in Silver Rapids in the Western movie The Fastest Gun Alive starring Glenn Ford. In some scenes google_color_link = "FFFFFF"; Strange died of cancer in 1973, but his influence on the cast of the series was still felt today. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. Children of the '90s knew him as The Famous Jett Jackson, and Smallville fans will remember him as the first live-action version of Justice League mainstay Cyborg. His father William Russell Strange was of Irish ancestry, but his mother Sarah Eliza Strange (ne Byrd) was of British ancestry. During the last few years of his life, Hartman played NewsRadio's Bill McNeal, egotistical co-anchor of the show's WNYX newscast. Not bad for a character whose face we never saw. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Is Leslie Nielsen related to James Arness? Curtis hometown drunk, Festus, was named after him. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. He also appeared twice as Blake in the syndicated Western The Cisco Kid. In a 1985 interview with the Chicago Tribune, the publication lists that 6-hour drive to Hollywood as the reason why her tenure wrapped up in 1974. He was blacklisted during the era of McCarthyism for pleading the Fifth Amendment and not ratting on his friends in the business, but managed to bounce back later in his career, landing parts in Ghost, Barney Miller, and History of the World: Part I, among many others. It's some weird business. Not once. Strange was born on August 16, 1899 in Weed, NM and Stone was born in 1904. Around 12, he taught himself the fiddle and guitar and began performing in his teenage years. Glenn would play extra or bit roles for a number of years B Western and serials. He was a former alcoholic, and he had a lust for alcohol. Sorry if we're blowing some minds here, but it's just the way things are. The couple had one child, Janine Laraine Strange (born 1939). As Sam's old baseball coach, he could have easily fallen into the role of father figure for the show's protagonist, but was written instead as an almost childlike character. Sams last episode was The Hanging of Newly OBrien, which is a remake of the original novel by Thomas Hardy. The nature of voice acting would have made it easy to find another actress who could pull off Wallace's voice, but the producers decided to retire the character out of respect for Wallace. Gunsmoke is a 1953 Western film directed by Nathan Juran and starring Audie Murphy, Susan Cabot, and Paul Kelly. google_color_border = "000000"; Did Sam Elliott ever play in Gunsmoke? He was warm and universally beloved, and the part garnered actor Nicholas Colasanto three Emmy nominations. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. He His declining health forced him to leave the role in 1973. Based on the book of the same name, the show focused on Ritter's character Paul Hennessy and his attempts to maintain control over his daughters' dating lives. Although the original radio series ended in 1972, the television series continued to run until 1990. His career spanned 12 years, starting with the B westerns. Strange played Frankensteins monster in three Universal films in the 1940s, and also played a character named Sam Noonan on the series. But Strange had actually been on the show since 1959. Blake did have throat cancer, but that wasn't the reason that she died, said Dr. Lou Nishimura, a Sacramento internist. The actor was born in Weed, New Mexico Territory, which became part of the state in 1876. Glenn came to Gunsmoke when he met James Arness in 59. Mack had a hard time coping with the alcoholism he was feeling. This is the most bizarre and sad news of all, especially considering that he was Burt Reynolds' character. Bates isnt the only one singing the Gunsmoke actors praises. His character was so well received, Clinton-era Chief of Staff Leon Panetta once told Spencer that "any government would be lucky with Leo as chief of staff.". While doing this, he continued appearing in westerns. Besides that, he greatly resembled Boris Karloff, best known for his Frankensteins monster role, which led to him landing monster movie parts. James Arnesss death was a tragedy for both the actor and the audience. Although Arness was not involved in the production of the show, he said that Reynolds had a successful career and continued to appear in several other television shows. While well start with Burt Reynolds, James Arness, and Ben Bates, well get to Burt Strange next. For the whole 20 years the series was on the air from 1955 until 1975, he appeared in an impressive 605 of 635 episodes, according to IMBD . His first wife, Jenny