Today, June 3rd, 2011, marks the death of actor James Arness. His character Sheriff Matt Dillon taught me to be a man. His seminal sense of justice, duty, respect and wisdom inspire me. Sheriff Dillon got his man with constant, gentle toughness.
In high school I stayed up late Sunday nights to watch Gunsmoke and Kung Fu. A friend would do the same. Monday mornings were spent discussing the fine points of the shows while feigning interest in Mr. Adair's Sophomore English lessons. Gunsmoke was also my crusty Grandfather's favorite show. He even looked a bit like James Arness.
Coincidently David Carradine the actor playing Kwai Chang Caine of the Kung Fu series also died on June 3rd two years earlier.
These two characters helped form a young man's moral compass.
2 comments:
I honestly thought Arness was already dead.
I didn't watch Gunsmoke all that much, but Kung Fu was a fixture on Saturdays growing up in Duluth
Peter Graves was his brother??? How did I not know that?
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