Bruce Von Stiers
Over the years, a number of movie and television stars have penned their memoirs. Some have been some really torrid kiss and tell stories. Others have sugar sweet and didn't dish out any dirt on the principal players in the story. A book that I just finished falls somewhat into the latter category. It is the story of Gunsmoke's James Arness as written by the man himself. The title of the book is simply James Arness: An Autobiography. The book was co-written with James E. Wise, Jr. It was published by McFarland & Company, Inc.
The book begins with a foreword by Burt Reynolds. No matter what people think about old Burt these days, he is pretty loyal to his friends. And he counts James Arness as one of his best friends. Burt was on Gunsmoke with Arness for a while. Burt gives a brief two page glimpse into whom and what James Arness is.
There is also a short introduction by the co-author of the book, James E. Wise. He tells of how he came to help write the book. He also tells of how James Arness became a quick and long lasting friend.
For those of you who don't recognize the name James Arness, you have probably never watched the television show Gunsmoke. Mr. Arness played Marshal Matt Dillon of Dodge City for over 20 years on that show. It was one of the highest rated television shows for a number of years. The show sprung forth several actors' careers. James Arness tells us quite a bit about the show, the people involved with it and how wonderful his life has been.
The book is set up in six parts. There is also the Foreword and Introduction that I previously mentioned. Jim Arness provides us a short prelude to his story as well. And there is a six part appendix that has things like comments from other actors and fans. The final section of the book is a nine page index.
Part I is called The Early Years. Here is where you will find the brief history of Jim Arness' childhood and adolescence. You will find that the family name as really Aursnes, but was changed to Aurness at Ellis Island. We learn about how his family ended up min Minnesota, in the Minneapolis area. He tells about how his father, Rolf, got together with his mother, Ruth. This part of the book also tells of Jim's early childhood and his high school days. He talks about being on Ox Lake north of Minneapolis in a boat with his father. Jim tells a few stories about how he and some of his friends used to hop a freight train and roam around the countryside. Jim ends this part with his telling of working the logging camps in Idaho in the summer of 1942.
Part II is titled Anzio, 1944. This part deals with Jim's entrance into World War II. We find out how he was trained to be a soldier. He tells of being asked to stay at training camp and help other soldiers prepare for the war. He declines the offer and later ends up on the beach in Italy as part of the U.S. fighting force at Anzio. We learn about the various steps it took to get Jim's fighting group to the beach. Then we find out some of the horrors of the fighting that occurred while they Allied troops were trying to take over the countryside. Jim tells about how he got wounded in battle. This part then goes on to describe how Jim was slowly moved around to various medical units and then finally sent home to the U.S. At the end of this part is where we learn how Jim decides to become a performer.
Part III is Drifting Into Show Business. Here we will find out how Jim became an actor. We find him doing radio spots for companies like Yellow Bowl Pipes. He ends up going out to L.A. with his friend Dick to seek out an acting career. We find out how Jim got a couple of lucky breaks and ended up in the movie The Farmer's Daughter. Jim then goes on to describe some of his experiences early in his acting career. He tells about working with Spenser Tracy in The People Against O'Hara. He also tells of other movies that he got a chance to play a part in. We also learn about how Jim becomes a surfer and spends a bunch of his time on the water. We also find out how he met and married his first wife, Virginia, who was an actress.
Part IV is titled John Wayne. Here we find out how Jim met and became friends with John Wayne. Jim tells of becoming part of the small group of actors that John Wayne included in his production company. He then was in a film called Them! About alien insects invading the earth. Jim then goes on to describe how the executives at CBS courted him to play Matt Dillon on their new television show. Jim was reluctant to do this as there was a stigma to television acting. He finally found out that we was truly being sought after and decided to become Matt Dillon.
Part V is Gunsmoke. This part is what most fans will really like. It gives a lot of insight on how the show was first set up and provides some stories about the cast. He tells of how Amanda Blake sat outside a producer's office for a great length of time so that he would cast her in the part of Miss Kitty. Jim has some stories of Burt Reynolds, Milburn Stone and Dennis Weaver. You will learn here how the various personal appearances became more than just meeting the fans. You will also find out how Jim got rid of one wife and gained another.
If there is one thing to say about James Arness, it is that he is a gentleman and doesn't kiss and tell. He doesn't give any torrid details of liaisons he might have had with leading ladies or other women. He could have dished out dirt about his first wife, Virginia, but doesn't. Even though this is his memoirs, Jim Arness remains a fairly private man. He lightly touches on the death of his daughter due to a drug overdose. He doesn't dwell on it like some other people might. He just lets you know it happened. He also doesn't say a whole bunch about his new wife Janet. He just lets the reader know that Janet has been a wonderful person and has stood by him.
Part VI is called And Beyond. It covers some of the things that Jim has done since Gunsmoke went off the air. He has acted in a few television movies and had a mini series that was well received. He began sailing and it became a passion for him.
The appendixes for the book hold some special treats for the reader. The first one is called Others Remember. You read what people like Buck Taylor (Newly O'Brien on Gunsmoke) have to say about Jim. Morgan Woodward is a familiar face to television audiences, having been in several shows like Gunsmoke and Dallas. He and Bruce Boxleitner both share some remembrances of working with Jim and becoming his friend. The second appendix features comments from various guest stars on Gunsmoke. You will find out what Ed Asner has to say about Jim and how Ruta Lee describes a scene with Jim where he bangs her head into a door frame. The third appendix contains letters and e-mails from fans of Gunsmoke and James Arness. The fifth and sixth appendixes give the titles and dates of Jim's television shows and movies.
James Arness: An Autobiography is full of antidotes and remembrances of the life of one of televisions highest rated and most recognized stars. Jim Arness keeps it simple and tells you where he came from and what he became. He doesn't dish dirt and keeps quite a bit of his life private, only revealing glimpses of some of the bad things that had happened to him. This book is definitely not a "kiss and tell" or "trash my friends and neighbors" kind or narrative. That proves what people have always said about James Arness, that he is a private person and very much the gentleman.
The list price for James Arness: An Autobiography is $ 35. You can order it directly from McFarland & Company. Their web site is www.mcfarlandpub.com. You can also call them at 1 800 - 253 - 2187 or write to the company at PO Box 611, Jefferson, North Carolina 28640.
If you are a fan of James Arness, of Gunsmoke, or of both, then James Arness: An Autobiography is a "must have" for your book collection.
© 2001 Bruce E. Von Stiers