Lee Arness, committed suicide in 1975. Sent. Growing up in Cross Cut, Texas, his father was a rancher. Ferrer had been playing Assistant Director Owen Granger on NCIS: Los Angeles for five years when he passed away due to throat cancer in 2017. A funeral was held, her urn was lost in airline luggage, and the gang had one more of her enormous meals thanks to a freezer full of leftovers. Among other TV roles, he capped off his career with a steady (12 years) role as Sam the bartender on the classic Gunsmoke (1955) series from 1962 until shortly before his death from lung cancer in 1973. Festus Haggen is riding his mule Ruth when he encounters a man on foot carrying a saddle. Commercial Photography: How To Get The Right Shots And Be Successful, Nikon Coolpix P510 Review: Helps You Take Cool Snaps, 15 Tips, Tricks and Shortcuts for your Android Marshmallow, Technological Advancements: How Technology Has Changed Our Lives (In A Bad Way), 15 Tips, Tricks and Shortcuts for your Android Lollipop, Awe-Inspiring Android Apps Fabulous Five, IM Graphics Plugin Review: You Dont Need A Graphic Designer, 20 Best free fitness apps for Android devices. During his tenure on the show, Sam appeared in 237 episodes. An autopsy later revealed that the 31-year-old actor had passed away after overdosing on alcohol and heroin. It was his massive build that helped him break into the Universal horror picture genre of the 1940s. Phil Hartman was an American treasure on the same scale as Yosemite, even if he was technicallyborn in Canada. How Much Do Bartenders Make in California. Glenn was the perfect replacement for the job and made his monstrous debut with House of Frankenstein (1944), quickly followed by House of Dracula (1945). His father was a bartender and later a rancher. While Chester was not a character on Gunsmoke, Bates was awarded the Golden Globe for his role. Ben Bates served as Dillons stuntman for more than 25 years, something Arness appreciated. In addition to his legendary role on the show, Noonan also played a monstrous role in The Lone Ranger. But in a maneuver now widely known as the "Reverse Fast 7," they acknowledged that their audience was mature enough to accept death and made a whole episode about his passing. However, it seems Arness harnessed some of that persona in real life, especially with how much he looked out for his stuntman. The three went on to perform at the Albuquerque Arena during the New Mexico State Fair. He portrayed the role almost exclusively until his death in 1973. On September 20, 1973, at age 74, Strange died of lung cancer in Los Angeles, California. Glenn Strange died of cancer in 1973. google_ad_type = "text_image"; He'd been on over 200 episodes of Gunsmoke when he passed, and the character of Sam died with him. He was also seen on nearly 100 other TV western episodes of Cisco Kid, Kit Carson, Gene Autry, Annie Oakley, Buffalo Bill Jr., Cheyenne, Sugarfoot, Rawhide, Hopalong Cassidy, Rifleman, Judge Roy Bean, Rin Tin Tin, Sky King, etc. The Oscar-nominated actor was also nominated for an Emmy in the same category. At various times in his life a rancher, deputy sheriff and rodeo performer, this huge, towering (6 5) beast of a man was born George Glenn Strange in Weed, New Mexico, on August 16, 1899, but grew up a real-life cowboy in Cross Cut, Texas. After all, it's at its heart a show sensationalizing and gritting up a children's comic about milkshakes and old-timey Americana hijinks with sex, murder, and a deathly serious re-imagining of Josie and the Pussycats. He wrote, James Arness: An Autobiography in 2001 when he was 78. Amanda Blake, or Miss Kitty on the show, told MeTV he was delightful, charming, one of the funniest men Ive ever known. Ken Curtis played Festus on the show and said his charisma is one of the reasons the show lasted so long. It featured many outdoor scenes in Johnson Canyon near Kanab, Utah. Beginning in 1949, he portrayed Butch Cavendish, the villain responsible for killing all of the Texas Rangers except one in the long-running television series The Lone Ranger. There was a time when the answer was generally "recast and keep going, we've got ad time to fill." To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. There's a lot you can count on your grandpa to do. He'll teach you about baseball. In fact, he even had a limp as part of his characters character. The Thieves: Directed by Philip Leacock. He was 55. Played Saloon Sweeper in "Gunsmoke" in 1955. He gained his first motion picture role in 1932, and appeared in hundreds of films during his lifetime. In addition to playing Sam the bartender on Gunsmokes, Burt Arness also played Marshal Matt Dillon, who was not allowed to drink alcohol in the southwestern town of Dodge City. While this was probably Susi's most prolific role, she had a long, fascinating career as a television and movie actress, starting with a recurring role on Kolchak: The Night Stalker all the way back in 1974. However, in 1971, he was forced to temporarily leave the show for just a handful of episodes because he had to undergo heart surgery after suffering a heart attack. When he suffered a fatal heart attack in 1957, he'd been playing Gramps on TV's Lassie for over 100 episodes. Horror star Boris Karloff had grown weary and fearful of his Frankenstein Creature typecast and abandoned the role. Here, monsters and humans alike congregated, shared meals, and discussed in flagrant disregard of PBS's non-commercial policies which letters and numbers the show was being brought to you by. The makers of the 2016 revival wrote Richard out of the series with a fatal off-screen heart attack, referring back to earlier cardiac problems seen in the original program. [4] Frankenstein's monster [ edit] Strange (left) and Boris Karloff in the 1944 horror film, House of Frankenstein He learned to play guitar and fiddle. She was serious, too. The series later introduced a Norwegian-German actor named Michael Learned as Dillons ex-lover, and Richard Kiley as Chalk Brighton, a die-hard suitor of Matt Dillon. When western movie demand grew scarce in the 1950s, Strange began acting in western television shows. Glenn Strange was born in Weed, New Mexico, on August 16, 1899. The makers of the show were at a loss. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Then Blake decided it was time to go. google_ad_width = 160; The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". He was conniving. Learn more about the full cast of Gunsmoke with news, photos, videos and more at TV Guide. James Nusser. As death sequences go, it was pretty funny, and a cool form of tribute to an old Catskills comedian. Gunsmoke never had a shot at doing a final farewell episode. In recent years, though, many shows have adopted the approach of dealing with a cast member's death directly: by killing off the character that they were portraying. Why so surprising? What you may not know about the late actor are some of the positions he had prior, and some may surprise you. How Much Do Bartenders in Las Vegas Make? They paid tribute to their lost colleague with a touching opening sequence shortly after her passing. After Gunsmoke ended in 1975, Stone made his directorial debut as Doc Adams, the shows main character. If you were a fan of the hit TV series GUNSMOKE, you may be curious to learn how did Sam the bartender die. Around 12, he taught himself the fiddle and guitar and began performing in his teenage years. In later interviews, he said it was in part because he missed his friend. What happened to the first Sam on Gunsmoke? His career on the show was legendary. The Arness brothers and Nielsen were all born in the 20s, with Nielsen and Peter Graves even co-starring in Airplane! During the sixth series' finale, the Doctor calls the nursing home where Lethbridge-Stewart had been living. It can be a source of catharsis for the audience and the crew, and provide a much needed chance to say goodbye to those people the viewers never met, but felt compelled to invite into their homes every week. Level-headed Sam walked into the bar first in Season 6 and was on the show until his death in 1973 at age 74. In 1969, The New York Times mistakenly published Boris Karloff's obituary with Glenn Strange's picture as the Frankenstein monster. The producers had no intention of recasting the role, but they needed another character to fill in the gap he'd left. In the film, she is a former animal activist, who fought to raise awareness of the disease. A fan favorite character, his absence was reportedly felt on and off screen when shooting commenced on the follow-up series Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life, according to a piece in Vanity Fair. In the 1950s he played the outlaw Cavendish in the Lone Ranger TV series. Noonans death sparked a massive fan-base. Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. As the bartender, Strange became a voice of reason and a calming element on the show. Glenn quit school after 8th grade. The regulars who are still with us are: Roger Ewing (Thad Greenwood), who is 73; Buck Taylor (Newly O'Brien), who is 77; and Burt Reynolds (Quint Asper), who is 79. Cory Monteith's brief but astonishing career as an actor saw him starring in movies and TV shows, with appearances on Stargate, Supernatural, and Smallville, among others, before really hitting it big on Glee. Required fields are marked *. He won many awards for his work on the series, including the Emmy Award for Best Actor. The cast was not aware that John Wayne would introduce the series first episode. Strange learned by ear how to play the fiddle and guitar. He appeared in 604 episodes and scuffled with other co-stars in a friendly manner. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. For the uninitiated, Mister Hooper was the proprietor of Hooper's Store, the preferred corner store and eatery of the denizens of Sesame Street. His marriage to Minnie Thompson lasted 36 years. During the shows run, Sam Noonans singing trio was accompanied by singer Dennis Weaver. Strange died on Sept. 23, 1973, from lung cancer at 74 years old. Subscribe to our newsletter for new stories, tips & events. She cited the six-hour commute as one of the reasons she decided to leave the series. Until the Simpsons came along, it was the longest-running prime-time series of all time. Another character on Gunsmoke was Glenn Strange. His family and cousin were cowboy actors and he was already playing fiddles and singing at cowboy dances by the time he was 12 years old. How many different bartenders did they have on Gunsmoke? It doesn't just happen to our grandfathers, it happens to the grandfathers of iconic television characters, too. Strange worked as a cowboy, fought as a profes sional heavyweight and toured with Hoot Gibson's Rodeo be fore entering films as a stunt man. Gunsmoke (TV Series 1955-1975) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. raised in Texas. [1] Strange joined the singers after having appeared at a rodeo in Prescott, Arizona. He suffered from depression and bipolar disorder, and in 2013, after he failed to show up on set, police were sent on a wellness check. about Glenn Strange. The shows star cast included actors like William Conrad, Howard McNear, and Milburn Stone. They consulted child psychologists and fought the network and the sponsors to have Gramps pass away within the show, even being told at one point that they couldn't use the words "death" or "die" to refer to what had happened. Strange is interred at Forest Lawn - Hollywood Hills Cemetery. The cancellation of Gunsmoke came as a surprise to fans, and the cast was unable to put together a farewell episode. He played the character from 1961 until his death in 1974. Actor Buck Taylor, best known as the gunsmith turned deputy Newly OBrien on Gunsmoke, is 81 years old at the moment and looks as handsome as ever! He had an insatiable appetite for scenery and a hell of a goatee. But the actors performances did not stop the show from becoming a hit. Considering Arness stood at a giant 6-feet 7-inches tall, he likely realized how valuable a great stuntman of that size was. Click HERE for more stuff about Glenn Strange. He also had pretty decent runs on General Hospital and L.A. Lawover the course of his career. Delgado's Master didn't take long to become a staple of the Doctor Who rogues gallery. the Frankenstein monster in ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN (Universal, Bates also acted in movies and television shows, including Charade and The Sons of Katie Elder. In addition, Strange and his wife were friends who wrote songs together. It belonged to Colasanto and used to hang in his dressing room. During the wave of monster-related merchandising in the late 1950s and 1960s, Glenn Strange's iconic image often was used for the monster on toys, games, and paraphernalia, most often from his appearance in the Abbott and Costello film. (Of course, in the patchwork scene, they said he died.) Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Bates was known for performing dangerous stunts as Marshal Matt Dillon. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. He is also known for playing the role of a bank teller in the show. The actors death was the subject of a TV documentary, The Fastest Man in the World.. Will Lee, the actor who played Mister Hooper, died of a heart attack in 1982. His character was killed offscreen, dying of a heart attack, and the show managed to keep a sense of humor about his losswithout being cruel. When it returned, Hennessy's death was addressed, the program was retitled as just8 Simple Rules, and the paternal void left by Ritter was filled in by James Garner, who came on board as Ritter's father-in-law/grandfather to the teenagers. When you're dealing with gunfights and bar brawls, you need a solid voice of reason, and that was definitely Sam, who's seen quite a bit. To make up for the lost role, an actor . By the time he was 12, he was performing at cowboy dances. There's a good chance you don't know the guy, but Phil Leeds was a fascinating dude. It was a bold move by a children's show, and the episode won a Peabody for that season. Bates wrote about the event in James Arness: An Autobiography. In 1961, he began the small, but regular, role as Sam Noonan the bartender in Miss Kitty's Long Branch Saloon, Dodge City in the TV show, Gunsmoke. His biographical information states that he was 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighed 220 pounds. That same year, he played rancher Pat Cafferty, who faces the threat of anthrax, in the episode "Queen of the Cimarron" of the syndicated Western series, Frontier Doctor. His role as Sam Noonan lasted until the shows cancellation in 1973. With a surprising amount of pragmatism. On television, the lead role was played by James Arness, and Stone starred alongside other legends like Roy Rogers and Michael Douglas. James Arness played the heroic Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke, serving as a paragon of law and order for the west. He was married to Virginia Chapman for 10 years. Blake wanted to storm the steps of CBS in New York City. For more Gunsmoke trivia, check out the following list! He also played The Monster in Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948). George Glenn Strange (August 16, 1899 September 20, 1973) was an American actor who mostly appeared in Western films. While Kroger was replaced by a new therapist, Hctor Elizondo's Dr. Neven Bell, his loss was felt deeply. She left the show following the death of her co-star Sam the bartender in season eight. Arness died of natural causes at his home in Brentwood, said family spokeswoman Ginny Fazer. Then, the next year, Edna's death was referenced in the Season 25 episode "The Man Who Grew Too Much.". Over a career spanning decades, Hartman played dozens of roles: Troy McClure on The Simpsons, Ranger John "Vicky" Johnson in So I Married An Axe Murderer, Pee-wee's Playhouse's Captain Carl, and countless characters on SNL, to name just a few. Strange was cast in 1944 film House of Frankenstein in the role created by Boris Karloff in Frankenstein (1931), coached by Karloff personally after hours. If you haven't watched Kolchak, you've gotta watch Kolchak. One of his first roles was uncredited as a soldier, in tin armor, as part of "Ming's Army", in the science fiction classic serial "Flash Gordon"(1936/I). Click HERE for more stuff Glenn Strange played Sam the Bartender on Gunsmoke. He played Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. He was raised in a town in West Texas called Cross Cut and began learning to play the guitar and fiddle by ear at a young age. His reason? When she died suddenly of a cerebral hemorrhage in 2003 at age 54, her character, Ella Mae Farmer, was killed in universe, dying of the cancer she'd been recovering from. Your email address will not be published. Despite the death of his co-star, the show remained in Dodge City after 1975. On the big screen, he had meaty roles in films that ran the gamut in quality, from Akeelah and the Bee to The Hills Have Eyes 2. google_ad_format = "160x600_as"; While they werent playing Miss Kitty, Doc, and Chester, the three had some other attention-worthy talents. Known for his role as Sam the bartender on Gunsmoke, Glenn Strange passed away nearly 50 years ago. Blakes death certificate listed the immediate cause of death as cardiopulmonary arrest due to liver failure and CMV hepatitis. In addition to his acting roles, he also acted as a fiddle player in one Gunsmoke episode. A stunt double for James Arness on the hit TV show Gunsmoke, Ben Bates appeared on the hit western series for 25 years. The next week, Bill McNeal's role was filled in by Max Louis, played by Hartman's fellow SNL alum Jon Lovitz. He was Sam the bartender at the Long Branch saloon on GUNSMOKE from 1962 He was 74 years old when he died of cancer. Born in May 1938, Bucks career began in the 50s as he got some gigs on TV projects. His absence on the show led the creators to make sure that all three characters were written out. In addition to starring in many popular television series, Bates played many recurring roles including the bartender Sam Jones on Gunsmoke and as a cowboy on Dragnet. Within the show, it had already been revealed that his character was dying, potentially as a result of exposure to Agent Orange. How many bartenders were there on Gunsmoke? Who played Sam the bartender on Gunsmoke? During his pre-teen years, he played guitar and fiddle. as Sam the bartender.